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Jnaanam – 20 values from the Bhagavad Gita
Jnaanam – 20 values from the Bhagavad Gita “What you do in life is an expression of the values that are valuable to you….
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thanks….ganpati smiles by removing all obstacles and difficulties from our path and assist us to deal with experiences good, bad ugly.
Thanks
As a Newbie, I am continuously browsing online for articles that can benefit me. Thank you!
Pranams at your lotus feet Swaminiji 🙌🙏🥰 Wonderful!
Thanks for the wonderful information
HarihOm
Bhagvan Ram was Maryada purushottam. His entire life he stood by what he said and never did anything against dharma.
🌟Danyavadah🌟
A beautiful ritual of realisation of auspiciousness … always thankful for your sharings as sometimes I am bewildered by it all Namaskaram 🙏
Pranams Swaminji B 🙏
This is so exciting for me as the last 5 years I have been trying to “nut” out what are the Vedas/what is Vedanta, how do I make sense of it all etc., how do I find the linkage required to enhance my personal self-growth and so on.
Now, being more relaxed after my Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Anaikatti experience, I am so grateful, with the grace of Isvara to have found, dare I say my Guru, thank you for reaffirming my gradual (very slow understandings).
I seem to always start things backwards, or too far ahead of my qualifications. Now I feel that Taitiriya Upanishad is going to really ground me in a way to clarify the bits and pieces already pursued all the way from my 20’s … Guru Purnima blesses my 65th year.
I find this lay out to be exceptional by the way.
Harih Om
Dhanyavadah
With love
Renate
Thank you for being the first to offer comments 🙂
Renate, you are blessed in so many ways.
I am happy that you like the layout
good intentions are always needed while starting something a fresh
with prayers
sudhakar
Yes. Well said!
Wow! I used to chant this in school (Chinmaya Mission) This has taken me back to my childhood. Lovely
Wonderful
Namaste! Kindly add me to the GIta-Amrtam channel. Look forward to being assigned a group for the completion of the exercise. Thank you
How do I join the slack channel?
You ‘ve been added
Definition is limiting in a way
Awesome presentation Swamini! Thank you!
Dear Swamini B,
Your student Rashmi with whom I learnt the 16 step puja just posted your meditation. It is outstanding. Profound. I shall go back again to assimilate the wisdom inherent in the simple words you share.
I’ve had a relapse into depressive symptoms and this seems to address those symptoms and give the most beautiful, accommodative context: abiding awareness.
My symptoms are worse in the morning.
I shall listen again then to see the effect.
Have you addressed depression exclusively in any of your previous River of Wisdom talks?
Thankyou for today’s sharing on Abiding Awareness.
Namaste
Philip
philipgatt@yahoo.com.au
Thank you Phil. I am sure it is a phase and we can deal with it.
Writing to you by email.
Outstanding!
“There is nothing to reject” A very powerful reminder. Thank you Swamini.
Wonderful discussion. This idea was so very insightful and helpful: ‘With a very strong karta and subjective view of the world (seeing my roles and actions as defining ‘me’ and are the source of my self worth), we will make Vedanta another achievement to be pursued’
‘Awareness has no experience. All experience exists in awareness.’
🙏
Harih Om … Namaskaram Swaminiji B … no matter how many times I chant/listen these openings prayers I feel so blessed …
Wonderful..you are blessed
Thanks for sharing this enlightening post. That the Ego cannot stand self-examination or self-inquiry, was the most insightful message for me. It is no wonder why most of us evade it and so avoid places and people which force us to direct our vision inwards. We would rather be busy, buried under performance and peer pressures than give ourselves moments to introspect on matters of self.
It is no wonder Vedanta hinges on relentless questioning and the relationship between the teacher and student. 🙏🏻
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Hi. I do not have access to the replay. Even after signing in and giving password for replay. Looking forward to speedy resolution of the same. Thanks and regards
Sorry about that Neelu. The course can be retaken a few times. So not sure why this problem was faced. Please try and again.
Let me know if it does not work. Thanks
Dear Swamini ji, it’s still showing the same – not allowing access. Maybe my account has not been updated with the payment ? Even if i retake it the same could happen. Please do see what can be done (in my first query email i had asked also if my login account would be updated with purchase and in my courses also it does not reflect. yet) . Regards
Things have become such that the site is not even asking for access password but getting it here only. And itis not reflecting in my orders either
Thank you so much Swamini Ji! With the second solution provided i am now able to access the replays.
“She was lovable and worthy of all appreciation. No conditions attached.” This says it all. 🙂 I see myself in Meena for sure. External praise and kindness from others are easily dismissed if I can’t give this to myself first. Such a simple idea but I think is the heart of the matter for so many people. Thank you Swaminiji!
What a gift it is – not only listen to the gem on Podcast and also get the transcripts.
Hari Om.
This is a summary of the first 10 minutes of class, including the story, for quick reference.
The king of a particular kingdom is very upset by the level of corruption in the kingdom, and is not able to find out who is really involved. He speaks to his ministers to try to find a solution. One of his ministers has a seemingly strange plan, but the king is willing to go along with this, and do whatever it takes, because the coffers are being depleted. The plan is that a tank should be constructed at the top of a hill, and an announcement is made to the villagers that on Amavasya, one representative from each home should carry a glass of milk and pour it into the tank. So on Amavasya, one member of each family walks up the hill with a covered glass, climbs the ladder on the side of the tank, opens the lid of the tank, and pour the contents of their glass into the tank. Then, at dawn on the following morning, there is a town meeting on the hill at the tank. The lead minister goes up the ladder and peers into the tank and gasps. The intrigued king decides to climb the ladder to find out what is in the tank. When the king looks into the tank, he only sees water, there is no milk. The king exclaimed that there were clear orders for each family to put milk in the tank, yet no one put milk in the tank. The king understood that the finger could not be pointed at anyone in particular. No one was willing to do what was instructed by the court/kingdom. All the villagers bowed their heads in shame, no one could meet the eyes of the king. A little boy in the crowd offered the king an explanation- Because my family thought that another family would pour milk, we did not put any milk.
So this is the sentiment- I do not need to contribute because someone else will contribute, or because I have been denied. So one does not contribute time, effort, attention, or resources. So one should do introspection and ask oneself~ What is my duty in the context of different relationships? Is there a tendency to be half-hearted? What do I need to do? Not hide behind another person.
So, one may have varied reasons why one does not do karma.
Bhagavan Shri Krishna tells that one should not hide or dodge responsibility.
I have a particular slot in the larger scheme of things. And if I do not do, who will do?
ॐ
कर्म योग is a wonderful साधन for a happy mind and a productive & fulfilling व्यवहार experience.
Thank you for गीता अमृतम् Swaminiji 🙂
कर्म योग
कर्म is inevitable.
One may have romantic ideas about reducing कर्म, because कर्म comes with baggage and one does not want baggage.
भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: explains that शरीरयात्र (श्लोक ८) is not possible without कर्म |
But कर्म can feel like a burden, with a long ever-growing to-do list of pending activities/responsibilities, and only temporary solutions. So, one may feel that one has not done enough, or that one is not enough.
Everyone experiences this burden of कर्म | The fisherwoman on the bus, who has a heavy basket of fish on her head, refuses to put it down. She keeps the heavy basket on her head thinking- it is my basket of fish, and if I do not carry it, then the train will have to carry my basket. She does not consider that the train is that which is carrying her from one point to the next.
In the same way, the train is the flowing blessings of ईश्वर | And one stands with one’s basket of कर्म, thinking – I am the one who has to do it all, I am never enough, I feel so exhausted/tired.
But, really this heavy basket of कर्म that one thinks that one cannot put down, is actually fully pervaded by भगवान् | The carried basket of कर्म, the different types of कर्म performed, the laws of कर्म are all shaped by भगवान्, and the results of कर्म is also all भगवान् |
So, if one puts the basket down, the train is not going to feel the burden.
This is the transformation from कर्म to कर्म योग | It is the surrender to भगवान्, with the understanding that one is able to do कर्म thanks to भगवान्, and that one gets पुन्य or पापा, with resultant happiness/sorrow due to भगवान् |
So, one need not feel the weight of the basket, as one has learnt to put it down by understanding that the train/ईश्वर that is carrying one, will also carry the heavy basket.
But this basket/कर्म gives one an identity/sense of significance, so one holds on to it for dear life. However, this very basket/कर्म becomes बन्धन, if कर्म is not transformed to कर्म योग |
श्लोक १०
सहयज्ञा: प्रजा: सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापति: ।
अनेन प्रसविष्यध्वमेष वोऽस्त्विष्टकामधुक् ॥ १०॥
यज्ञ in this श्लोक is another word for कर्म योग |
पुर – at the beginning,
प्रजापति: – Lord Brahma-ji, the creator i.e. the function of भगवान् involved in manifestation.
प्रजा: सृष्ट्वा – having created these different beings,
then Lord Brahma-ji also created यज्ञ, and then He said,
अनेन – by this, i.e. by this यज्ञ i.e. by worshipful/reverential कर्म / कर्म योग,
प्रसविष्यध्वम् – may you multiply.
May this यज्ञ be इष्टकामधुक् – something that you like and may this यज्ञ/कर्म योग be like a wish-fulfilling cow.
OR
Let this Knowledge of ब्रह्मन्, fulfill all your desires.
In the वैदिक lifestyle, there are certain संस्कार-s/rites of passage/milestones which are performed for purification/seeking blessings.
So, यज्ञ refers to all these कर्म-s presented in the कर्म काण्ड portion of the वेद |
So, if one wants something, one can do regular क्रिया and get the result.
However, by doing one’s कर्म which is enjoined by the वेद, it enhances the results of कर्म that one is already getting.
Nowadays, most do secular rituals, e.g. a birthday is incomplete without a cake being cut. So just as these rituals carry meaning, so too by understanding the significance of the वैदिक ritual, it becomes meaningful. For instance, there are rituals for the act of conception, before a mother becomes pregnant, when a child’s hair is first cut, when the child’s first solid food is eaten. Also, the child’s start of the study of वेदान्त is an important milestone, and usually occurs between 8-11years and is marked by the initiation into the Gayatri Mantra.
So, different rituals/mantras to be chanted are present in the वेद, and this was revealed along with the manifestation of this creation.
The ऋषि-s did not compose the वेद; the वेद was revealed through the ऋषि-s.
So, along with this manifestation, the वेद which was unmanifest was revealed to those who were eligible i.e. the ऋषि-s. And the rituals revealed form the कर्म काण्ड portion of the वेद |
Kamadhenu was the wish-fulfilling cow of the great ऋषि Vasishta. When King Vishvamitra came to the forest with his retinue, they became tired & hungry, so unannounced they sought the hospitality of Sage Vasishta. Due to His wish-fulfilling cow, ऋषि Vasishta was able to receive the King and his entourage graciously and serve them a bountiful platter. (अतिथिदेवो भव – treat the unannounced guest as God) The King was surprised that such a lean ऋषि living in the forest could supply such a grand meal. Upon questioning, Sage Vasishta revealed that He had a cow called Kamadhenu. Obviously, King Vishvamitra wanted the cow, but Sage Vasishta explained that the cow only yielded to ऋषि-s of his calibre. So, King Vishvamitra did a lot of तपस् and became a great ऋषि; but of course, at that point He did not care for Kamadhenu.
So too, Kamadhenu is present in the वेद | So whatever कर्मफल is desired, by doing that specific कर्म enjoined by the वेद, one can have it all.
However, with the disposition of कर्म योग, whether one gets the desired result/not, one is okay with whatever is.
So, success when performing कर्म is getting items ticked off of a to-do list, whereas success in कर्म योग is being okay with whatever the result is, knowing that it is प्रासाद from भगवान् |
Therefore, यज्ञ is an important part of one’s life-
~ converting कर्म into कर्म योग, as well as
~ the कर्म mentioned in the कर्म काण्ड portion of the वेद which helps in (i) fulfilling one’s wishes, as well as (ii) one’s rites of passage.
श्लोक ११
देवान्भावयतानेन ते देवा भावयन्तु व: ।
परस्परं भावयन्त: श्रेय: परमवाप्स्यथ ॥ ११॥
भगवान् now talks of the देवता-s/presiding deities i.e. the intelligence that makes everything possible.
So, by the कर्म rituals, one is making offerings to the देवता-s.
Therefore, may one make these offerings to the देवता-s.
And, as a result of which, may those देवता-s also propitiate one.
So, the principle of reciprocity is highlighted. Reciprocity is a fundamental aspect of धर्म |
Therefore, a balance must be seen between what is given and what is received.
And so, it is not that there are inert laws of nature, rather there is an intelligent cause who is भगवान्, with different deities/heads of department responsible for different phenomena. In this way there is enforcement & application of the laws of nature.
So, may one recognize the presence of these presiding deities.
If one does not recognize these presiding deities, still water flows for one, wind blows for one etc.
But, with their recognition, one feels more connected to the entirety, and it is part of one’s sacred responsibility to acknowledge the different देवता-s for all things that one gets.
So, the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता which is the essence of the वेद, milked by भगवान् श्री कृष्ण:, tells us that which cannot be known by direct perception or inference.
Here, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: tells of the presiding deities that are responsible for all various phenomena, who are to be propitiated.
And because this is a relationship of reciprocity, one will gain the greatest good by doing things for the other i.e. for the देवता-s.
The देवता-s are not demanding, but by making offerings to them, one feels connected to the total, and also gains पुन्य |
So, may one do this देव-यज्ञ |
One has the freedom to relate to any देवता, in any way that one wishes ~ as a friend, child, teacher etc.
One may have a इष्टदेवता that one prays to every day.
Then, there is a कुलदेवता, who is the deity of the family.
Also, there is a ग्रामदेवता, the deity worshipped by a community, and who blesses the community in that form.
श्लोक १२
इष्टान्भोगान्हि वो देवा दास्यन्ते यज्ञभाविता: ।
तैर्दत्तानप्रदायैभ्यो यो भुङ्क्ते स्तेन एव स: ॥ १२॥
By propitiating/worshipping these देवता-s by यज्ञ~ puja, prayer conversation etc., what is desired (इष्टान्भोगान्) will be given to you.
One can pray to any deity, whenever one likes. For instance, Lord Ganesha can be prayed to, for removal of obstacles. Or for योग or वेदान्त study, one can pray to Lord Shiva.
But really, one can pray to any deity, as this specific deity becomes भगवान् for one.
By praying to any देवता, one is invoking the whole i.e. all of भगवान् | E.g. touching the finger of the friend seated next to me in the cinema, invokes the attention of the entire friend.
So, the trust & devotion to the देवता that one prays to, will bless one, of course taking into account the पुन्य and पापा कर्मफल in one’s account.
So, even though praying fervently to a given deity, due to पापा कर्मफल in one’s account, one may not receive the desired result, because of one’s choices in the past.
Then,
तैर्दत्तानप्रदायैभ्यो यो भुङ्क्ते – if one enjoys what is giving by the देवता-s, but does not offer anything in return i.e. there is no acknowledgement,
then one is as good as a स्तेन (thief).
A thief takes what is not his/hers and behaves like it is his/hers.
So, living life without acknowledging the role of the देवता-s, with a presumptuous sense of entitlement, this is synonymous to me being a thief.
श्लोक १३
यज्ञशिष्टाशिन: सन्तो मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्बिषै: ।
भुञ्जते ते त्वघं पापा ये पचन्त्यात्मकारणात् ॥ १३॥
Because one sees the presence of ईश्वर in all of one’s activities,
then, even in the mundane action of eating-
e.g. those who eat and first offer what they are eating to भगवान्,
then they are released from किल्बिष: i.e. the suffering which comes from पापा | So, there is पुन्य because of one’s recognition of भगवान् |
Then, those who eat/experience without first making an offering/acknowledging भगवान्, they gain पापा |
So, one says grace before meals, or chants –
ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम् ।
ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना ॥ ~ ४.२४
Or the traditional brahmana-s, put aside a little food, pray/offer, and then eat.
So, these activities encourage one’s expanding awareness that everything is interconnected.
This is beyond thanking those whose effort would have gone into the prepared meal- the farmer, the grocer, the cook. This is acknowledgement of the deities who preside over the entire process, so I thank/acknowledge them, and am grateful for the meal.
This makes one aware of those contributors to one’s life, with the acknowledgement of the reciprocity of different forms/functions.
And then, if one only does for oneself i.e. one is selfish, with no concept of doing for the other, strangely, one may have feelings of hurt, thinking that why have I not received more. So, one should do introspection if this is the case.
श्लोक १४
अन्नाद्भवन्ति भूतानि पर्जन्यादन्नसम्भव: ।
यज्ञाद्भवति पर्जन्यो यज्ञ: कर्मसमुद्भव: ॥ १४॥
From अन्नम् – food/rice,
भूतानि भवन्ति – living beings are borne.
Food is born of पर्जन्या – rain.
And according to वेद, rain is the product of यज्ञ |
So, the collective पुन्य of all people living in a specific location, means that a certain area is blessed with an adequate amount of rain, so that there is a good harvest and the people are nourished.
And पुन्य is borne of कर्म |
Therefore, there is no escape from कर्म |
So, doing the right कर्म in line with धर्म brings पुन्य/happiness to oneself & others.
श्लोक १५
कर्म ब्रह्मोद्भवं विद्धि ब्रह्माक्षरसमुद्भवम् ।
तस्मात्सर्वगतं ब्रह्म नित्यं यज्ञे प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥ १५॥
The understanding of कर्म giving पुन्य & पापा and joy & sorrow respectively, comes from वेद |
The understanding of the different types of कर्म to be done, comes from ब्रह्म i.e. the वेद |
And the वेद comes from the one who is अक्षरम् i.e. the one who has no decline ~ ब्रह्मन् | In मुण्डक उपनिषद्, this word अक्षरम् is used to mean ब्रह्मन् |
Therefore, the वेद is a sacred & a valid means of knowledge.
तस्मात् – Therefore,
सर्वगतं ब्रह्म – the वेद abides in,
नित्यं यज्ञे प्रतिष्ठितम् – the कर्म that one does.
There can be the immediate experienced effect of कर्म i.e. दृष्ट फलम् |
Then, the unseen पुन्य or पापा that one accumulates is अदृष्ट फलम् |
One may ask, how is भगवान् present in पापा?
The law of कर्म is presided over by भगवान् |
E.g. the creator of the video game is not responsible for the choices/actions of the player of the video game.
The creator pervades the creation, just as one’s dream.
So all is भगवान् | भगवान् has created the law of कर्म, so both पुन्य and पापा, order & disorder is भगवान् |
This is because भगवान् is above order & disorder; cause & effect.
So, performance of कर्म is like eating noodles- one may try to eat one strand of noodle, but everything else on the plate comes along with that one strand. Similarly, though only doing one action, all पुन्य and पापा, सुख दु:ख come along.
Therefore, one should be more deliberate and conscious of the kind of कर्म that one does.
So, Sanatana Dharma teaches of action-consequence; there is no escape from the result of कर्म |
ॐ
Story
The king of a particular kingdom is very upset by the level of corruption in the kingdom, and is not able to find out who is really involved. He speaks to his ministers to try to find a solution. One of his ministers has a seemingly strange plan, but the king is willing to go along with this, and do whatever it takes, because the coffers are being depleted. The plan is that a tank should be constructed at the top of a hill, and an announcement is made to the villagers that on Amavasya, one representative from each home should carry a glass of milk and pour it into the tank. So, on Amavasya, one member of each family walks up the hill with a covered glass, climbs the ladder on the side of the tank, opens the lid of the tank, and pours the contents of their glass into the tank. Then, at dawn on the following morning, there is a town meeting on the hill at the tank. The lead minister goes up the ladder and peers into the tank and gasps. The intrigued king decides to climb the ladder to find out what is in the tank. When the king looks into the tank, he only sees water, there is no milk. The king exclaimed that there were clear orders for each family to put milk in the tank, yet no one put milk in the tank. The king understood that the finger could not be pointed at anyone in particular. No one was willing to do what was instructed by the court/kingdom. All the villagers bowed their heads in shame, no one could meet the eyes of the king. A little boy in the crowd offered the king an explanation- Because my family thought that another family would pour milk, we did not put any milk.
So, this is the sentiment- I do not need to contribute because someone else will contribute, or because I have been denied. Therefore, one does not contribute time, effort, attention, or resources. So, one should do introspection and ask oneself~ What is my duty in the context of different relationships? Is there a tendency to be half-hearted? What do I need to do? Not hide behind another person.
So, one may have varied reasons why one does not do karma.
Bhagavan Shri Krishna tells that one should not hide or dodge responsibility.
I have a particular slot in the larger scheme of things. And if I do not do, who will do?
श्लोक १६
एवं प्रवर्तितं चक्रं नानुवर्तयतीह य: ।
अघायुरिन्द्रियारामो मोघं पार्थ स जीवति ॥ १६॥
चक्रं ~ wheel i.e. the cosmic wheel ~ the धर्म of things and the laws of nature.
So, these are already set in motion and moving.
For instance, day turns into night, and then again into day, and so on.
But, one never thinks- what if the planet falls off its orbit? The earth is both rotating & revolving, but one does not worry about this, one just trusts in the धर्म/laws of nature.
So, this cosmic wheel is already in motion. And if one does not follow this wheel, and one does not make their contribution in their given time slot, or scheme of things where one is, then this is अघ |
अघ = पापा i.e. bad कर्म |
So, one lives a life of पापा by not doing what is supposed to be done.
Why?
This person is इन्द्रियाराम: i.e. one who is caught up with the pleasures of the senses, and is willing to do anything for this.
E.g. for the sake of my senses, one is willing to commit injury, like wearing animal fur coats.
So, the one who does not contribute to the चक्र that is already set in motion, is living a life of पापा, only caught up in the senses, and therefore a waste of life.
What is different from this person & an animal? One eats, drinks & procreates and that is all, and then life is over. And some justify this lifestyle.
But due to the धर्म in one’s heart, one feels uncomfortable with this type of behavior. Instinctively, there is this intelligence that lets us know what is the right thing to do, though one may not always go along with it.
श्लोक १७
यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानव: ।
आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते ॥ १७॥
The person spoken of in श्लोक १७,
contrasts the person who is caught up with the senses, who does not contribute due to inertia/laziness, only wants to hide under the carpet, or likes to behave helplessly.
One can have learned helplessness, e.g. with respect to technology there is an unwillingness to learn a new platform.
One is fearful of making a mistake when learning something new & different, and this prevents one from learning.
When one is fearful, one cannot learn; one needs to be relaxed in order to learn.
So, one has their own reasons for contributing more/less in a certain situation, for dodging responsibility.
If one steps up & stretches oneself, then one’s comfort zone increases.
Otherwise, one’s comfort zone becomes a conditioned zone, and then anything other than that comfort zone becomes threatening to one.
And it is okay to feel an initial uncomfortable feeling as one expands their comfort zone.
So, this person who does not pitch in as required, is contrasted with the one who is आत्मरति: i.e. the one who recognizes oneself as limitless and delights in the आनन्द that one is. This is the description of the स्थितप्रज्ञ |
Here, आत्मरति: does not refer to the personality- one is not delighting in one’s thoughts, emotions or desires. It is the one who delights in आत्मा as myself. This brings a deep sense of contentment, and one is आत्मा तृप्त: | There is no want for anything to be different.
As the wave, one always will feel less than and pushed around, so one has to establish one’s identity and negotiate terms etc..
Even if one were to become a tsunami wave, it will cause a lot havoc, and also it is only a temporary form.
With the shift in identity to I am water, I understand that I am the basis of the entire ocean; without me there is no form called as ocean. And with this understanding there is आत्मा तृप्त: |
So, for this ज्ञानी, who knows & delights in the self, there is a sense of complete contentment, with nothing to be done.
But we see the wise person ever engaged in a lot of projects.
कर्म is done for कर्मफल |
But, for the wise person कर्म is done for लोकसंग्रह i.e. for the well-being of others.
कर्म for the wise person is done out of fullness. There is nothing to be done for the sake of fullness, because one already knows one’s fullness.
But for the otherwise person i.e. the one ignorant of my true nature, कर्म is done for the sake of fullness- for अर्थ, काम, धर्म, and erroneously for मोक्ष |
We can relate to this doing कर्म out of fullness. For instance, when one sings in the shower, there is no judging, no ulterior motive, there is no agenda. One does this कर्म only out of delight, without wanting anything.
So, the ज्ञानी does out of one’s fullness. It does not matter if one’s contribution is valued/not, or if the help is not accepted.
For the योगी, the state of mind is very important.
योग as a dualistic system based on सांख्य, there is the belief that पुरुष(I-आत्मा) and प्रकृति (अनात्मा) are mixed and so we have to separate the two. This is not the absolute teaching of वेदान्त |
Because, here one wants to be free from a second real entity i.e. अनात्मा e.g. in the form of disturbing thoughts.
So then one does कर्म turning inward and plays with the mind, e.g. by turning on music to calm the mind.
But here द्वैतम् is maintained between me & the disturbing thoughts.
Therefore, this is not a wise person.
Then, contrary to the inward योगी, the भोगी is always in pursuit of ‘external’ भोग for the sake of fullness.
And then the रोगी is the one who is always talking about what disease they have.
So, the योगी, भोगी, रोगी are not wise/आत्मरति: |
The योगी is obsessed with their internal landscape. The भोगी is obsessed with sense pleasure. And the रोगी is obsessed with health.
So, these should not be confused with a wise person / the goal of वेदान्त |
So, कार्यं न विद्यते –
For the ज्ञानी, कर्म is not done for the sake of fullness.
This is because कर्तृत्वम् (the sense of doer-ship) is recognized to be मिथ्या |
कर्मफल is only for the कर्ता, the one whose identity is that I am the doer wanting experience.
When this कर्ता identity has been falsified, because कर्तृत्वम् is recognized to not be absolutely real, only a temporary identity,
one recognizes that between thoughts/actions I am there as limitlessness,
and really, I am a limitless being in & through all thought-forms.
The one going through all stages versus the one who is constant / always there –
देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा ।
तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिर्धीरस्तत्र न मुह्यति ॥ १३॥ ~ Chapter 2
So, कार्यं न विद्यते – one does not do for the sake of fullness, but if one can contribute, why not?
So, the ज्ञानी is-
– आत्मरति: i.e. there is आत्मा तृप्त: | For this ज्ञानी who knows & delights in the self, there is a sense of complete contentment, with nothing to be done.
– This ज्ञानी does कर्म for लोकसंग्रह i.e. for the well-being of others.
– The ज्ञानी does कर्म out of fullness. There is no अर्थ, काम, धर्म, मोक्ष to pursue for the sake of fullness, because one already knows one’s fullness.
– The ज्ञानी does not really even do कर्म; because कर्म is done by the कर्ता, and the ज्ञानी understands that कर्तृत्वम् is मिथ्या |
श्लोक १८
नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन ।
न चास्य सर्वभूतेषु कश्चिदर्थव्यपाश्रय: ॥ १८॥
For this आत्मरति:, there is no purpose in कृतेन (doing) & अकृतेने (not doing).
And this आत्मरति:, does not depend on another being to recognize that I am full.
In life, there is a certain basic level of dependence on another. Minimal dependence is for food, clothes, shelter; for शरीरयात्रा dependence on the पञ्चमहाभूत-s is required.
So, physically one cannot live completely independently.
Emotionally one can become independent by discovering the expansiveness of my heart, through living a life of कर्म योग |
Therefore, one’s level of dependence on another behaving in a certain way is not there. One can grow to realize that what matters to me is how loving, supportive and productive I am. If the other does, or does not do, it is okay either way. There is acceptance of the other person’s behavior; not resignation. And this is not a bitterness/hurt where I do not want to depend on anyone.
It is a recognition of my fullness/completeness, so I do not need any validation/recognition.
For some time, there will be dependence on गुरु, so that one can see the Truth, so that much will be there.
श्लोक १९
तस्मादसक्त: सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर ।
असक्तो ह्याचरन्कर्म परमाप्नोति पूरुष: ॥ १९॥
So, having spoken about the glory of कर्म, and that it is not a good idea to run away from कर्म, what is the relationship of the wise person to कर्म?
तस्मात् (therefore), keep on doing कर्म, but do it असक्त:, recognizing that one can only contribute to the result, one cannot control the result.
When one has this attitude after doing one’s best, there is freedom from dependence on the result. So, one stops defining oneself based on the outcome of an event, because a lot of self-judgment is based on how events turned out. Depending on whether the outcome of an event is a failure or success, judgement is placed on oneself, and one struggles with feelings of inadequacy.
Society defines what one needs to be successful, and then when one does not meet up to this, there is self judgement and a struggle with inadequacy.
So, असक्ति: is allowing the flow of कर्मफल in one’s life and not getting too caught up with any outcome. It is समत्वम् |
So, one can go on doing because one want results, but one should understand that one is only a contributor to the result, not the controller/decider of the result.
And by doing this, the पूरुष (person) gains परम् (the highest). How?
Because of doing कर्म without being attached to or obsessed with the results, one gets a contemplative/relaxed mind.
Then, when one listens to शास्त्र, the meaning is clear to one.
When listening, the mind gets distracted, and the words trigger associations with some other memory.
With discipline, the mind is quickly brought back.
This is one benefit of practicing जप, as it helps with this bringing of the mind back to the point of focus.
श्लोक २०
कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिमास्थिता जनकादय: ।
लोकसंग्रहमेवापि सम्पश्यन्कर्तुमर्हसि ॥ २०॥
The example of Janaka is given. Janaka could refer to King Janaka, the father of Sita-Mata, or to King Janaka who had the dialogue with Sage Ashtavakra.
Both were wise people.
Here, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: gives the example of King Janaka, saying that by कर्मणैव i.e. by कर्म alone, Janaka got सिद्धि/success.
Here success refers to परम(श्लोक १९) i.e. मोक्ष |
And what motivated King Janaka and others is लोकसंग्रह |
There is the स्वस्ति prayer, praying for the welfare of सर्वम् (all) – all beings from the creepy crawlers to Lord Brahma-ji.
Prayer is a कर्म using the कर्मेन्द्रिय of वाक्, and so it will give पुन्य |
सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः । सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः ।
सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यन्तु । मा कश्चिद् दुःखभाग् भवेत् ॥
May all be happy.
May all be free from disease.
May all experience what is auspicious.
May all be free from sorrow.
So, because of लोकसंग्रह i.e. for the well-being of everyone, one must perform कर्म, even if one gets wisdom. As one is not seeking wisdom in order to run away from कर्म |
One is seeking wisdom because one knows what the fundamental human problem is i.e. inadequacy because I have taken myself to be a limited form.
Then because of this incorrect concept of myself, one struggles, not knowing that this is a wrong conclusion about myself due to lack of thinking- अविचार सिद्ध |
Even in the light of शास्त्र, if one gets to know the Truth, not doing कर्म is not an option.
Because one has been given a slot in the cosmic wheel, one continues to do/contribute, though knowing the Truth.
E.g. King Janaka even after gaining wisdom, did not walk away to the forest, he continued with his responsibilities/duties.
श्लोक २१
यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जन: ।
स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ॥ २१॥
श्रेष्ठ: refers to the one who is a leader, the one who is respected in society.
Whatever a श्रेष्ठ: i.e. an important person does, the conduct/behavior of this person, most people will follow.
Nowadays, influencers are famous i.e. people who are famous for being famous; and whatever these people do, everyone wants to do.
Good role models are sportspeople and entrepreneurs as these people show how discipline & hard-work pay off.
And long-ago freedom fighters would be role models.
But now, anyone who is rich and famous is a role model, because this is valued.
Whatever influential people do/say, it is followed.
This is a reminder that in our respective circles, what we do is emulated.
For instance, in the leadership role as a parent, children do what they see one do, not necessarily what is told to be done.
So, all of us are leaders in some role that we play.
Once one is leading change, one is a leader, as change always begins with me.
Ironically, everyone agrees that the world should change, but no one puts their hand up to volunteer to institute change.
Leading change means that one is willing to do what is required.
So, it all starts with me and my self-mastery- how do I manage my time, effort, energy, responsibility.
Then, people will be inspired and they would want to follow what one is doing.
It is not about being a self-appointed leader looking for a title.
It is doing because no one else does, and something needs to be done/organized.
It is not about looking around to see who is going to pick up the slack, or who is going to give me responsibility.
If one is given a responsibility, one may grudge that.
Responsibility is always taken.
But if one takes responsibility, after seeing what needs to be done, one becomes better and more effective at what is taken up.
And so कर्तृत्वम् becomes कौशलम्, with the offering of कर्म to ईश्वर |
So, a person may be involved in लोकसंग्रह in order to prevent others from falling into अधर्म |
Leadership styles differ, as people try without wanting to do what needs to be done- The opportunist just wants to influence a bunch of people, and the idealist wants people to follow exactly one’s vision.
Then, there is a servant-style leader where one does what needs to be done.
So, recognizing that I am a role model for children and for others,
and recognizing the responsibility that I have,
knowing that people are watching me,
there is the understanding that I need to be accountable.
So, everything matters.
ॐ
The wise person does कर्म out of fullness, though the wise person has no need to do कर्म |
But, for an other-wise person, कर्म is done because one is seeking fullness. On one’s own, one does not want to do कर्म, but because of one’s desires, that are influenced by society, one gets on the treadmill of कर्म | And if one examines one’s life, almost all कर्म (will-based action) is done for the sake of fullness.
But here, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: points out that with understanding the truth, one no longer does कर्म for the sake of fullness.
In the performance of any कर्म, e.g. raising a dog/child, managing a job, managing a relationship(not limited to romantic relationships, but any relation), makes us think that a lot of work is required.
But we should have a harmonious relationship with कर्म | Because if one thinks that कर्म is a burden, then one wants to get out of कर्म at the first opportunity due to laziness, inertia or fatigue. I think~ I do not want to do this.
Or, even if I do the कर्म, I see the futility of it. E.g. We see Arjuna in battle considering that even if I win the battle, victory is not sweet for me as I remain stuck anyway. Because, what I am seeking is freedom from insecurity and complete acceptance of myself. So there is no happiness if I win or lose, I remain stuck.
Therefore, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: starts to teach Arjuna the nature of reality of I the जीव |
In Chapter ३, श्लोक २१, भगवान् explains that whatever a श्रेष्ठ person does, most will follow, e.g. celebrities are used to sell brand name products, because whatever a celebrity does, I also want the same.
So, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: reminds Arjuna that if you want to run away from कर्म, because of the mistaken thinking that it will bring peace of mind with complete acceptance and freedom from insecurity that you have been seeking all your life, this is not going to happen.
So, भगवान् teaches-
(i) As long as one lives, कर्म is unavoidable.
(ii) How one should approach कर्म i.e. with an attitude of कर्म योग |
(iii) Who is the one who performs कर्म ~ this will-based action is performed by a human being which gives पुन्य & पापा, with respective experiences of सुखम् & दु:खम् |
Now, भगवान् personalizes the teaching-
श्लोक २२
न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन ।
नानवाप्तमवाप्तव्यं वर्त एव च कर्मणि ॥ २२॥
Here, भगवान् speaks from the standpoint of Himself as भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: indicating the relationship of a wise person with कर्म |
He addresses Arjuna as पार्था and says-
त्रिषु लोकेषु ~ in all the 3 worlds i.e. भू: (Earth), भुव:(in between), स्व:(स्वर्ग).
The वेद tells us that there are 14 लोक-s i.e. planes of experiences.
And भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: explains that He has a lot to do in order to maintain all different processes in these लोक-s.
E.g. We perceive the rising & setting of the sun due to the movement of the Earth at the same pace without fatigue.
There are so many laws of nature that are predictable and reliable that we take for granted. These are not mechanical laws of nature. There is intelligence in these laws that cannot rest in something inert, it can only rest in a conscious being.
So, भगवान् says that across all 3 लोक-s, there is nothing to be gained by me.
न अनवाप्तम् अवाप्तव्यम् ~ there is nothing possible to be gained by me in any given world, which is not yet gained.
There is nothing to be done by me.
मे ~ for me,
कर्तव्यम् ~ duty; that which must be done.
Notably भगवान् highlights that although there is no need for Him to do कर्म,
कर्मणि वर्त एव ~ I am still involved in कर्म all the time.
E.g. If we look at the manifestation of भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: we see Him playing pranks as a child, then going to the गुरुकुल in Sandeepany, ruling over the kingdom of Dwarika, his relationship with the Pandava-s, and then the Mahabharata war.
So, we see non-stop कर्म | भगवान् does not go meditate in a cave for 10-12 years. But though performing non-stop कर्म, He says कर्तव्यं न अस्ति ~ for me, there is nothing to be done.
So here भगवान् alludes to कर्म that is done for the sake of duty versus कर्म that is done for binding desires.
If कर्म is play for me, there is no seeking in order to gain for me. Rather, it is doing for the joy of doing, or in order to contribute.
It is a ridiculous notion to not have any expectation from performing कर्म |
But, I no longer define myself by the outcome of an event.
Why? Because I am aware that I am bigger than time.
Time is only for the body. For instance, does one feel 70 years old? No, even if the body is 70 years old, there is no age for the mind. It may seem that the mind/सूक्ष्मशरीर is enclosed within the body, but the सूक्ष्मशरीर actually pervades the entire physical body. For instance, we observe that while this human being sits stationary in a chair, the mind wanders all over to all galaxies, not limited by this physical manifestation.
So, one should ask oneself this question- how is it that all other activities are limited to the body, but the mind can soar all over? If the mind was only limited to the body, this would not be possible.
So, the relationship with कर्म for a wise person is that one sees that I am अकर्ता i.e. I am not a doer.
So, we see Lord कृष्ण: doing so much, with devotees all around him. And we also saw the example of the successful King Janaka who continued to manage his kingdom though having ब्रह्मविद्या, as this was his duty.
Pujya Swamiji had accompanied His गुरु, Swami Chinmayananda to Uttarkashi. There, they met with Swami Tapovan Maharaj. परम गुरु Swami Tapovan Maharaj recognized that Swami Dayananda seemed keen on वेदान्त, doing so much सेव to Swami Chinmayananda-ji, and so asked~ why are you returning to the city? At the time Pujya Swamiji (this was before he had taken संन्यास) explained that I have a lot of responsibilities e.g. mother to look after etc. To this परम गुरु Swami Tapovan Maharaj replied- you see this River Ganga, it is a नुत्य प्रवह of responsibilities i.e. a constant flow of one responsibility after the next.
This anecdote shows that one can never say that I have no more responsibilities.
So, responsibilities will keep flowing, but I have to decide when I want to see what is the reality of all of this.
But, one is so caught up with responsibility/duty.
So, when there is something to be done, there is a sense of compulsion. Therefore, it is worth asking, what for?
There may be the desire to show support for the other- one’s partner, child etc..
But one should be clear about the goal of all relationships- it is to contribute. Its purpose is not perpetual happiness. In this way one liberates the relationship from the burden of expectation. Only then there can be relaxation.
Or else one is like a hungry creature looking for crumbs of happiness in a relationship. It is unreasonable to put all of one’s expectations on one relationship/person, this will certainly create havoc for that relationship.
So, कर्तव्यत i.e. in doing, there is no escape.
But what भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: really wants us to enquire into is ~ Am I कर्ता? Am I really the doer of all कर्म ?
श्लोक २३
यदि ह्यहं न वर्तेयं जातु कर्मण्यतन्द्रित: ।
मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्या पार्थ सर्वश: ॥ २३॥
भगवान् also says that although for me there is nothing to be done, I am still involved in all types of कर्म |
Because, यदि ह्यहं न वर्तेयं ~ suppose I do not do anything, then,
मम वर्त्म ~ my path i.e. what I am doing,
मनुष्या: सर्वश: वर्तन्ते ~ people will follow.
E.g. Emperor Ashoka was a prior King of Bharata. He converted to Buddhism, which was fine. But, his withdrawal from his duty created problems with the breaking up of the kingdoms that he was in charge of. He also abandoned his army. Therefore, at that time many small battles broke out throughout India. So, ideally, when he removed himself from his duties, he should have gotten a suitable successor to fill his place.
So, this becoming passive in the name of religion is not helpful.
For instance, talks of world peace do not account for human insecurity. So, in every society, from the tribal to the advanced, there is the need for a defense force.
E.g. what can one do if another wants to take over your country territory? One can try to talk peace if the other has a similar agenda. But, if the other is all out for war then this is not possible.
So, if one were to become lazy or have inertia, or say peace & no war, and disband the army, there will be chaos.
There are always a lot of excuses to not perform कर्म |
In the name of peace, one may choose not to say anything in a given situation.
There is the illusion that I want peace at all cost, so I will stay quiet, or maybe one is afraid to say the truth.
There can be an uncomfortable silence, as things are allowed to build up without one saying anything.
Then, an outburst of accusations can begin with a small trigger, due to doubting of the other person’s intentions.
So, this staying quiet can be an excuse that one hides behind in not performing कर्म |
But really, one cannot hide behind not performing कर्म, as one cannot escape कर्मफल |
E.g. fire will burn if one places the finger in it.
In this way भगवान् explains that although I am not कर्ता, I am still involved in all kinds of कर्म, as I am aware of the responsibility of being a role model to so many people, as people will follow my actions.
श्लोक २४
उत्सीदेयुरिमे लोका न कुर्यां कर्म चेदहम् ।
सङ्करस्य च कर्ता स्यामुपहन्यामिमा: प्रजा: ॥ २४॥
चेत् ~ if,
अहम् कर्म न कुर्याम् ~ I do not do कर्म,
then all these लोक:(beings) will perish ~ the sun will not rise, the wind will not blow,
and I will then become the कर्ता of सङ्कर: | (सङ्कर् ~ confusion, versus शङ्कर् ~auspiciousness).
So, here भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: is saying that if I do not do कर्म, I will become the author of confusion in the world.
So भगवान् says that people look up to Me, and if I do not do, then all beings and the world will perish, so it would be like I have destroyed all these people.
Also, people want their leaders to lead.
So, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: does not allow people to observe/think that He does not do anything despite the prevalent अधर्म in society. Or, for example. if a lot of injustice is happening in society, people would talk about why is the Prime Minister or President not doing anything about this.
People act out of रागद्वेष |
So, if there is no outlet for this, what would one do? For example, there were people who were exhausted with work prior to the pandemic. And then with the pandemic when one is isolated at home, the comfortable home becomes like a prison. So, all habits & daily rituals add value/meaning to life.
The reason for all crime is due to रागद्वेष (cravings & aversions).
The intensity of a desire can consume and lead to crime in order to make a quick buck, homicide due to jealousy, stealing due to lust. So, due to रागद्वेष, one is willing to go to any length.
So, one should try to reduce this strong subjectivity of रागद्वेष to preference.
E.g. if a preferred type of food is unavailable, one does not throw a fit, but just makes do with what the situation offers.
One’s likes & dislikes add to the richness/color of the personality. But if there is a binding desire, then रागद्वेष is in charge, and all hell breaks loose.
श्लोक २५
सक्ता: कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत ।
कुर्याद्विद्वांस्तथासक्तश्चिकीर्षुर्लोकसंग्रहम् ॥ २५॥
अविद्वांस ~ people who are not wise,
कर्मणि सक्ता: ~ are attached to the outcome of the action, and the कर्म |
For instance, the perfectionist is so attached to how things should be done, and so ends up overworking due to the thinking that no one can do it as I do it. But instead of training another to be competent, one thinks that I am indispensable to the project. So, सक्त: is this attachment to the way that things should be done, e.g. how the house should be maintained, how the relationship should be, how the work situation should be.
So, just as the अविद्वांस does कर्म for the sake of their attachment to कर्म,
so too even the wise person does कर्म |
So, on the surface, both the unwise & the wise do कर्म |
But, the wise person does कर्म being असक्त: i.e. not having any sense of attachment to the outcome. So, one does one’s best, with the knowledge that the laws of कर्म are at work. So, there is surrender while one is doing कर्म, before doing कर्म and after doing कर्म |
And whatever the results are, it is fine; the play of life goes on. I enjoy myself regardless.
So why does the wise person do anything? चिकीर्षु: i.e. because one is desirous of doing. (चिकीर्षु: = कर्तुम् इच्छु: ; जिज्ञासा = ज्ञातुम् इच्छु:)
The wise person does कर्म for लोकसंग्रह i.e. for the protection of people. Because if धर्म is to be upheld in society, who is to be protected? धर्म lies in the धर्मी i.e. the one who practices धर्म | So, these people who uphold धर्म have to be protected. धर्म lives in the heart of the धर्मी | Because धर्म is living the right values of kindness, compassion, justice. It is not a monolithic structure to be secured.
So, with respect to भगवान् श्री कृष्ण:, we see Him ever engaged in all kinds of कर्म – from ruling his kingdom to even being Arjuna’s driver. He chooses to be there in person for Arjuna in the midst of the battle as His driver.
And He always does with a smile on His lips, often playing a flute indicating His lightheartedness- seeing everything as play/fun, with the knowledge that nothing touches me.
श्लोक २६
न बुद्धिभेदं जनयेदज्ञानां कर्मसङ्गिनाम् ।
जोषयेत्सर्वकर्माणि विद्वान्युक्त: समाचरन् ॥ २६॥
There are some people who know आत्मा/the truth, and who understand that limitless-आत्मा has never been the doer or experiencer.
These people who know, they should not create confusion amongst अज्ञानाम् (the people who are ignorant).
If one is pursuing वेदान्त, one should learn to say what is appropriate and important.
Because for the one who is ignorant of my infinite nature, कर्म is important.
So, one should not say that कर्म is मिथ्या, why are you getting so hassled.
Also, one should not be selective about certain कर्म- with acceptance of some कर्म but rejection of other कर्म, with the claim/excuse for not doing/accepting the latter since कर्म is मिथ्या |
People already have so much तमस्, with excuses/inertia/laziness not to do, so if one is told not to do, then what will happen?
If the wise person says that one should not do, it will create बुद्धि: भेदम् i.e. confusion in the other-wise.
Because one wants to do कर्म, and have experiences due to रागद्वेष |
Then what should the विद्वान् (wise person) do?
Because the विद्वान् is युक्त: i.e. together as a person; the wise person oneself does कर्म |
So, this is भगवान् श्री कृष्ण:’s advice to the wise people- that they must encourage people to do more कर्म |
कर्म is not opposed to knowledge.
One can do lots of कर्म or less कर्म |
What matters is what conclusion have I made about myself. Is it based on reality?
If one considers oneself as कर्ता, then there is a lot of self-judgement. If one did something well, then one wants to work to maintain that, or do better and derive fulfillment from that. And if one thinks that one is a loser, that I don’t want to do anything, that I don’t care, then also there is self judgement with comparison of oneself to others.
All this damning self judgement is based on the wrong conclusion that I am this much only, that I am a human being only, that I am this limited body/mind only.
The truth is that I am much more than that.
भगवान् आदि शङ्कराचार्य, भगवान् वेदव्यास, all ऋषि-s were so involved in so many different kinds of कर्म | भगवान् आदि शङ्कराचार्य walked all over India, and wrote so many commentaries all for लोकसंग्रह | Then, his शिष्य-s painstakingly copied his work on palm leaves for posterity.
So, what makes one do कर्म? It is प्रकृति |
श्लोक २७
प्रकृते: क्रियमाणानि गुणै: कर्माणि सर्वश: ।
अहङ्कारविमूढात्मा कर्ताहमिति मन्यते ॥ २७॥
प्रकृति is माया शक्ति | It is the material cause i.e. all modifications seen around us, including this body/mind.
सर्वश: कर्माणि – All कर्म done by all beings,
is impelled by the गुण-s.
And प्रकृति/माया शक्ति is made of the 3-गुण-s.
The पञ्चमहाभूत-s are all combinations of सत्त्व, रजस् & तमस् |
सत्त्व is knowledge, clarity & purity.
रजस् is intense emotion and activity.
तमस् is inertia, laziness, sleepiness, reduced activity.
These गुण-s are the constituents of माया |
गुण-s cannot be strictly translated as ‘qualities’, as a quality has to be present in something, it cannot exist independently, e.g. the color orange can be present in a cloth. Conversely माया is made of the 3-गुण-s.
अहंकार विमूढात्मा – Everyone who has a sense of self concept/individuality, is deluded by this notion and thinks अहम् कर्ता i.e. I am the doer.
इति मन्यते ~ this person thinks like this.
These गुण-s account for differences in personality. For instance one person is active wanting a lot of excitement, versus another who prefers to relax, or another who wants to explore and learn.
So, one’s personality can be innocuously seen in the way one vacations, or what someone orders/eats, and this can make one judgmental of another due to personality differences.
But here भगवान् is saying that all of this is due to प्रकृति / these गुण-s.
In some people one गुण may be dominant.
The dominant गुण may depend on one’s stage of life. E.g. since the phase of motherhood demands a lot of activity, therefore there may be more रजस् |
Also, throughout the day, गुण-s change in the individual & the environment.
So, the personality interacting with the sense objects is all the play of प्रकृति |
Judgements are made based on one’s energy level, enthusiasm, achievements. But these judgements are all based on अहंकार, but अहंकार is विमूढात्मा i.e. one is deluded due to the play of गुण-s/प्रकृति |
Sometimes, one cannot help oneself and does an action unthinkingly, e.g. open a bag of Lays potato chips and eats, and then afterwards one considers- was I really in charge of the situation? It was the गुण-s all the way.
So, one can keep shifting from judgement to judgement due to this play of प्रकृति |
So, all drama is due to personality difference due to प्रकृति / the 3-गुण-s, and we are seemingly conditioned by these…
Or are we?
श्लोक २८
तत्त्ववित्तु महाबाहो गुणकर्मविभागयो: ।
गुणा गुणेषु वर्तन्त इति मत्वा न सज्जते ॥ २८॥
The play of the गुण-s express in the body-mind sense complex.
Everyone has सत्त्व, रजस् & तमस् | All are important, no one is superior to the next.
For instance, if one works hard all day, it is good to have तमस् to go to sleep at night.
भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: addresses Arjuna as महाबाहो (the one who is mighty armed), and tells-
the one who knows the truth of गुण & कर्म, which is that some people are inclined to do certain कर्म due to गुण |
One can ‘feed the गुण’, e.g. by doing certain activities that one likes, it cultivates the respective गुण |
So, one can be born with certain गुण-s, and these can change depending on how they are nurtured; and even during the day गुण-s change.
So, one should not think that one is conditioned by the गुण-s, though they give one their personality.
तत्त्ववित् ~ the knower of the reality understands that,
प्रकृति or माया शक्ति is really a शक्ति of ब्रह्मन् the limitless.
I am not conditioned by the condition of the body or mind.
So, if I define myself as अहंकार, this is विमूढात्मा |
I remain as विमूढात्मा अहंकार because this कर्ता identity makes me feel so important.
E.g. The retired colonel still uses the title Colonel(retired), though he has long left the army.
Because one feels defined by that role, it lingers and stays as one’s identity.
So, it is time to drop this अहंकार identity, but because it made one feel so powerful, one holds on to it.
Therefore, with the understanding of the play of प्रकृति, one should not be too judgmental of oneself or the other.
One should know That which is present in & through all qualities, experiences, and situations of lifetimes is तत्त्व/reality, and then that person in never bound.
ॐ
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Sometimes I forget to see what I am struggling with is in fact the results of a contribution I made, with the best effort I could. I fail to realize whatever it is that hurt me were just the results and out of my control. So I try to pick apart the results and obsess over figuring out where I might have gone wrong in my contribution, etc trying to control what I really cannot control. I am thankful for this reminder that keeps coming from learning with you, Swaminiji. That I can stop defining myself by the outcome of an event .. it is so freeing to remember this. 🙂
We are exploring the relationship amongst कर्म, कर्मफल, and how one defines oneself.
According to शास्त्र, कर्म has nothing to do with how I define myself.
E.g. One can do one’s स्वधर्म as a butcher in the slaughterhouse, or as a पण्डित in the temple doing पूजा |
Depending on the slot that one has, the कर्म that one does gives कर्मफल in the form of पुण्य & पापा. This is where one is deluded by प्रकृति |
We define ourselves by प्रकृति, in terms of our personality being सत्त्व, रजस् & तमस्, and then struggle out of self-judgment.
When I define myself by प्रकृति, I can say that I am mix of सत्त्व & रजस् ~ I am dynamic, motivated backed by sound discrimination.
But, then, no matter how much effort is made, it is a no-win situation.
Why?
Because प्रकृति/माया शक्ति (सत्त्व, रजस् & तमस्) is always in flux at the cosmic level, at the level of society & at the level of the individual.
*श्लोक २९*
प्रकृतेर्गुणसम्मूढा: सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु ।
तानकृत्स्नविदो मन्दान्कृत्स्नविन्न विचालयेत् ॥ २९॥
Any कर्म done is impelled by प्रकृति (सत्त्व, रजस् & तमस्). सत्त्व, रजस् & तमस् are the गुण-s of the body-mind-senses (discussed in श्लोक २७). But according to this, I define myself as कर्ता |
Those who are सम्मूढा: i.e. confused & deluded by प्रकृति, which are the modifications of the गुण-s in oneself,
What will happen to them?
सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु – They get totally bound by this गुण & कर्म |
But, the one who knows कृत्स्न(completely) आत्मा free from all गुण-s, should not disturb the one who is मन्दान् i.e. the one deluded by these modifications.
E.g. One can observe the many crocodiles at the crocodile park close to Chennai. It is easy to mistake the crocodile for a rock as they don’t move much, only using a total of ~190 calories for all daily activities!
If one were to resist the lazy demeanor of the crocodile, saying that it should increase its activity, then who is मन्द:? The crocodile will most certainly pounce on its prey when it needs to.
So, all creatures behave according to how they are programmed by प्रकृति ~ the snake slithering, the turtle withdrawing its limbs, the cheetah running fast, the coronavirus mutating.
So, प्रकृति explains the स्वभाव of different species including human beings. Some humans may be very actively involved in a lot of projects, or others are fine with just a few to give their time & attention to. This is the personality.
But, if one defines oneself by this personality, then this is a problem.
Because, I get bound by it.
Then, I always want to push myself, thinking that I need to work harder, but really this is not the only solution to success.
If I give more focus to one aspect of life, will balance be maintained in all relationships and roles? If I delude myself into thinking that more time & effort at work will give a better result, then what happens to all other roles & family relationships? Then family relationships & friendships go down the drain, and then when one needs help, there is no one there to support.
So, how are we defining ourselves? Are we mistakenly thinking that more कर्म will give मोक्ष? E.g. more वेदान्त classes, more meditation etc. This is a sign of रजस् |
Regardless of what or how much one is doing, am I able to see the meaning of life and the meaning of limitless ब्रह्मन् as I?
If people around one are engaged in different types of work, and the wise person says that कर्म will not give मोक्ष, this will bring disturbance.
Because then one thinks that no matter how great one is at one’s job, how wonderful one’s relationships are, then it does not matter, because it will not give मोक्ष |
And this is the truth- no matter what one does, only ज्ञानम् gives मोक्ष ~ the knowledge that I was never the कर्ता nor भोक्ता | But whom this truth is shared with is important.
If there is a person trying to do one’s job, telling that person that कर्म will not give मोक्ष, brings confusion to them. As then the person wants to withdraw from कर्म | And anyhow the person did not want to do anyway, because doing was such a big effort.
But at the same time the person does not have enough अन्तःकरण शुद्धि: to pursue मोक्ष |
Therefore, as we study वेदान्त, we should be mindful of what we say to whom.
The one who knows आत्मा, should not disturb the one who does not know and does not care to know, because they are मन्द (do not have विवेक i.e. knowing what is right versus what is not right).
All pursuit & performance of कर्म, whether it is सत्त्व-based~pursuit of knowledge & clarity in any area, pursuit of धर्म, pursuit of a lot of activity, all of this comes from a sense of अपूर्णता(incompleteness).
Therefore, depending on one’s personality, one acts accordingly in a given situation. But all of this is for what?
At face value it may be to put food on the table, or to have fun.
But, the root cause is that I think that I am not enough with what is here with me.
So, what shall we do?
* श्लोक ३० *
मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा ।
निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वर: ॥ ३०॥
Given that there are disturbances in the mind, because of what we have done, or not done, and all wishes/desires that we have, then what shall we do?
So, भगवान् says-
मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि ~ all of your कर्म,
you offer it to me.
You are fascinated by संन्यास, then this is your संन्यास |
And with what kind of mind should कर्म be offered? अध्यात्मचेतसा i.e. let the चेतस्(mind) be discriminatory, with विवेक, wanting to know, a mind that learns the sweetness of surrender.
And then what happens as a result?
What disturbs one is:
~ our आशी: i.e. our hopes & fears, and
~ मम: i.e. what is mine.
So then, with this offering, one becomes free from the preoccupation with the future, and from the sense of ‘my’ness.
भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: addresses Arjuna, telling him,
युध्यस्व ~ fight.
He says this to Arjuna because it is Arjuna’s duty as a क्षत्रिय to fight battles in order to uphold धर्म |
And भगवान् says to do this विगत(without) ज्वर: (fever) i.e. without anger & frustration.
So, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण:’s teaching is that this is a job to be done, so just do it.
E.g. As a couple gets ready to be wedded, more emphasis is placed on the wedding day (the decor, clothes, food, guest list), than on the marriage ahead.
Before taking the leap, the couple should consider, are we good at fighting with each other? How do we resolve a disagreement? Can conflicts be resolved in such a way that no grudges & regrets are carried forward? With love, hopefully the benefit of the doubt is given to the other.
We observe ourselves/others still thinking about situations long past because the event still bothers us. Therefore, one should give the other the benefit of the doubt and trust.
One must understand that the other is not out to attack me, and also that I myself will not attack the other. Or else one gets caught up with what will happen.
Then again & again, one chews over and regurgitates the thoughts of ~ how will it be? will it be okay? what wilI I do?
If one doubts whether one can handle the situation, simply offer the कर्म to भगवान् |
So, any doubts, fears, emotions, e.g. anxiety, one should offer to भगवान् |
Offering to भगवान् means that one sees that one’s ability to do any kind of कर्म is pervaded by the laws of कर्म, and the different results that I get are as a result of कर्म |
E.g. choosing to have a relationship with a certain person, choosing to go to another city.
In this way, I see myself as a दास of भगवान् |
In the वैष्णव tradition, some people are given a surname like दास (the one who serves). It is a good reminder that I am here to serve, to do सेव |
Whatever कर्म I do, I see it pervaded by the laws of कर्म all the way~ पुण्य & पापा are shaped by भगवान् Himself.
Then, performing कर्म with this understanding, I feel so light, knowing that भगवान् will take care, trusting that I am taken care of.
When भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: tells Arjuna that you may fight, it is because Arjuna is a क्षत्रिय, and as his duty he has to fight. So, this is not a license for everyone to fight.
With respect to one’s sense of ‘my’ness, if one’s opinion is challenged, can one keep aside their opinion and still relate to the other. E.g. There can be 2 opposing opinions- one likes versus the other hates the Prime Minister. Fights can break out within families due to rigid stances on these matters. But can one keep aside their political opinion and still relate to the other?
So, a lot of disagreement is due to this ‘my’ness.
But one feels so strongly- It is my opinion; how can you go against me? It is my word. This is how I feel.
With the exploration of a disagreement, it always starts with ‘I felt like this’. But all that is felt is a reaction to what has happened.
So, it is to get out of the strong ownership of that emotion.
After an argument, if I am feeling hurt & upset, the other is also likely feeling like that way too. The other person’s feelings are equally valid, regardless of who is right and who is wrong.
But one only focuses on ‘my’ emotions, because like the child who throws a tantrum for ‘my’ toy, one does not want to part with one’s feelings.
Given all these difficulties, भगवान् says do not worry,
offer all this upset feeling to Me, recognizing and telling भगवान् ~ I am upset, I see the emotional order pervaded by You, I do not resist it, I do what I can in all my different roles.
This is भगवान् श्री कृष्ण:’s response to Arjuna on how to fight.
Whatever कर्म one is doing, I am put in a situation where only I am called upon to respond i.e. there is a manifestation of धर्म operating.
And to keep the प्रवर्तितं चक्रं (cosmic wheel) [श्लोक १६] in motion, I have to do my bit.
So, I surrender with understanding pervaded by the fact that everything is given to me, and I do what I can. कर्मफल is taking care of the present and will take care of the future.
So, I give up the associated feverishness (this preoccupation with the future and with what I think is mine), and approach all life-experiences with an attitude of कर्म योग |
How often does one have कर्म योग attitude? श्लोक ३१…
So, how often does one have कर्म योग attitude?
* श्लोक ३१ *
ये मे मतमिदं नित्यमनुतिष्ठन्ति मानवा: ।
श्रद्धावन्तोऽनसूयन्तो मुच्यन्ते तेऽपि कर्मभि: ॥ ३१॥
भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: says – What I have said in terms of offering one’s कर्म to भगवान्, this should be done नित्यम् (always).
E.g. Some अश्रम-s have a timetable with कर्म योग scheduled for a specific time. But this slated कर्म योग is really a time-slot for collective सेव |
कर्म योग is not time-bound ~ there is no specific time to offer one’s कर्म to भगवान्, or to be accepting of others.
Collective सेव is good because depending on one’s personality/culture, the way things are done may be different, so there can be reason for disagreement, and then eventual acceptance & accommodation.
So, कर्म योग does not fit into a scheduled time slot. कर्म योग is a 365-24/7 disposition that one tries to bring into one’s life.
कर्म योग does not fit into the should/should not list that we create for ourselves. Relax. It is to see the vision, and approach with a gentleness towards oneself, but also be tough on oneself too.
So, the मानवा:(people) who follow this teaching and try to bring in कर्म योग, how are they supposed to do it?
Be equipped with श्रद्धा | श्रद्धा means trust. श्रद्धा does not mean faith.
I trust the Teacher who teaches about कर्म योग |
And अनसूयन्त: ~ I do not find fault with the teaching.
This is why giving the benefit of doubt to people is an important quality to develop.
How can one trust the Teacher if one does not trust one’s partner, children, co-workers?
We can look at 4 कृपाs(trusts)-
(i) आत्मा कृपा – Trust in oneself.
(ii) ईश्वर कृपा – Trust in भगवान्, or भगवान्’s grace.
(iii) शास्त्र कृपा – Trust in our शास्त्र |
(iv) पर कृपा – Trust in the other, whomsoever the other may be.
Everyone has faced situations where their trust has been affected.
It makes one not trust the other. One feels disconnected, isolated, lonely, always second guessing the other. There can be grounds for not trusting the other.
So, as a person, am I a trusting person?
Do I trust myself to do the right thing? When given a difficult situation, I trust myself to do my best.
And I trust the other. If someone says something, it is not that they have malice in their heart and they are out to get me; it is their प्रकृति | And similarly it is my स्वभाव that determines my hot-headed response.
श्रद्धा in Teacher is part of our needed 6-pack i.e. षट्क संपत्ति: (the 6-fold wealth) of a वेदान्त student.
श्रद्धा in शास्त्र does not come naturally, it comes from a trust in life.
This happens when one comes to terms with the कर्म in one’s life, and understands that no one deliberately gives me a tough time. I am only experiencing my own choices which have fructified. There is no one to blame.
And then, by extension one can have a working trust in the Teacher and the Teaching.
The Teacher comes with the package of the Teaching.
So, if one does not want to relate to the Teacher, then there is a problem.
Why not relate? Because all of us are rebellious, all of us struggle with authority. There are different ways that one’s rebelliousness manifests, e.g. not switching on one’s video during class. And then one makes excuses for this.
So, if I do not go along with a small, non-forceful request by the Teacher, then how am I going to listen to the words of the शास्त्र from the Teacher? Then, one will have doubts.
Or for instance if we get caught up in analyzing the personality or any idiosyncrasy (which we all have) of the Teacher, then the Teaching is lost since we were paying attention to प्रकृति instead of आत्मा |
The Teacher-student relationship is for the purpose of the Teaching, for nothing else.
Any criticism that the mind comes up with, e.g. maybe we should get a 20-point bullet point list of the class teaching etc., it is an unequipped अहंकार trying to take on the role of the teacher.
श्रद्धा वन्त: अनसूयन्त: मुच्यन्ते तेऽपि कर्मभि: –
On the other hand, my trust in शास्त्र will bless me. Because I will accept the words of शास्त्र that reveal that I am limitless आत्मा, despite any कर्म that I do. I am free from all सत्त्व, रजस् & तमस् | So, with श्रद्धा, one is मुच्यन्ते कर्मभि ~ one is free from the effects of कर्म, only with self-knowledge.
Because the cause of all suffering is अपूर्णता & अविद्या | So, the only solution is knowledge.
So, more or less कर्म is not the answer. It is not to withdraw from all responsibilities and meditate in a cave. It is to recognize that I am not defined by the कर्म that I do.
This is a difficult concept to come to terms with as the media’s messages tell us that we are less or more because of what we do. Often one of the first questions asked in a conversation is ~ what do you do? And it is often profession-based.
Also depending on the outcomes of different life events, e.g. divorce, one defines oneself and one may feel bad about oneself. So, one allows कर्म to define me.
But शास्त्र tells that I am not कर्ता | I am अकर्ता, I am अभोक्ता, I am चैतन्य-consciousness. To be with this vision, I have to have trust, or else in the teaching there will be a lot of apparent contradictions in one’s mind.
Because at one point, the Teacher will talk about doing a lot of कर्म, and then later on the same Teacher/Teaching will say to withdraw from कर्म |
So, one must be present for the entire journey or else one only gets little bits & pieces. शास्त्र study is not a buffet-style approach where one chooses to accept part of the teaching and not accept another part. That is one’s रागद्वेष operating. Therefore, one should have श्रद्धा to see all of it.
Therefore, in traditional वेदान्त study, meeting with the गुरु from time to time is important; this is not just necessary when one has a problem.
This is an individual journey with a definite pursuit. Therefore, relationally one needs to have trust in one’s गुरु for their own sake. One has to trust the Teacher in order to trust the words of the Teaching.
One’s own personal study e.g. listening to many videos on one’s own, creates one’s own idea of the Teaching and this does not work.
* श्लोक ३२ *
ये त्वेतदभ्यसूयन्तो नानुतिष्ठन्ति मे मतम् ।
सर्वज्ञानविमूढांस्तान्विद्धि नष्टानचेतस: ॥ ३२॥
With श्रद्धा/trust, one says that well वेदान्त says that I am limitless, however right now I feel limited, but I will enquire into this. This is a trusting & open attitude.
Whereas, those who find fault in the Teaching, will say that वेदान्त is rubbish.
Then, someone may even say things like- Swami-s are not to be trusted, that they hypnotize.
So, there are those who are critical for no reason.
For instance, some people actually start a sentence with ‘no’. It has become a part of one’s vocabulary, such that one is not even conscious of it.
E.g. if one keeps on telling a kid ‘no’, the kid will turn around and also say ‘no’ to one.
One can relate to this by trying not to say ‘no’ for one week, or even just for an hour.
This is not glorifying the word ‘yes’, but ‘no’ can indicate resistance to things, people and situations.
So, one can reflect on when to say ‘no’, as this can extend to one being critical of the Teaching.
So, what happens to such a person?
If a person does not have the विवेक to discriminate between what is eternal and what is temporary, it is likely that the person will be confused about what is the right thing to be done in a given situation i.e. धर्म versus अधर्म, e.g. speaking more or shouting less.
सर्वज्ञान ~ in all one’s interactions, in all different domains of knowledge,
नष्ट (destruction) ~ one is likely to be lost i.e. there is constant confusion about what is the right thing to be done.
E.g. should I give this person one more chance or not? etc.
Confusion in one’s mind on many things, will deplete one’s energy. This back & forth vacillating saps a lot of energy.
So, as one follows the vision, one should try to have a working trust, at least try to see if it works.
E.g. after cataract surgery, and the bandages come off, one insists on a guarantee from the doctor that one would be able to see, before one opens the eyes.
Really one just has to open one’s eyes to see.
So, similarly one has to open one’s eyes to the प्रमाण i.e. the means of knowledge that reveals the Truth. I have to allow the प्रमाण to work, so that much working trust should be there.
So, श्रद्धा is required for this learning.
The scenario is different in an academic setting. One is not asked to have श्रद्धा in the teacher.
But, in वेदान्त, the qualities of the अधिकारी are the required qualifications, not one’s secular qualifications.
So, there should be trust in life, in भगवान्, in कर्म, trust that pervades me.
So that one allows the शास्त्र to work.
Otherwise one remains lost, and cannot be freed from the hold of कर्म, and the cycle continues.
* श्लोक ३३ *
सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्या: प्रकृतेर्ज्ञानवानपि ।
प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि निग्रह: किं करिष्यति ॥ ३३॥
Even the ज्ञानवान्-s (i.e. the one who has ज्ञानम्) i.e. the wise person, also behaves according to प्रकृति |
So, whatever action the ज्ञानवान् does, it is because of प्रकृति |
And भूतानि (all beings) follow their own स्वभाव,
निग्रह: किं करिष्यति~ then what is the use of control?
This is not a deterministic statement.
We see different ज्ञानी-s with different life trajectories.
For instance, Pujya Swamiji Dayananda Sarasvati traveled a lot, taught classes, and initiated a lot of projects.
Whereas his गुरु, Swami Tarananda Giriji lived quietly in Haridwar and said that I will only teach the people who come to Me.
So, each has their own स्वभाव, and we cannot say that one way is right and the other is wrong i.e. traveling the world versus staying in one place. Each has their unique प्रारब्ध and they don’t resist it.
Wisdom has nothing to do with one’s lifestyle. So though there may be different personalities, the knowledge is the same. But we tend to be judgmental.
But, the question arises- if one’s behavior is due to one’s स्वभाव, then should one attempt to control it?…श्लोक ३४
The question arises- if one’s behavior is because of one’s स्वभाव, then should one attempt to control it?
So, this is an important verse-
* श्लोक ३४ *
इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ ।
तयोर्न वशमागच्छेत्तौ ह्यस्य परिपन्थिनौ ॥ ३४॥
Here, राग-द्वेष is discussed-
राग ~ strong like,
द्वेष ~ strong dislike.
In this श्लोक, we see the word इन्द्रिय repeated for emphasis.
E.g. In the Indian culture to indicate that one would like a cup of very hot tea, one may ask for a cup of ‘hot, hot tea’.
So, repetition here is for emphasis.
इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे ~ in different sense objects related to the sense organs,
there is the potential for राग-द्वेष |
So, तयो: (in relation to these 2) i.e. राग & द्वेष,
वशमागच्छेत् ~ do not be under their control.
Both (राग & द्वेष) are like परिपन्थिनौ (enemies) i.e. they do not wish well for me, they are not helpful to me.
One’s unique personality is due to राग & द्वेष |
But one confuses love with obedience & control, e.g. if you love me you will sit down.
Or, I want my work-environment & colleagues to be a specific way.
However, when that strong like or dislike defines & controls me, and dictates how I am with others, then it becomes inimical to me.
All conflicts in one’s life are due to great रागद्वेष |
So, one should introspect- what are my राग-द्वेष ?
One observes रागद्वेष where there is the concept that things ‘should’ be done like this, beyond something being desirable, but rather dictating one’s mood.
If राग is fulfilled, one is in a great mood, but if it is not fulfilled, one says that I had a lousy day.
So, this has to do with one’s subconscious as what one likes or does not like, clashes with what the other person wants.
So, one should engage in a dialogue with the other and determine what is okay with the other, and how best I can contribute to the situation.
भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: does NOT say to do नाश(destroy) of one’s राग-द्वेष, as any skill/ability that one has, e.g. music, is because of one’s राग, and it has served one well.
So, what is being said is that one should not come under the control of रागद्वेष |
Instead one should align one’s रागद्वेष with धर्म i.e. what contributes to the well-being & welfare of the other, as well as to my well-being & welfare.
E.g. A woman misunderstood this verse and thought that it was her राग that she did not want to be mistreated by her abusive partner. This is not the meaning.
And one should do कर्म in the light of कर्म योग, so that one does not come under the spell of रागद्वेष |
The problem is not with राग-द्वेष, but the level of identification with one’s रागद्वेष – it is the compulsion to act upon the रागद्वेष, e.g. ‘can’t eat just one’ Lays chips. So, people sometimes use the strategy of not keeping the item of राग in stock at home e.g. cigarettes.
If one has a strong राग, one will have a corresponding द्वेष |
E.g. if I love kind & generous people, then I will avoid selfish & manipulative people.
All of us have the capacity to be either so we should not categorize others like this.
So, I can recognize रागद्वेष as part of the order that is भगवान्, and understand that due to the repetition of different thoughts I have likes & dislikes.
I cannot remove this रागद्वेष completely, but I can reduce these to preferences.
Desire is a privilege, so I should not allow desire to bother me. If it is fulfilled great, but if it is not fulfilled, then it should not be a problem.
Because anyway I do not define myself by the outcome of an event.
I am चैतन्य | In this व्यवहार role, I work on different things – some work out, some do not.
I do what I can with my रागद्वेष in line धर्म, offering it to भगवान् with कर्म योग बुद्धि:, so I do not come under the spell of रागद्वेष |
Otherwise, one thinks that I have conflict with people, but the conflict is due to the intensity of one’s रागद्वेष projecting how one wants people/situations to be. And if they do not align with my expectations, then all hell breaks loose.
So instead one should bring in the attitude of कर्म योग |
ॐ
* श्लोक ३५ *
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुण: परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् ।
स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेय: परधर्मो भयावह: ॥ ३५॥
This is an oft quoted verse especially in the context of not running away from one’s स्वधर्म |
But what is my स्वधर्म? Figuring out one’s स्वधर्म may take a lifetime…
One’s स्वधर्म is a combination of things:
(i) सामान्य धर्म ~ the practice of values like honesty, truthfulness, compassion, justice etc. with all beings.
(ii) विशेष धर्म ~ one’s responsibility related to family members, relatives, i.e. looking at all of one’s roles- partner, parent, colleague, employer/employee, citizen & my contribution to society.
Pujya Swamiji says that real growth happens when one grows from being a consumer to being a contributor.
So, I should ask myself, what is my ratio of consumption to contribution?
(iii) पञ्चमहायज्ञा ~ my responsibility to:
– पितृ ~ Parents and ancestors.
– ऋषि ~ Teachers, Knowledge and our Vedic culture.
– भूत ~ our eco-system i.e. all living beings.
– देवता-s ~ presiding deities over the cosmic forces.
देवान्भावयतानेन ते देवा भावयन्तु व: ।
परस्परं भावयन्त: श्रेय: परमवाप्स्यथ ॥ ११॥ Chapter 3.
– मनुष्य ~ our fellow beings.
(For more on this one can check out Podcast #153 Panchamahayajna – the 5 sets of relationships we must honor~ https://discoveratma.com/153-panchamahayajna-the-5-sets-of-relationships-we-must-honor/)
So, we are connected to all five, so it is not a matter of choice but rather responsibility.
In one’s thinking, there is this ‘beggarly’ notion that I have to extend my arms to receive. So, one should shift to thinking that I have the power to give. Even the helpless & dependent babe can give a smile, so everyone can give something. So, what can I give?
(iv) In addition to this, there may be a cause which one resonates with, and wants to work on. E.g. If one was a victim of abuse, one may feel strongly about helping those who are survivors of abuse. Or one may want to contribute to education or healthcare etc.
Along this vein, in the build-up to Republic Day we are exploring at least 26 ways that we can contribute to Bharat. (https://www.youtube.com/c/DiscoverAtma)
So, we have to figure out our स्वधर्म |
And here भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: says that whatever is one’s स्वधर्म, it is better to do this, even if it is विगुण: (not perfect & a struggle), than to do someone else’s धर्म | It is okay to struggle with one’s own स्वधर्म, as this struggle will help one to grow into maturity.
Often, we are kind & compassionate about someone else’s problems, but within one’s own family it is not so. Therefore, as a minimum, we should find ways to live in harmony with one’s own family.
Only I can do what I have to do in my given role as a parent, child, sibling, partner.
My unique स्वधर्म is laid out for me.
So too Arjuna’s स्वधर्म is laid out. As a क्षत्रिय who is accomplished, and a leader amongst men, he cannot lament and say that I will do साधु धर्म and go to Rishikesh and live a life on भिक्षा |
This is not acceptable. As if one does not do their स्वधर्म, a lot of things will fall apart.
Therefore, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: makes a strong statement- that even if one dies whilst performing one’s धर्म, that is better than performing another’s धर्म |
Also, if one tries to perform the धर्म of someone else, there will always be fear.
When one tries to play the role of someone else, one makes a mess, because in so doing-
(i) I am shedding my own responsibilities,
E.g. Extra-marital affairs bloom as one tries to perform the धर्म of being another’s partner instead of figuring out how can I be a better spouse to my own marriage-partner.
(ii) Not giving the other person a chance to be capable and do what they are supposed to be doing.
And with doing another’s job, there is the fear- Am I doing this correctly? Should I be doing, or not doing?
It may seem attractive to do the work of someone else, but this is not correct.
It is about learning to be comfortable with all roles that I am assigned and performing my responsibilities in those roles.
This by itself is a huge cycle of learning, because we usually resist doing.
E.g. One may choose to escape into वेदान्त and meditate instead of having to try to relate to one’s husband/wife, and so use this as an escape method. But one loses out on the opportunity to fight & make-up with one’s partner, and to learn and grow from this encounter.
Therefore, one should be clear about what one is doing and not dodge responsibility.
Also, भगवान् is explaining that whatever be one’s slot, the purpose is not to do the best कर्म possible, as each कर्म is limited with limited results. There is no perfect कर्म |
It is to gain maturity with the performance of धर्म |
As performing धर्म is not easy; one is constantly struggling with रागद्वेष |
But, in time, the more one performs one’s स्वधर्म, one grows bigger than one’s रागद्वेष and sees oneself free from रागद्वेष, as रागद्वेष reduces to preferences.
And then there is the recognition that I am more than all different situations & experiences.
And with this, there is a tremendous courage to fight any battle of injustice, e.g. inheritance issues within families etc.
So, having spoken about रागद्वेष, doing one’s स्वधर्म, and the signs of a wise person (including not to disturb the one who is not wise),
Arjuna now asks a question-
* श्लोक ३६ *
अर्जुन उवाच ।
अथ केन प्रयुक्तोऽयं पापं चरति पूरुष: ।
अनिच्छन्नपि वार्ष्णेय बलादिव नियोजित: ॥ ३६॥
He addresses Lord कृष्ण: as वार्ष्णेय |
Duryodhana also asks a similar question in the महाभारत –
जानामि धर्मं न च मे प्रवृत्ति: |
जानाम्यधर्मं न च मे निवृत्ति: ||
केनापि देवेन हृदि स्थितेन यथा नियुक्तोऽस्मि तथा करोमि ।
I know what is धर्म, but I cannot seem to engage in धर्म, and I also know what is अधर्म but I cannot seem to disengage from अधर्म | Something seems to sit in my heart which impels me, and I go along with that inner voice.
Here, Arjuna asks a similar question-
केन प्रयुक्तोऽयं पापं ~ By what are we impelled to do पापा ?
E.g. I do not want to be rude, but the words seem to tumble out of my mouth. Or, I don’t want to cut corners, but I end up cutting corners. I want to do the right thing and contribute to taxes, but I make excuses for filing my taxes incorrectly, saying that anyway the government has not done anything for me.
So, by what are people impelled to do acts of अधर्म ?
Though there is no इच्छा (desire) to do something wrong, it seems like I am being pushed with momentum to do so.
I know all the right things to do, but I do not do this. Why?
भगवान् replies-
* श्लोक ३७ *
श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भव: ॥
महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्ध्येनमिह वैरिणम् ॥ ३७॥
एष ~ this (which you are familiar with),
काम/desire ~ binding desire,
and the क्रोध (anger) that arises due to non-fulfillment of desire,
is borne of too much रजस् in you.
And what about this binding desire? महाशन: ~ it is a big glutton. Like a fire, it is अनल: (never enough). [अलम्-enough]
So, this fire wants more, and as a result it is महापाप्मा (great पापी), impelling one to do acts of अधर्म |
So, may you know that this is your true enemy.
भगवान् explains further with 3 metaphors-
* श्लोक ३८ *
धूमेनाव्रियते वह्निर्यथादर्शो मलेन च ।
यथोल्बेनावृतो गर्भस्तथा तेनेदमावृतम् ॥ ३८॥
These metaphors illustrate how difficult it is to remove the binding nature of desire.
(i) Like the blazing वह्नि (fire) being covered by clouds of धूम (smoke). So too, knowledge is there of what is the right thing to do in a given situation, but binding desire covers it. So, one has to wait for the smoke to die down, or not stoke the fire, or allow a nice wind to blow the smoke away.
(ii) Like दर्श:(mirror) covered by a lot of मल (dust). The glass of the mirror by itself is clear & transparent. But, if it is covered by dust, then effort has to be put forth to remove the dust.
(iii) Just as a fetus is covered by the womb. Therefore, so too knowledge is covered by desire.
We have to understand that desire is not a bad thing.
E.g. wanting nice vacations, desiring desert after meals, tv watching, wanting to be validated.
But, binding desire means that it must be done, if one is not able to fulfill the desire then the result is a most unpleasant mood.
So binding desire means that this desire must be fulfilled at all costs, and one does not care about the consequences.
E.g. addictions – one may steal in order to fulfill an addiction.
These particular 3 metaphors are used to indicate the varying effort needed to remove some of these binding desires. For instance, some desires can just be easily blown away. Or another desire may require more effort, like wiping the dust off a mirror. Or some desires are so binding, that they take a long time, like an entire gestational period for the knowledge to shine forth. And like pregnancy/childbirth, this desire is also struggled with.
Now भगवान् explains for us the concept that was just illustrated-
* श्लोक ३९ *
आवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन ज्ञानिनो नित्यवैरिणा ।
कामरूपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पूरेणानलेन च ॥ ३९॥
So, we know the meaning of the prior metaphors in श्लोक ३८ because भगवान् now clearly uses the words ज्ञानम् & काम in this श्लोक |
Even for the ज्ञानिन:(wise person), know that this person’s ज्ञानम् can also be covered by this नित्यवैरि (constant enemy) in the form of काम |
Any binding desire is a symptom of अपूर्णत (sense of incompleteness), and I seek to be complete by fulfilling the desire.
E.g. Only if I go on holiday, then all is well with the world.
Or, I must succeed in anything & everything that I do. But what is the definition of success?
Then, I whip myself and think less of myself if I don’t succeed. Also, I don’t want others to think less of me, so I push myself & others too.
These desires are good, but when one takes them to the extreme, saying that it must happen in this way, then the desires are binding.
Everyone wants to succeed, but when there is an insistence on success with no scope for failure or no plan B, then pressure is put on oneself, and for what?
The definition of success is that I will feel complete.
So, where is this काम present?
* श्लोक ४० *
इन्द्रियाणि मनो बुद्धिरस्याधिष्ठानमुच्यते ।
एतैर्विमोहयत्येष ज्ञानमावृत्य देहिनम् ॥ ४०॥
Our country’s defense forces try to figure out where the enemy is so that they can have a strategy to attack. So where is this काम?
The अधिष्ठानम्/locus is in इन्द्रियाणि मनो बुद्धि: (my own senses, in my mind, in my intellect). Knowledge is also there. So, these binding desires are always doing आवरण (covering) of the knowledge that is there.
So, this situation is tougher than expected, as it is not an external enemy to battle, but rather an internal enemy.
So, then one may loathe/hate oneself, thinking why do I not have enough willpower to deal with my desire?
So, भगवान् continues-
* श्लोक ४१ *
तस्मात्त्वमिन्द्रियाण्यादौ नियम्य भरतर्षभ ।
पाप्मानं प्रजहि ह्येनं ज्ञानविज्ञाननाशनम् ॥ ४१॥
Therefore, knowing that all acts of अधर्म are committed due to the binding nature of desire, which is a glutton, making one commit to things that one does not want to commit to,
therefore, one should learn to have mastery over one’s senses, mind & intellect, and destroy the real enemy.
So, who is the real enemy i.e. the enemy of one’s knowledge? Binding desires.
Therefore, भगवान् is telling us that, may you have more-
(i) दम: – mastery over the way you use your body.
(ii) शम: – mastery over the resolution of the mind.
So, only I can work on this binding nature of desire, by seeing the havoc that it causes for me, and may I destroy it.
भगवान् has already spoken of कर्म योग – with the spirit of कर्म योग, may you surrender this to me.
Whatever is the nature of one’s desires, do not worry too much about it, instead offer it to भगवान् |
भगवान् Himself told us this in श्लोक ३० –
मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा ।
निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वर: ॥ ३०॥
Then, without the sense of me & mine, do what has to be done.
So, instead of worrying- how will it be, what will happen, will it work out? One can surrender all doubts & anxieties. One can take time to make a commitment, but then once the commitment is made, one should go with it. Then, one’s धर्म should be performed in this commitment.
* श्लोक ४२ *
इन्द्रियाणि पराण्याहुरिन्द्रियेभ्य: परं मन: ।
मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्यो बुद्धे: परतस्तु स: ॥ ४२॥
Along with कर्म योग बुद्धि:, may you see that you are not touched by your desire.
And so भगवान् shows us how to do दृग्-दृश्य (seer-seen) विवेक |
This is an inquiry that we do in order to understand who is the seer & what is the seen.
So, we can start with our experience. Looking at our surroundings, one sees the computer screen, and as one moves one’s gaze around the room, there is the recognition that the prior object is displaced by the current object in one’s view. So, that which is दृश्य (seen) changes. That which is unchanging is my eyes with respect to the different sights.
But then even my eyesight changes. When I go to the ophthalmologist, the lens before my eyes is adjusted until I see clearly. The ophthalmologist asks- Can you see clearly with these lenses? So, how can I see whether I see clearly or not?
This is because my eyesight is changing, and so it is also दृश्यम् | When there is smoke or fog, I cannot see.
So, the mind (दृग्) determines whether I can see clearly or not with respect to the changing eyesight (दृश्यम्).
Then, if one is asked- how do I feel, or what did I have for breakfast, how do I know the answer to this question?
I see the thoughts & emotions of the mind. I observe the mind changing with its different memories, feelings, and thoughts.
So, the mind is दृश्यम्/seen, but I-आत्मा am दृग् (the seer).
This दृग्, I-आत्मा, am untouched by what is happening in the mind.
E.g. Clay pot. Does one ask clay- how are you dealing with your binding desires? No. It is the pot with form, thinking itself to be finite/limited/अपूर्णता that has the desire to be complete. For clay there is no struggle whatsoever.
So, with respect to desire management, one can have
(i) कर्म योग बुद्धि: – go after the desire, aligning it with धर्म, and offering it to भगवान् |
and alongside this also have,
(ii) the understanding that I-आत्मा am untouched by all desire.
The mind is greater than the sense organs.
For instance, the ears within its sphere of operation, can only hear within a certain decibel level.
However, मनस् (the mind) with its function of memory & feeling/desires can have feelings/desires not limited to a specific sphere. E.g. one can desire to go to Mars.
So, the nature of the mind is pervasive, whereas the various sense organs are localized.
Then, compared to मन:, बुद्धि: (the intellect) is superior. मन: wanders all over the place, but बुद्धि: is firm & resolute. E.g. in the grocery store, मनस् thinks that I want all these things, but बुद्धि: remains firm that this is all that I need. The बुद्धि: has the function to be able to take decisions.
But that which is superior to this बुद्धि: is स:(He) i.e. I-आत्मा / the Truth.
The nature of desire could be anything.
In each experience of binding desire, if I don’t do, there is the feeling of not being productive.
But one should be able to see that desire is fleeting, it comes & goes.
Between 2 thoughts or 2 desires, there is no desire nor desirer. In deep sleep there is no desire.
Between any 2 tasks, there is no struggle with desire; what is, is me आत्मा |
And I also see that I am untouched by the nature of desire, regardless of how intense it is.
E.g. one may have the binding desire to control one’s spouse, thinking he/she should listen to me.
But one should recognize that I am untouched by all of this.
* श्लोक ४३ *
एवं बुद्धे: परं बुद्ध्वा संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना ।
जहि शत्रुं महाबाहो कामरूपं दुरासदम् ॥ ४३॥
भगवान् addresses Arjuna and tells him, that though physically you are strong,
what is more superior than your बुद्धि: ?
So, knowing I-आत्मा, I recognize that I am much more than the mind/desires etc.
Once I am rooted in my strength, then desires have no sting.
Therefore, may you destroy the enemy in the form of binding desires, which is difficult to understand.
SUMMARY OF CHAPTER THREE
श्लोक १- ७ ~ Introduction to कर्म & कर्म योग; the lifestyles of कर्म योग & संन्यास/ज्ञान योग |
श्लोक ८- २० ~ Elaboration on कर्म योग, particularly the fact that one cannot escape कर्म | As long as one lives, there is कर्म to be done.
श्लोक २०- २९ ~ What a wise person should avoid doing; highlighting the need for श्रद्धा |
श्लोक ३०- ३५ ~ Some nuances of कर्म योग |
श्लोक ३६- ४३ ~ The problem of binding desires, and the solution to binding desires.
Throughout, the topic of रागद्वेष was covered. One should note that रागद्वेष is not a problem by itself, but when one comes under the spell of रागद्वेष with binding desire, then this is a problem.
Therefore, may one have the mastery of this.
One can overcome binding desire with-
(i) कर्म योग बुद्धि:
(ii) साक्षी meditation.
Each chapter ends with ~ ॐ तत् सत् | ॐ is the only reality.
The conclusion of the chapter reiterates that श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता is the essence of the उपनिषद्, talking of ब्रह्मविद्या i.e. the knowledge of the Reality-I, and the knowledge of योग i.e. the knowledge of how to live this life.
And this knowledge is shared through the dialogue between भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: and Arjuna, in this chapter on कर्म योग |
Notably, this chapter starts with कर्म and ends with ज्ञानम् |
This completes the third chapter.
ॐ
Great discussion of sloka 3.17 on the duality of Samkhya. That clarification was very useful to me.
It is noteworthy that Pujya Swamiji repeated the Brahmarpanam prayer/prayer before meals twice-
ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम् ।
ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना ॥ २४॥
The third chapter of the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता concluded with the teaching of how Arjuna and all of us can overcome binding desire. ‘Binding’ is specified, to distinguish binding desire from काम | काम is a valid pursuit according to the वेद | Binding desire is when काम debilitates one, and I must have it by hook or by crook.
The permanent solution to binding desire is understanding that I am ever दृग् (Seer), I am never दृश्यम् (seen). The seen is the desire and all that comes along in its wake.
In transaction, one can manage desires~ by prioritization, making desires goal-oriented, being process-focused, and aligning desire with धर्म | However, true independence from binding desire comes from recognizing my स्वरूप and abiding in it.
The divisions into chapters of श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता is only for our sake, depending on the topic being elaborated by भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: | श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता talks of 18 योग:-s. योग: here means topic. And each chapter is titled according to the predominant topic spoken about within.
* श्लोक १ & २*
श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम् ।
विवस्वान्मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत् ॥ १॥
एवं परम्पराप्राप्तमिमं राजर्षयो विदु: ।
स कालेनेह महता योगो नष्ट: परन्तप ॥ २॥
This Chapter Four talks of ज्ञान in the form of कर्मसंन्यास |
भगवान् begins Chapter 4 by outlining the lineage of the Teaching.
Based on all that has been said so far in all verses, the two main topics we have seen are-
(i) the nature of आत्मा; ज्ञानम्,
(ii) the lifestyle that helps one to get (i).
If one is pursuing धर्म, अर्थ, काम, alongside with मोक्ष, then this lifestyle of कर्म योग is prescribed.
If we look at the time we dedicate to वेदान्त, it is about 4 hours/month for गीता अमृतम् | This does not amount to much time over the timespan of a year. If we compare this to a weekend camp immersive experience where there is ~8-10 hours of classes; this can equate to over 2 months of classes (using the above 4 hours/month).
So, one hour/week is so little. But even with this little time of one hour/week, the power of this tradition is so great, that one’s life can be changed.
Here, भगवान् is saying that all that I have told you about knowledge and the 2 lifestyles i.e. कर्म योग & संन्यास, that I have pretty much said all that I needed to say, and I have given you the Teaching.
This is what is meant by इमम् |
इमं योग ~ This योग refers to knowledge and the lifestyle (कर्म योग & संन्यास).
संन्यास is an exclusive pursuit of मोक्ष, where धर्म, अर्थ, काम are pursued to the least minimum.
We have seen in Chapter 3 that no one can live without doing कर्म |
The संन्यास does minimum कर्म alone, leaving all time & effort for learning & teaching.
Whereas with कर्म योग lifestyle, one pursues other things alongside pursuit of मोक्ष- श्रवणम् (attending classes), contemplating on what is learnt and applying it to one’s life etc. This is done with the ultimate purpose in mind, so that when one is ready, one pursues ज्ञानम् full-time.
संन्यास is both a lifestyle and it is indicative of knowledge.संन्यास means सम्यक् (well done/completely) न्यास: (giving up) i.e. giving up completely.
So, if it is a lifestyle, then it is a choice of how one wants to live one’s life. There are vows involved in accepting संन्यास | And only a select few will take it, and only a select few are ready for it.
But what is non-negotiable is the संन्यास of कर्म in the form of ज्ञानम् |
So, संन्यास लक्षणम् is कर्म संन्यास |
कर्मसंन्यास is to give up completely my notion/identity of being a limited person.
But, I cannot even give up an opinion, so how do I give up this strong notion of being a limited individual?
So here the sense of identity that I gained recognition & self-worth from and held on to,
in the light of knowledge, I give it up by seeing the Truth of it.
Also, previously भगवान् has spoken of कर्म योग as a disposition and lifestyle, and as an approach to कर्म & कर्मफल |
Here भगवान् says that, प्रोक्तवान्~ All I have said,
I have taught to विवस्वान् (सूर्य भगवान्).
विवस्वान् did not keep this knowledge to Himself, He did not get too precious about it.
He passed it on to मनु, who taught it to इक्ष्वाकु |
So, here we see भगवान् referring to important figures in the particular Teaching lineage of the सूर्य सम्प्रदाय |
*N.B.* – एवं परम्पराप्राप्तम्
The knowledge gained, has been gained through the परम्परा i.e. it is a Teaching tradition that has been handed down from one generation to another.
And was it only for the ऋषि-s? No. It was also for राज-s who were Sages, e.g. King Janaka, in addition to the ऋषि-s.
This shows that people who were highly accomplished also had a value for this knowledge. They were not consumed by धर्म, अर्थ, काम only. They also pursued मोक्ष |
But,
कालेन – since time has elapsed,
योगो नष्ट: ~ this योग (Knowledge) that I taught you, which has been going on in the lineage, It has declined in the world.
(नष्ट means destroyed, but in this context, it means that it has declined)
भगवान् is not lamenting about this, it is just a statement of fact.
Often, we initially join class with great enthusiasm. Then, life happens, and we miss class, and feel badly about it and then drop out. Instead of thinking- Oh I missed class, so I should try to catch up; this resignation is there.
And then our clever mind uses cognitive dissonance to explain away, and rationally justify either at the conscious or subconscious level why we cannot keep up so that we don’t feel badly about ourselves.
The ones who stick with it are very few in every generation.
Here on the battlefield, भगवान् is talking to Arjuna in द्वापर युग on the cusp of कलियुग, and even then there were very few takers for this knowledge.
And now in कलियुग with the complete decline of धर्म, there is even less interest.
Importantly, as भगवान्, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: is highlighting the परम्परा |
परम्परा is the lineage of the flow of knowledge that takes place from one generation to another.
सम्प्रदाय is used interchangeably with परम्परा | सम्प्रदाय means that which is given completely. [सम्यक् – good, well done, completely; प्रदानम्-giving]
E.g. In academia/ “academentia”, insecurities can come up, so the secular knowledge isn’t completely shared between teacher & student.
But ब्रह्मविद्या is the only thing that can be given completely, because the knowledge is of me as completeness/पूर्ण.
So, it is सम्यक् प्रदानम् – completely given, because I am पूर्ण i.e. I am complete in & of myself.
Therefore, सम्प्रदाय reflects the lineage/teaching tradition that is the central aspect of Sanatana Dharma Hinduism.
There is no central institution in Hinduism.
The सम्प्रदाय is the lineage of knowledge which is dotted across the landscape of Bharat that has kept Sanatana Dharma alive.
The methodology is very thorough since it is immersive learning, with one cycle of learning being 12 complete years full-time.
Each सम्प्रदाय/Teaching tradition/lineage has a central deity, e.g. Lord Shiva, Ganapati Baba, Devi Mata, with different ways of worship/practices, and various dispositions on how they look at wealth, health, the world, and the relationship between the world and the individual.
However, there are a lot of commonalities, though the सम्प्रदाय-s may be different. For instance, there is agreement that everything is sacred, even if there are different ways of looking at reality.
For example, Reality may be looked at as द्वैत with two separate entities of the individual and भगवान् | Or, it can be considered that I am part of ईश्वर | So, there may be different ways of looking at Reality.
But, what is important is the culture of reverence which is present in all सम्प्रदाय-s.
So, one can travel anywhere within India and feel at home if one goes to a temple, or meets a religious person from another सम्प्रदाय |
We see this deep श्रद्धा at pilgrimage sites, e.g. at प्रयाग् we see different people of all ages praying to any form of भगवान्~ from different deities, to the river, or to the milestones on the roadside, and it is accepted by all, it is okay.
This culture of reverence that is there, is borne of the recognition that all that is here is sacred, all is ईश्वर | This culture is transmitted through the entire culture associated with every सम्प्रदाय/lineage.
So, importantly in these verses we see-
~ ब्रह्मविद्या is given completely.
~ Specific names are mentioned in श्लोक १ to highlight the role of the सम्प्रदाय for learning to take place.
~ The mention of the सम्प्रदाय also shows that this teaching is not something new, it has been around for a long time.
* श्लोक ३ *
स एवायं मया तेऽद्य योग: प्रोक्त: पुरातन: ।
भक्तोऽसि मे सखा चेति रहस्यं ह्येतदुत्तमम् ॥ ३॥
अयं मया प्रोक्त:~ all this said so far, by me,
(प्रोक्त:~ said)
it is पुरातन: ~ it is old, but ever new i.e. it is ancient but ever relevant.
So, possible concerns that Arjuna may have had at this time are:
– So then is this ancient knowledge applicable to me?
– Would our friendship last after भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: teaches me?
– What does भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: think of me?
Therefore, to remove Arjuna’s probable concerns, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: says-
You are my भक्त, you are my सखा (friend).
भगवान् also says that I am telling you one great secret~ उत्तमम् रहस्यम् |
This Teaching is considered a रहस्य/secret.
It is not that one wants to deny/deprive someone of this knowledge,
but at a minimum, in order for one to understand, there should be भक्ति, with trust in भगवान् |
Some relationship with भगवान् is important, or else this knowledge has no point.
Therefore, we should reclaim trust if it has been eroded in life. Otherwise, we may not trust anyone, and always be second guessing their intention, and this can translate to doubts in the relationship with the Teacher who is part of the Teaching lineage.
So, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: assures Arjuna, telling him that you are dear to me as a भक्त/devotee and as a friend, and this is why I am sharing this Knowledge with you.
Arjuna may have also thought, why did you not tell me this earlier, when we spent 12-13 years in the forest.
So, this could also be why भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: reassures Arjuna in this way.
This highlights the relational aspect of a Teacher-student relationship.
The Truth is actually glaringly obvious. But one has been looking externally/outwardly.
E.g. Even now, though one is studying वेदान्त, if one sees or hears an ad on the secret to ultimate happiness, one will check it out since the senses are turned externally outwards and one thinks that something external will give this happiness to me. Similarly, there is an appeal to the idea of a short crash course versus 12 years of study.
But metaphorically, भगवान् has hid that which is most precious in one’s own heart. So, I am the problem, but I am also the solution.
I have looked all over, went on all pilgrimages ~ spiritual and psychedelic, but really I am that पूर्ण that the वेद talks of.
But then one asks ~ how is it possible that I am पूर्ण? Therefore, the Truth remains a secret, because even if it is revealed to me, I do not fully assimilate it..
The basis of the Teacher-student relationship is both devotion & friendship.
Friendship is one of the most under-rated & undervalued relationships, but it is the basis of all relationships as there is an emphasis on equality. One is not trying to change the other, only support.
For instance, in marriages, once friendship is there, one can weather any storm.
But, if there are too many रागद्वेष, then this can be a problem.
So, this knowledge which is a part of the Teaching lineage, this knowledge which is given completely, भगवान् is sharing now with Arjuna because he is dear to Him, he is His सखा/friend.
And this knowledge is not something new, it is present in every सम्प्रदाय/मठ |
मठ is a traditional institution of learning in India, with different teaching traditions.
In some मठ-s, the teaching tradition is relegated only to initiates.
There may be Public Teaching which is accessible to all, but then advanced level is only taught to certain people because they have gained a certain maturity for it.
Also, not all सम्प्रदाय-s will teach अद्वैत वेदान्त; others may have विशिष्टाद्वैत, द्वैत etc.
But, one is respectful to all मठ-s | For instance, though in उपनिषद् class the argument of द्वैत may be demolished, one always treats people from the द्वैत सम्प्रदाय respectfully.
We must remain united as Sanatana Dharma, with no divisions due to differing theological positions, with धर्म remaining as a framework in one’s interactions with the other.
* श्लोक ४ *
अर्जुन उवाच ।
अपरं भवतो जन्म परं जन्म विवस्वत: ।
कथमेतद्विजानीयां त्वमादौ प्रोक्तवानिति ॥ ४॥
Here, Arjuna has a question.
Arjuna tells भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: that I know about your birth and life, but विवस्वान् was born a very long time ago, so Arjuna thinks, how is it possible that भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: taught विवस्वान् ?
Arjuna, may have been wondering~ is everything okay with You श्री कृष्ण:? We pray to सूर्य भगवान्, so how is this possible? Where is the proof that You indeed taught this to विवस्वान् ?
* श्लोक ५ *
श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि जन्मानि तव चार्जुन ।
तान्यहं वेद सर्वाणि न त्वं वेत्थ परन्तप ॥ ५॥
भगवान् responds that indeed there have been many births (जन्मानि-plural for birth); that so many lives have passed for you and me. In this way भगवान् references rebirth.
भगवान् says- And I happen to know all of my lifetimes/manifestations,
but, त्वं न वेत्थ ~ you(परन्तप- Arjuna, the scorcher of all enemies) don’t know.
Our mind is so caught up dealing with memories of this lifetime, imagine how difficult life would be if we remembered all prior lifetimes?!
So here भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: is hinting that He is भगवान् |
* श्लोक ६ *
अजोऽपि सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन् ।
प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय सम्भवाम्यात्ममायया ॥ ६॥
Here, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: says-
I am अज: ~ I was never born,
I am अव्ययात्मा ~ my knowledge does not change/reduce/decline,
I am ईश्वर: ~ ऐश्वरस्य भाव: i.e. overlordship- the one who doesn’t have a boss.
I am the causeless cause, the Lord of all भूत (beings); both the material and the intelligence is भगवान् |
My own प्रकृति I wield and use this material cause as an instrument for सम्भवामि (to come into manifestation).
आत्ममायया ~ I am not born as a result of कर्म, but by my own creative power.
So, for the Magician, there is no magic. The Magician knows the sleight of hand used in performing the trick. But to the onlooker/experiencer, it seems as if it is magic. For the Magician, he wields his own power.
In this way, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: refers to Himself as भगवान् |
So we see from श्लोक १- ८ that स्तुति/glory is done of the गीता with:
– स्तुति/glory of the परम्पर,
– reference to the manifestation called as अवतार |
So here भगवान् is leading up to why He comes on this Earth.
So, Arjuna’s question in श्लोक ४ is a valid question because in Arjuna’s mind, he knows भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: in this lifetime.
But when भगवान् says, I am भगवान्, it is not a statement of arrogance, it is a statement of Truth.
I am भगवान्, I was never born, I oversee all that happens. माया is my शक्ति and I wield it.
So the question comes- why is all this?
Arjuna may have had that question- why did भगवान्, the Lord of all beings who wields प्रकृति & माया, come here?
So, then श्लोक ७ & ८ come which are famous verses which refer to being an अवतार |
अवतार is an incarnation/manifestation of भगवान् |
So, भगवान् says-
* श्लोक ७ *
यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत ।
अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम् ॥ ७॥
यदा यदा- Whenever,
धर्मस्य ग्लानि: भवति- there is a decline in धर्म,
भारत् ~ Arjuna (descendent of भारत्),
अभ्युत्थानम् अधर्मस्य ~ when there is an increase in अधर्म, with wrong living everywhere,
तदा ~ then,
आत्मानं सृजामि अहम् ~ I bring myself into a particular incarnation.
श्लोक ८ further describes the purpose of अवतार –
* श्लोक ८ *
परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम् ।
धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे ॥ ८॥
So, the purpose of अवतार is to protect the साधु-s/good people i.e. the one’s aligned with/committed to धर्म |
One’s commitment to धर्म shows as one being a धर्मी i.e. one lives धर्म |
सामान्य धर्म includes:
– अहिंसा ~ causing the least injury,
– दया ~ compassion,
– दान ~ giving what I have,
– इन्द्रियनिग्रह ~ mastery of the sense organs.
In values, there is always scope for one to improve and grow more.
– With the value of सत्यम्, people know that they can depend on me. If I give my word, they know that I will honor it, and that I will speak the Truth. This is because one is aligned to functional reality. One is focused on what is, instead of what is not and what I do not have.
– शौचम् ~ value for cleanliness both external and internal. So internally one does not nurse a lot of regret/guilt.
But, one has so much hurt/guilt. So, one should deal with it by either processing it or throwing it out, but one should not carry it forward.
So, भगवान् says that I have come as an अवतार, so people can live a good life i.e. a life of धर्म |
One should recognize that there is goodness in me, and see the goodness elsewhere, and know that I do what I can to contribute to a lot of change. And this goodness & धर्म can be the basis for the pursuit of काम & अर्थ |
So, people doing good should be protected.
What about those doing अधर्म?
दुष्कृताम् विनाशाय ~ destroy those who are following अधर्म |
This should not be taken literally.
Some people, e.g. a terrorist may not be available for any transformation, and because they are killing civilians, they have to be destroyed i.e. they have to be killed. In this way हिंसा is as important as अहिंसा | But, one should note that the धर्म of the civilian is अहिंसा; हिंसा is reserved for the defense force, if required.
अधर्म can also ‘die’ when a person has a change of heart and no longer does actions that are अधार्मिक् |
For instance, laws can cause fear in people and so prevent अधर्म |
For example, in Saudi Arabia one’s hand can be chopped off for stealing. So, the fear of the consequence is the motivating factor that keeps the person in line.
But also, one should see the value of values.
सामान्य धर्म may be presented as moral injunctions. But we are naturally rebellious and so do not want to follow.
But if I see the value of values, e.g. दानम्, then I give as a person.
But one should not give as overcompensation. E.g. Karana from the Mahabharata was very denied and deprived in childhood. He took the value of दानम् to an extreme. He was born with armor, but he gave it away when it was requested of him because he wanted to uphold the identity that he did not refuse anyone who came to him. In this way he endangered his own life.
So, one should not take a value to the extreme; one should understand the context and apply it.
With respect to दानम्, one should see what giving does for me & others too.
When one lives a life of धर्म, one feels happy about it, and rests comfortably. And this is okay to feel happy about the good I did, knowing that I am definitely contributing to the happiness of others also.
So, the reason for divine incarnation is for धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय~ the purpose of establishing धर्म | It is to-
(i) Protect the people who are धार्मिक् |
(ii) Destroy/convert the people who are अधार्मिक् |
(iii) Establish धर्म |
Through the constitution/justice system, it enforces certain behavior based on crime & punishment.
But धर्म is a self-regulating framework, where by understanding the value of धर्म, everyone regulates themselves because of the understanding of the consequences of doing wrong.
E.g. Self-regulation for Kumbha Mela- though there are kilometers of people, there is no stampede with resultant death. The police on horseback move around the crowds and due to the fear of being trampled, everyone becomes organized and self-regulated.
धर्म is like this.
When one does not follow धर्म, e.g. if one hurts another, one regrets it, and it gnaws at one.
This is because धर्म lies in one’s heart. This is भगवान्’s gift so we are able to self-regulate due to this voice of धर्म |
This voice should be loud & clear, but sometimes we subdue and pacify this voice.
The more I create division in the way I think and act, e.g. I think something but do something else, then I am not together as a person. Then, I am not available for any pursuit.
And if there is this internal conflict, there is no harmony/happiness. Then, there is no more meaning left in life.
This is the disturbance in धर्म at an individual level.
Then, there is धर्म at the level of society, where what is good is rewarded. There are structures, guidelines and organizations that uphold ethics.
So, when भगवान् talks of the establishment of धर्म, He is talking of the establishment of धर्म at the level of society also.
So, in order to establish धर्म, in every युग, भगवान् takes अवतार |
Time is cyclical. One कल्प is 4 युग-s.
In the वराहपुराण, धर्म is presented metaphorically as a bull. (see Slack under Gita-amrtam channel for PDF on this)
The four legs of the bull represent सत्यम्, शौचम्, तपस् and दानम्, which are very important for धर्म |
(i) सत्ययुग – All 4 legs of the bull are present i.e. people practiced धर्म | At this time, the ऋषि-s had a lot of power so a mere utterance by Them could bring a curse or blessing.
(ii) त्रेतायुग – The bull stands on 3 legs, due to committed पापा |
(iii) द्वापरयुग – The bull stands on 2 legs, as people became more corrupt.
(iv) कलियुग – The bull stands on only 1 leg. So, there is complete decline of धर्म | There are many predictions of what is to come. Currently we are in the beginning/golden age of कलियुग, so this is not the terrible part of कलियुग |
So, भगवान् will come in every युग in order to establish धर्म |
This is not in the sense of Him being a Saviour.
It is to rekindle धर्म in one’s heart so that we self-regulate, and have ethical practices in our work & dealings with others, and so re-establish धर्म |
ॐ
So far, we have looked at श्लोक-s १-८ | We saw the discussion of अवतार/divine incarnation, including the purpose of अवतार |
भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: says-
धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे ॥ ८॥ ~ For the establishment of धर्म, I come into being in every युग |
Time is cyclical, and consists of 4 युग-s ~ सत्ययुग, त्रेतायुग, द्वापरयुग, कलियुग | Each युग spans several 1000 years (see PDF document on this on Gita Amrtam tab on Slack).
And with the passage of time, धर्म will decline and be at its worse in कलियुग |
Generally, an अवतार comes at the end or beginning of a युग, and so भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: has come at this time i.e. at the end of द्वापरयुग |
And, what can one अवतार do? An अवतार can destroy अधर्म in the hearts of many people by the अवतार’s Teachings. And if one recognizes the value of धर्म, then our institutions will become धार्मिक् i.e. our families, schools, judiciary, executive, government. At all levels, all institutions- companies, corporates, non-profit organizations. Because a company, or a society is not an amorphous abstract entity; it is made up of people like us. Therefore, if the people who constitute and run the institutions are धार्मिक्, then it will help to promote the happiness, well-being & welfare of the cause that they serve.
People often complain about different institutions including our own companies. But who works in that company? Therefore, one should not behave helplessly, as if one can do nothing about it.
However, many times we operate out of fear. E.g. in the workplace there is a collapse of work boundaries with one expected to be available 24/7 to take calls. And one does not bring up this matter, because of the fear of the loss of my job. This lifestyle is not feasible, as then everyone gets burnt-out and then quit the position/sector/company. Or, one starts a new company, or scales down one’s lifestyle. So then who bells the cat? Because working 16-18-hour days is not sustainable in the long-run.
Even if one is a CEO with a lot of drive/passion for work, this one-dimensional focus is not conducive to a healthy family life etc.
Therefore this धर्मसंस्थापन (establishment of धर्म ) is really us recognizing the value of the value. E.g. I have to see what living the value of अहिंसा (causing the least injury) does for me. And I also have to recognize the corollaries of this. For instance, when I cause violence or violence is caused to me through words or actions, then what is the result? So, for each value we should examine what is the result of the lack of the value.
1. अहिंसा ~ What is the result of हिंसा on me and others~ family, extended community.
Group Discussion –
Physical – Bodily harm to oneself/others with loss of limb/life; loss of opportunities in life, loss of one’s livelihood.
Mental – Can affect one’s self esteem, with loss of trust in oneself, God, society, others. There is resentment towards the other person, and towards one’s own life. There may also be the feeling of intense rage with the desire for retaliation.
Spiritual – There is कर्म-bondage between the perpetrator & the recipient.
A violent episode pulls the perpetrator towards अधर्म and away from सत्त्व |
Intellectual – Then, violence distorts the recipient’s thinking. One compares oneself to others and wonders, why did this happen to me~ ‘why me’ and not someone else?
Another viewpoint on intellectual हिंसा is that one thinks it’s ‘my way or the highway’ with a missed chance for creative teamwork opportunity.
2. सत्यम् ~ What is the result of असत्यम्/lies on me and others.
Group Discussion –
The effect of lies is a loss of connection due to a lack of trust.
It leads to a loss of credibility for the person who speaks the untruth, and it affects one’s reputation in the long run.
असत्यम् leads to conflict for the victim of the untruth- external, as well as internal conflict.
There is also internal conflict for the person who speaks the untruth, due to that inner voice of धर्म, with the litmus test being a sleepless night.
3. अस्तेयम् ~ non-stealing. What is the result of stealing ideas, property, wealth.
Group Discussion –
Impact on others- One ends up hurting the other and losing relationships. Anger & resentment is created in the other person from whom one has stolen property/money/ideas. One loses respect in the other person’s eyes.
Impact on self- If the person is aware that stealing is wrong, but still does it out of habit then one loses peace of mind, and respect in one’s own eyes.
However, if one is unaware that stealing is wrong, maybe because one started at such a young age and was not corrected, then one may not have the moral compass of धर्म guiding but instead be living in an illusionary world that what one is doing is okay. E.g. Duryodhana believed that asking for the entire kingdom was right, because he was disconnected with his धर्म |
Additionally, when one steals, one robs oneself of the opportunity to gain that thing by धार्मिक् means. E.g. if one works in a team and steals another’s idea, then one loses the opportunity for oneself to gather that on one’s own.
4. शौचम् ~ external and internal cleanliness.
Group Discussion –
Physical & External & Internal –
Self-cleanliness avoids disease. External शौचम् involves keeping the environment & house clean. The impact of अशौचम् is the lack of environmental harmony and the spread of disease.
Uncleanliness comes from clutter & hoarding. This can be a symptom of incompleteness. The object has already served its purpose, but the emotional feeling associated with it is still there, so there is that attachment and so one hoards. Therefore, this external clutter is associated with cobwebs of the mind, which further drives internal अशौचम् of emotions and thoughts, e.g. greed, anger, jealousy.
Then in turn, this internal अशौचम् affects one’s external interactions in one’s relationships and reactions/responses.
Also, when one binge watches certain media, it affects one’s response to a given situation. E.g. if I watch an anxiety-provoking show, one’s immediate reaction to a situation may be anxiety.
शौचम् is in keeping with कर्म योग बुद्धि: and one’s स्वधर्म |
Overall, the cleaner the water (one’s mind), the sun shines better on it.
And so, we remember Marie Kondo’s decluttering motto ~ keep things that spark joy.
5. इन्द्रियनिग्रह (mastery/discipline over sense organs)
Group Discussion –
There is an intimate connection between इन्द्रियनिग्रह and doing what is right i.e. one’s स्वधर्म |
If one has strong likes & dislikes, and one is unable to control the senses, how does this impact me?
This can create a chaotic feeling, and lots of drama since there is the insistence that circumstances be a certain way in accordance with my likes/dislikes. Additionally, there is no inner orientation to धर्म as it is blocked by strong रागद्वेष | And so one feels disturbed with resultant anxiety & depression, because one’s happiness is tied to the fulfillment of the रागद्वेष through the sense organs, e.g. I must have my potatoes cooked a certain way, or else!
Also, depending on one’s role, इन्द्रियनिग्रह may have further import. For instance, a mother is a role model to her kids, so her lack of restraint can have an impact on her kids. In this example, the lack of fulfillment of the mother’s role due to lack of इन्द्रियनिग्रह can have further impact on the kids with resultant fragmented and unsafe feelings in the kids.
Also, at work a lack of इन्द्रियनिग्रह can have an impact with one being disorganized as one’s senses leads them outwards to check Facebook, instead of working on the task at hand.
6. स्वाध्याय (study of the शास्त्र)
Group Discussion –
Without स्वाध्याय one does not turn inwards, one continues with an external pursuit.
One would be intolerant, impatient, and have wrong perspectives that would not be corrected.
Such persons may be धार्मिक् in life, but since not pursuing वेदान्त, the understanding of one’s true nature never comes.
Important is learning under a गुरु | One will not get the correct understanding without a गुरु | For instance one may not have the कर्म योग understanding that I am a contributor and not the controller of a result.
Additionally, one may have certain limitations that one is unable to accept/overcome, and so face issues with self-acceptance. This essential problem cannot be overcome without a गुरु |
7. संतोष: (contentment). The opposite of this is that one is never satisfied. There may be the thinking that ambition is everything.
Group Discussion –
The result of a lack of संतोष: is never being satisfied with me or with others.
Work – One is never satisfied with one’s performance and feels the constant need to change. Also, the boss is never satisfied with the work done and so one is forced to do more.
Family – Despite loving family members, there seems to always be some discontentment with the need to change others.
Devoting oneself to others – There may be the feeling of personal dissatisfaction with how much I am able to give to others.
संतोष is an important value for कर्म योग, as if we always put ourselves under stress, then with an agitated/restless mind we cannot enjoy what we have. There is the feeling that I need to do more to get more, so the mind is not relaxed. And the restless mind can lead to lack of focus when one tries to do other tasks objectively, and so there is overall anxiety.
And from the कर्म योग perspective, by doing what needs to be done with a contented & satisfied mind, then the vision of ईश्वर and the acceptance of any results becomes more possible.
8. दया (compassion). The opposite of kindness is cruelty/harshness.
Group Discussion –
Compassion is a value which should be practiced by one as well as others. With the practice of compassion, there is the expectation of reciprocal compassion.
But, many times this may not be the case. So, how does one deal with this? Because one cannot force another to be compassionate to one.
Only by the practice of कर्म योग बुद्धि: can one accept this non-compassion.
An additional point was that compassion to other living beings e.g. animals & Mother Nature is needed. Compassion is not only towards human beings.
So, it is important to understand the implications of these values.
For instance, unless I see the effect of when I/another speaks a lie, and so fully grasp the value, then the value of सत्यम् remains a moralistic injunction to me, and then I tend to abstract the value and do not apply the value to myself or my situation.
So, one should see the effect of what अधर्म does to me. Only then do I implement धर्म because I recognize for myself that अधर्म is not working for me, or for the other.
ॐ
So far we have seen श्लोक-s १-८ | भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: spoke of the परम्परा and how He taught विवस्वान् | This highlights that this knowledge is not something new. Also, this knowledge is to be gained live through a Teacher-student relationship.
भगवान् also said that there is a decline in the people seeking, learning and understanding this knowledge. भगवान् is making this statement at least 3000 years ago, so what to talk about our current predicament?
Access to this knowledge may be there, but one’s commitment and discipline in this pursuit is iffy.
Then, भगवान् responded to Arjuna’s question about अवतार | Arjuna thinks that I know श्री कृष्ण:’s date of birth, so how can He say that that He taught विवस्वान्?
So, then भगवान् taught what an अवतार (divine incarnation) is, and the purpose of an अवतार |
Importantly, the purpose of an अवतार is to establish धर्म | धर्म is established in our hearts as
धर्मी-s. धर्म is not something abstract, it is not an institution to be established. It is for one to be धार्मिक् and see the value of having the values of धर्म e.g. अहिंसा, शौचम्, आर्जवम् (straightforwardness), संतोष:, आत्मविनिग्रह | We looked at 8 of these values in our last class. Once we are धार्मिक्, then whatever institution we are a part of, or we run will be धार्मिक |
For short term gains, each one compromises. Then, all of us complain about corruption but we never complain that we are corrupt.
So भगवान् says- to establish धर्म, सम्भवामि युगे युगे ~ I come into being every time.
An अवतार is not a saviour coming here to rescue us. We can save ourselves. Only when there is too much decline in धर्म, then भगवान् comes. We have been blessed with enough शक्ति to know the right thing to do, and to act upon it. So, one should have the willpower and the ‘won’t-power’ to know what one should say yes to, and what one should say no to. This is an important part of self-mastery.
So, all this can be managed well, when one leads one’s life with धर्म |
Continuing alone the lines of अवतार, भगवान् shares-
*श्लोक ९*
जन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यमेवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वत: ।
त्यक्त्वा देहं पुनर्जन्म नैति मामेति सोऽर्जुन ॥ ९॥
भगवान् helps Arjuna to shift his attention from form to the Reality through this verse.
य: वेत्ति तत्त्वत: ~ The one who knows in reality (तत्त्वत:),
मे दिव्य जन्म ~ my divine birth.
Lord कृष्ण:’s birth was not due to कर्म | Everyone else’s birth is due to कर्म ~ पुन्य & पापा |
So, the one who know the reality i.e. one’s own स्वरूप |
What happens to that person?
त्यक्त्वा देहं पुनर्जन्म न एति ~ that person does not have a rebirth,
माम् एति ~ he gains me.
Gaining/reaching is due to the perception that I don’t have it. Therefore, understanding my स्वरूप is an ‘as though’ gain, just as when one recognizes that the missing spectacles were ever sitting so lightly on my forehead. So too, I do not recognize my nature due to अविद्या |
So वेदान्त is about shifting one’s reality of the form.
We all agree that if I am in touch with reality then I am sane.
As part of the psychological evaluation, the Mental Status Examination is done to check how oriented a person is to the reality of his/her situation with respect to time, place etc..
Now, extending this, are we in touch with the reality of ourselves?
From the perspective of the person with hallucinations/delusions, this person is in their own world, and may think that the doctor is the insane one.
प्रातिभासिक सत्यम् is one’s subjective reality. What is real to me is my रागद्वेष and how I have divided my world into the things that I like and am drawn towards, and the things that I dislike and so avoid.
Each person has their राग – cheesecake, nature, a desire to travel, punctuality etc.
E.g. If another is unpunctual, it may cause a little annoyance.
But if one’s राग is punctuality, then one has the thinking that there must be punctuality with no excuses for lack of punctuality. So, the राग for punctuality makes one unwilling to be oriented to functional reality i.e. one is so caught up with the other’s lack of tardiness that one cannot see past this to the person’s genuine reason for being late, or the other’s good qualities. These are ignored due to one’s राग |
So, one’s प्रातिभासिक सत्यम् (subjective reality) is everyone should be punctual because I am punctual, and if another is not punctual then I do not want to engage with them.
With orientation to functional reality, I understand that there are people who are habitually late, for whatever reason. Therefore, for me to work with the habitual late-comer I have to be oriented to functional reality. I understand that this person is a part of the team that I am working with for this particular project. So, I keep aside this punctuality aspect, and do what I can, working with what I have, and working together with this person.
So, if I can suspend/keep aside this रागद्वेष, and work on the larger picture, then I am awake to व्यवहारिक सत्यम् i.e. functional/empirical reality.
But, if I get caught up with my likes/dislikes, then I remain stuck at प्रातिभासिक सत्यम् |
Then, I lose the opportunity to engage with this other person who may have other skills & talents, this person who I have to anyway work with on this project.
What is in and through this subjectivity that I have?
What is it in and through all the forms? It is ‘is’-ness i.e. पारमार्थिक सत्यम् / Absolute Reality, without which there can be no form.
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचि
नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूय: ।
अजो नित्य: शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो
न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे ॥ २०॥ Chapter 2.
So, the nature of the आत्मा (is-ness, consciousness) is me, as well as the person who is not punctual, the project and the company.
So, this consciousness is everything in and through all forms.
So, all 3 levels of reality are actually one ~ पारमार्थिक सत्यम् |
E.g. The ocean – there can be a boss wave and an employee wave, both operating on different wavelengths ~ one punctual and one not. Or there can be a company with all 10 like-minded waves, all moving together.
But, what is in and through all waves? Water.
What is in and through all forms, and even one’s subjectivity? Consciousness.
Therefore, one can shift attention from the form of wave, to the reality of water. So too, one can shift attention from me-the person to the reality of consciousness.
So, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: explains that He happens to have a form and what a life~ born in a prison, an arduous journey, His own family members(Uncle Kamsa) trying to kill Him, and in the greatest battle He chooses to be a charioteer, and despite His greatness He is not able to avert the war.
So, there are 3 orders of reality.
By bringing in the disposition of कर्म योग into one’s life, one moves from subjectivity to objectivity.
So, though I have my रागद्वेष that I want to fulfill, and these रागद्वेष consume me,
I align my रागद्वेष to धर्म and make it as an offering to भगवान् , and so I do my duty.
E.g. Even if it is difficult to interact with one’s in-laws, one at least does the minimum required to do one’s duty to them.
I do not have to be best of friends with everyone in every situation, but I do my best, and do not hold on to reactions.
Or else I get affected. E.g. I am very upset by my late colleague, but my late colleague remains in ignorant bliss to my internal turmoil. Even if I say something, the other wonders- what’s the big deal, I was only a little late. So due to one’s strong subjectivity, there is a lot of internal conflict and suffering.
So, one should move from one’s subjectivity to the objectivity of this functional world.
Otherwise, one has an exhausting time which is all about managing one’s रागद्वेष |
By aligning myself with the facts and interactions/relationships of this functional reality; and not avoiding nor running away from certain aspects of life, I have balance in life.
Then, I have the space and leisure to have this मोक्ष pursuit.
Then one understands:
~ all along ईश्वर was pervading all, as the material & intelligent cause.
~ तत्त्वमसि – it was just like a dream, I-आत्मा was pervading as the material & intelligent cause, all the way.
How did भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: appear?
It was the collective पुण्य of all people who prayed for an अवतार |
What level of reality is His birth? It is not व्यवहारिक सत्यम् as He had no opening capital with an account of पुण्य or पाप to fructify into a birth.
But भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: appeared and was simultaneously available for 1000s of people.
भगवान् श्री कृष्ण:’s birth was a divine birth and has प्रातिभासिक सत्यम् | This does not mean that His birth was subjective. He could appear for many simultaneously, but he was not born of कर्म |
But really, the reality/basis of any form is तत्त्वत: |
For the one who knows this truth, and is not dazzled by any form, ignorance is gone, so there is no chance for rebirth.
Once one cuts the roots of अविद्या/ignorance, there is no scope for branches i.e. there is no chance for rebirth.
It is not just about reducing कर्म or काम/desire management. Because other desires will pop up, e.g. romantic spiritual desires like going to Uttarkashi and sitting by Ganga to meditate.
कर्म & काम can be managed and reduced to just a few life priorities- in this way 1000s of desires can be distilled into 5-6 priorities.
There is also scope to improvise.
Often we want to show love for someone, but this depends on how that person wants to receive love. Even if one is married for a long time, one should specify/say how one wants to receive love. E.g. All the spouse really wants is help in the kitchen.
One should not feel that the other should figure it out, or think that I am being demanding, or worry about lack of spontaneity. Sometimes, we just have to spell out what we want, and clarify our position.
So, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: is both प्रातिभासिक सत्यम्, and definitely पारमार्थिक सत्यम् since He is भगवान्’s अवतार only. So, श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता is all about भगवान्’s Teaching, and this is our सत्यम् also.
प्रातिभासिक सत्यम् ~ One’s subjectivity i.e. the unique likes and dislikes that make up the personality.
व्यवहारिक सत्यम् ~ One’s interaction with others i.e. one’s alignment to functional reality with harmonious relationships.
पारमार्थिक सत्यम् ~ Absolute Reality in and through all forms.
I-आत्मा am सत्यम्, all forms are मिथ्या (dependent reality)
Some erroneously think that the goal of spirituality is to have a divine vision of भगवान् | This is indeed a blessing.
But here, भगवान् आदि शङ्कराचार्य in His भाष्य uses the words सम्यक् दर्शनम् | सम्यक् दर्शनम् is the clear and complete vision of seeing that me and भगवान् are one. Notably, this term was not used in Chapter 11 when Arjuna gained the divine vision of भगवान् in all His glory |
People especially उपासक-s have different divine visions that may be dazzling. But the important question is did the blessing of this divine vision help to reduce the separation/division between me and भगवान् ?
भगवान् delves further into the topic of तत्त्वत: in श्लोक १० | …
भगवान् delves further into the topic of तत्त्वत: in श्लोक १० |
*श्लोक १०*
वीतरागभयक्रोधा मन्मया मामुपाश्रिता: ।
बहवो ज्ञानतपसा पूता मद्भावमागता: ॥ १०॥
मद्भावमागता: ~ the person comes back to my nature.
How?
By freeing oneself from राग, भय & क्रोध |
राग is a consuming/binding desire.
One cannot manage anger unless one manages binding desire. The intensity of anger is related to the intensity of desire.
E.g. The intensity of rage in a parent is due to the parent wanting the child to do something that the child does not want to do.
When the desire is consuming, for instance the parent really wants the child to get married, then all one can think of is the ways in which to get the son married.
There is associated भय with the unfulfilled desire, as one worries – what will happen to my son, who will take care of my son, my son will be lonely when I am not there.
Then there can also be associated anger with passive-aggressive treatment of the son and giving the son the silent treatment.
So, how is this managed? मन्मया मामुपाश्रिता: |
So, this anger, fear and राग is there for everyone, but with the disposition of कर्म योग, I offer all best attempts to भगवान् and accept the results as प्रसाद | Then, however the situation unfolds, I see it as pervaded by भगवान् |
E.g. if I get caught up in the anger with my son for not getting married, then my relationship with him becomes one-dimensional, and I lose out on other aspects of our relationship.
By मामुपाश्रिता: i.e. by taking refuge in भगवान्, this helps one to be ready for ज्ञान तपस् i.e. this discipline of knowledge.
Because to learn anything, the mind needs to be undistracted and focused. And the mind has to have done a lot of processing of whatever has happened.
Otherwise the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता becomes a way for one to manage व्यवहार instead of for मोक्ष pursuit. Then, one becomes selective in listening, and only listens when a topic applicable to my व्यवहार is spoken of, e.g. the hurt daughter-in-law looking for pointers on how to manage the mother-in-law. There is the incorrect thinking that once I manage something, then I am fine.
But then one realizes that even if I manage this one thing, I still remain as the wanting person, there is always something desired. This is because I remain identified with this limited form. And so, one wants to become free i.e. the universal need for freedom.
बहव: ~ Many people,
have done this ज्ञान तपस् |
How did they do it?
With the attitude of surrender.
Surrender is recognizing that all that I have is given to me.
The body and mind, and their functions are all given to me, and pervaded by भगवान् |
Even if one thinks that it is my कर्म, who is responsible for the laws of कर्म that shape which पुन्य & पाप fructifies? In this way one should recognize that everything is given to me, everything comes from भगवान् |
With surrender, one recognizes that the individuality that one holds on to for dear life in order to have some sense of significance, that this isolates me from the world and especially from भगवान् |
So, मामुपाश्रिता: is the recognition that everything that I have is given to me and I make the most of it.
So, one should take refuge in भगवान् |
And taking refuge in भगवान् is not some special action. It is performing my different actions with the understanding that everything is given to me, and that everything that I do is an offering to भगवान् |
This the principle behind doing a 5-step पूजा where the पञ्चमहाभूत (the 5 great elements) i.e. the basic building blocks of this whole जगत् are used.
But what can I truly offer to you भगवान्? Because everything is already yours.
E.g. If one is given 1 million dollars, and then offers 10 dollars in return, so too what can one really offer to the one who has given everything?
So, I offer a symbol of the पञ्चमहाभूत- water, food/fruits, मन्त्र-s, incense, flame. Importantly is the भाव/attitude- whatever I have has been given to me, and this is my offering to you भगवान् |
So, one’s growing love for भगवान् is expressed in the पूजा |
Even if one does not feel like doing, one should do, as action evokes the emotion.
E.g. Cooking for one’s husband, even when one does not feel like it, evokes the pleased husband, and so there is the happy me.
So, this आश्रय/ surrender/ taking refuge,
पूता ~ It purifies one,
because one’s रागद्वेष no longer has a hold on one.
Then now, I have the discipline & commitment to stay with this pursuit of मोक्ष and contemplate on what ज्ञानम् looks like in this life.
Because वेदान्त is not an abstract concept in academics with a PowerPoint looking at the 10 concepts of वेदान्त | Otherwise there will be the tendency to consider वेदान्त as something apart from me. This is not helpful.
ज्ञान तपस् is really applying this knowledge to my life.
One cannot apply आत्मा to my life as I am already आत्मा |
But one wants to rush to the Truth – how do I see that I am सत्यम्, ज्ञानम्, अनन्तम्?
But first one should consider- am I available in all my relationships?
Do I keep my heart open for relative love and happiness?
One cannot hide behind वेदान्त | One should consider- what does ज्ञानम् look like for me in my life?
So, there is no bypassing this step. But we are scared. We swing from being overly critical of oneself to being lackadaisical.
One should strive for that dynamic balance to be firm, gentle and loving to myself.
But, instead of thinking being a glory, it seems like a burden, so one gives up and says – I don’t want to think about it…
ज्ञान तपस ~ that discipline of knowledge.
What is real in my life?
When I hear that आत्मा is me-limitless, do I see that to be true?
One thinks- but I do not ‘feel’ this way. This is due to identification with one’s emotions, so more विवेक is required.
Or I may think- I may be सत्यम् ब्रह्म, but why is there so much suffering in the world?
Therefore, one should go back to functional reality and align with धर्म, and do one’s duty but understand it as मिथ्या |
Even if I am not ready to understand it as मिथ्या, I can still focus on doing my धर्म |
* श्लोक ११ *
ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते तांस्तथैव भजाम्यहम् ।
मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्या: पार्थ सर्वश: ॥ ११॥
Of the people who worship me,
in whatever way they worship me, I bless them in the same way.
E.g. If one sees value in money, then भगवान् blesses them like this.
So, Mother Lakshmi blesses with child & house etc.
This is because there is the recognition that in all that people are seeking/worshipping, what they are really seeking is freedom.
People just want to be free from seeking, as one realizes that the object of desire just keeps on shifting from marriage to children to house etc.
Our भक्ति/ growing love for भगवान् develops through different stages-
(i) Atheist/ agnostic
One wonders – but I came here to study the भगवद्-गीता and learn about धर्म, so why all this talk about भगवान्?
It is because the intelligence & material of everything is all भगवान् | So one should realize that one’s whole life is ईश्वर-ized.
Pujya Swamiji has written a booklet about ‘Bringing ईश्वर into One’s Life’.
Already ईश्वर is in my life. But, there is a choice. Until some surrender, there is stress in my life.
With surrender, I recognize that some things I control, and some things I cannot.
By bringing ईश्वर into my life, the more & more I recognize that all that I have is ईश्वर | Otherwise there is a sense of entitlement, and I am angry and think that it is all about my rights and forget my responsibility.
Both my rights and my responsibilities have to go hand in hand.
(ii) एकरूप भक्ति
One may resonate with one particular deity i.e. one’s इष्टदेवता e.g. Lord Jesus, Lord कृष्ण:, or Ganapati Baba.
With एकरूप भक्ति there is surrender only to this form, and this form has blessed me.
But one is trying to reduce That which is so vast & expansive to one form. So, एकरूप भक्ति is still limited and has to evolve to अनेक रूप भक्ति |
(iii) अनेक रूप भक्ति
अनेक means many. So, one’s vision of ईश्वर has expanded. अनेक does not refer to just deities, but one recognizes that all forms are भगवान् | So this entire जगत् is seen as a manifestation of भगवान् |
भगवान् Ramana Maharishi explains that पूजा should be done to the 8-fold-form that are the five elements, Sun, moon and living beings.
Therefore, पूजा is best done as सेवा to the entire जगत् with my given skill set.
So, everything is sacred, and this starts with me. My body is sacred.
Sometimes we do self-sabotage in the way that we treat ourselves, and in our habits.
But one should start with the recognition that I am sacred, because I am a manifestation of भगवान् |
So as part of पूजा, there is आत्मा पूजा where one says-
देहो देवालयः प्रोक्तः जीवो देवस्सनातनः ।
त्यजेदज्ञाननिर्माल्यं सोऽहं भावेन पूजयेत् ॥
So, in आत्मा पूजा one recognizes the body as a देवालयः (temple), and the जीव is the deity.
त्यजेदज्ञाननिर्माल्यं ~ And the wilted flowers, may I give up these like ignorance.
सोऽहं भावेन पूजये ~ He is me. I am this. (सः~ He, अयम् ~this). With this भाव I do this पूजा |
So symbolically grains or flowers are placed on one’s head. Because I recognize that I am auspicious and sacred. Even if I seem dysfunctional, I am ever sacred.
Then, with the recognition that everything is sacred, I switch to अरूप भक्ति |
(iv) अरूप भक्ति – What is the nature/तत्त्वम्/reality of all of these forms?
With भक्ति/love, we recognize that one’s devotion can extend to everyone.
One’s रागद्वेष no longer inhibits the love that I feel. I no longer need the other person to do exactly as I wish. So, one’s love is not conditional.
I am free, and I allow the other person to be free.
Although one’s pursuit may be for अर्थ, काम or धर्म, भगवान् recognizes that what everyone is seeking is freedom from seeking.
So, people follow भगवान्’s path in different ways, and He blesses everyone because through these pursuits, the discipline and commitment needed for the मोक्ष pursuit is learnt.
So, the work that one does, the money that one earns, the people that one engages with are not dismissed, as these help to strengthen discipline & commitment, as well as it helps one with having a leisure/relaxation so that one can pursue मोक्ष |
* शोल्क १२ *
काङ् क्षन्त: कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त इह देवता: ।
क्षिप्रं हि मानुषे लोके सिद्धिर्भवति कर्मजा ॥ १२॥
In this मानुषे लोके (human world), whatever actions/कर्म are done, there is immediate सिद्धि (accomplishment). So, for many things, one gets the results quickly.
Many religious people are also looking for quick fixes, as one considers that भगवान् is an ally who is more powerful than me, so then I can ask भगवान् for things.
Even if I don’t ask भगवान् for anything, the things that I have, have been given to me through पुन्य, as the laws of कर्म shape all that I have.
In all पूजा-s and in the कर्म काण्ड, it is important to state what I want. This should also be done on a daily basis.
Every moment we voice what we want to whoever we encounter- family members, colleagues, strangers, but suddenly to the most powerful being, one does not ask for anything.
So, we are encouraged to ask. The पूजा does not proceed without a सङ्कल्प |
Though भगवान् may be a mind-reader, I have to state what I want in all my pursuits.
It is not about me doing anything-anyhow, as my intentionality in action is very important.
What do I want in my job or in my relationship? One should be clear with oneself about what I want, it is my इच्छा शक्ति, so I state it.
So here भगवान् says that- through all pursuits, though one may be worshipping different deities and everyone wants quick fixes, I bless them with that.
One may wonder- but why is भगवान् not blessing me with मोक्ष? This is because I am already मुक्त: | I am already free, so भगवान् cannot give me freedom.
Pujya Swamiji gives the example that one asking भगवान् for another head in order to think more clearly will be silly as I already have a head.
So भगवान् blesses one, whatever be one’s pursuits.
One should remember that prayer cannot be a replacement for action. Prayer only enhances the actions that I am doing. Prayer backs up कर्म | E.g. I cannot win the lottery without buying the lottery ticket.
Next in this chapter, we see that भगवान् shifts gears and talks of the वर्ण-system according to कर्म & गुण |
ॐ
After suggesting that people may worship भगवान् and भगवान् will bless them, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: goes on to talk of the 4-fold division of society.
* श्लोक १३ * – second line
चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागश: ।
तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम् ॥ १३॥
In the second line of this श्लोक, भगवान् says ~ although I am the author/कर्ता and have created this 4-fold division, may you know that I am not the कर्ता and I am अव्ययम् (ever-changeless).
So here, भगवान् is drawing our attention to our connection with कर्म, and कर्म’s connection to अविद्या |
In one’s relationship with कर्म, there are some कर्म-s that we enjoy doing very much and have a राग for that type of कर्म, e.g. walking in nature, playing with my pet, working, ticking off tasks, being with children, listening to music, artwork etc.
Or there may be द्वेष to certain कर्म, e.g. confronting someone, unpleasant conversations, doing chores ~ dishes, laundry.
So, there is this weird, mixed relationship with कर्म- due to राग we are drawn to certain कर्म, and due to द्वेष, I want to avoid certain कर्म | So every day, in every situation, one is figuring out what to do and what not to do based on this.
So, भगवान् is telling us-
Yes, one is the कर्ता and कर्म is to be done by every being, including me.
But, my problem is not what कर्म is to be done, or not done.
It feels like this is my problem since the कर्म to be done, or not done, evokes a strong reaction in me ~ I really want to do it, or I really don’t want to do it..
So, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: wants me to know that the कर्म to be done is not the issue, rather what is important is the conclusion that I have made about mySelf on the basis of the कर्म that I have to do, or I am not doing.
E.g. I may have never-ending Sanskrit homework that I do not want to do.
So, I manage my mixture of emotions in the light of the कर्म that has to be done, and, although I am the कर्ता, I should know that I am really not the doer.
So, भगवान् compassionately draws attention to my स्वरूप | My nature is सत्यम्-consciousness and I am never touched by पुण्य or पापा |
* श्लोक १४ *
न मां कर्माणि लिम्पन्ति न मे कर्मफले स्पृहा ।
इति मां योऽभिजानाति कर्मभिर्न स बध्यते ॥ १४॥
कर्म does not affect me. This is not from the standpoint of emotional maturity. It is not that one is indifferent, neutral or apathetic, and so one says that कर्म does not affect me.
कर्म is borne of काम (desire), and काम is borne of अविद्या | So jokingly it is as if कर्म is the grandkid of अविद्या | So how can the grandkid affect the grandmother?
Therefore, it does not matter if one does lots/less कर्म, or avoids/goes towards कर्म |
More importantly- has the अविद्या about who I really am gone away?
Because कर्म has to be done, it cannot be avoided.
There are only 2 choices with respect to performing कर्म-
(i) If I understand my true nature, then I perform कर्म out of the fullness of me.
(ii) If I do not know my absolute nature, then I perform कर्म with कर्म योग बुद्धि: |
So, being a role model, भगवान् says ~ although as भगवान् I have created this सृष्टि together with the 4-fold division of the वर्ण system, whatever actions done by me, do not affect me. I am सत्यम् |
And, with regards to कर्मफल, there is no longing.
For instance, whatever happens to pot, clay is not bothered ~ if pot is pulverized into powder, or pot is broken into pieces, or pot has some wondrous form; none of these affect its substance clay.
So here भगवान् directs our attention to that which is सत्यम् i.e. I, my स्वरूप |
So, the person who knows this, this person is not bound by कर्म |
But, one is bound by कर्म, because if one doesn’t do feel-good कर्म, one feels incomplete, or one feels unduly bothered by not being able to avoid कर्म that one has द्वेष for.
So this is the bondage of कर्म – I must do this action to be satisfied, or I really have to avoid this circumstance at all costs.
But, the one who knows my स्वरूप, that person is not bound by कर्म |
* श्लोक १५ *
एवं ज्ञात्वा कृतं कर्म पूर्वैरपि मुमुक्षुभि: ।
कुरु कर्मैव तस्मात्त्वं पूर्वै: पूर्वतरं कृतम् ॥ १५॥
भगवान् goes on to say-
Even मुमुक्षु-s i.e. people seeking मोक्ष, get to know me in this manner (i.e. my स्वरूप), and they did कर्म | They did not run away from कर्म |
So one should look at their day-
~ What is the कर्म that I try to avoid doing? Or I may have some guilt about not doing something. These are indications of my द्वेष |
So, even the people seeking मोक्ष, they have sought to know me in this way, and they never ran away from the कर्म that is to be done i.e. one’s duty.
So, भगवान् tells Arjuna-
तस्मात् ~ Therefore,
you also please do कर्म |
You are not the first one who wants to avoid कर्म, nor will you be the last one.
पूर्वै: पूर्वतरं कृतम् ~ just as the previous people before you did कर्म,
and these people were मुमुक्षु-s, but they did not run away from society nor their duty, so too one should do one’s कर्म |
Because कर्म is not an indicator of one’s true identity, although society has hypnotized one into believing that the outcome of an event defines me.
E.g. One lost/quit their job- other people may be helpful or not about this circumstance, but overall one will feel lousy about oneself due to this event. So कर्मफल i.e. the event binds one.
Because my identity is shaken up by this life event.
And even so one’s identity changes based on the criteria that one judges oneself on, which is based on society’s expectations. And so, upon further contemplation, one wonders, why did I do that? E.g. Why did I get married? Why did I go to that university?
So, it is good to be honest with oneself, understanding that I felt the pressure to do so.
But, the sharp sword of honesty should be backed by gentleness, as when one cuts oneself, it takes time to heal. And already we get so many cuts from society anyway, so we don’t need to be more harsh with oneself.
So, verse 14 & 15 highlights that I should shift my attention to the सत्यम् that I am.
Or one can focus on भगवान् – though भगवान् has His role, and has done certain things, what is भगवान्’s स्वरूप? भगवान् is ever untouched by the कर्म to be done i.e. I am सत्यम् |
And all कर्म has the status of dependent reality, and though there is कर्मफल, one is not bound by it.
One is only bound by कर्म when one thinks that my identity is intertwined with the कर्म |
E.g. one thinks that I had a life of great struggle so I am exhausted. One can be physically exhausted, but the mental/emotional exhaustion is because I believe that I am just this limited form that has gone through these events.
So, भगवान् is saying that we should shift attention.
ॐ
* श्लोक १३ *
चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागश: ।
तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम् ॥ १३॥
The English word ‘caste’, comes from the Spanish/Portuguese word ‘casta’ which means race, lineage or tribe. During the Spanish colonization, the word caste was used to refer to pure European, or indigenous or African descent. So, in the understanding of the word casta, there was hierarchy.
But caste is not जाति nor वर्ण |
When there is reference to the caste system, especially in the context of India, there is an uncomfortable moment/discussion.
There is no Sanskrit equivalent translation for caste.
The word used by भगवान् श्री कृष्ण is वर्ण |
भगवान् says that I have created this वर्ण system.
Therefore, we must look at वर्ण apart from our concept of caste, through a de-colonial lens.
De-coloniality refers to re-learning the knowledge of the indigenous culture, that has been pushed aside, forgotten, buried, discredited due to the different forces of modernity and colonialism. So, the historical perspective should be kept aside.
भगवान् श्री कृष्ण says that He created this वर्ण system for the better functioning of society.
But in the 2nd line of this verse He explains that even though I am the author of this 4-fold division, may you know that I am अव्ययम् (not subject to change), and I am not the doer. In this way He refers to the absolute reality.
So what is this चातुर्वर्ण्यं i.e. this 4-fold grouping?
भगवान् talks about the division that He created in society based upon the criteria of-
(i) गुण
(ii) कर्म
(i) गुण
गुण is often translated as quality, but this is not an accurate translation.
गुण is 3-fold ~ सत्त्व, रजस्, तमस् |
माया शक्ति is the शक्ति of भगवान् | माया’s nature is त्रिगुणात्मिका i.e. in the form of सत्त्व, रजस्, तमस् |
So, that which is at an individual level is also at a macro-level. So, all forms are सत्त्व, रजस्, तमस् |
With respect to the grouping of individuals, there is a division of गुण-s involved.
सत्त्व stands for clarity, knowledge, balance, an emphasis on धर्म |
रजस् is activity, desire, excitement.
तमस् is inertia, inactivity, sleep, confusion. Babies or people who are ill, will have a predominance of तमस् because they are sleeping all the time. They need that.
All these 3 गुण-s are present in every person. And we strive towards having more सत्त्व, but this cannot be done without रजस् and तमस् |
Based on this गुण division, there are 4 personality groups-
1. सत्त्व > रजस् > तमस्
This is an emotionally mature person, a person given to धर्म and who thinks of values, and is inclined towards मोक्ष |
2. रजस् > सत्त्व > तमस्
Here रजस् is predominant so the person runs about doing a lot of activity, and is fired by ambition. And when that ambition is directed towards the welfare of others, then these people can become very good leaders.
3. रजस् > तमस् > सत्त्व
Here रजस् is predominant, and it is backed by तमस् | So, there is ambition, but not enough thinking, or there is some confusion. Or the person is using the power that they have to go after power & money without much consideration for others.
But because this is further backed by सत्त्व, the person does not cause too much havoc.
4. तमस् > रजस् > सत्त्व
If तमस् is predominant, then this person is not thinking very clearly. Or, has delegated thinking to others, and so only executes what is told to be done.
At its worst, these people could be criminals, because there is not much thinking involved.
Or at best, they could be simple employees who don’t have much ambition. So, they do the least minimum possible, or they do for somebody else.
These combinations of people are based on गुण-s.
If a तमस् > रजस् > सत्त्व person wants to change, they cannot immediately become सत्त्व-predominant. This combination is seen in people who are clinically depressed. The way to सत्त्व is through activity.
So, if the person is dull, reading will not help. First the person should get up and go for a walk, so that there is more circulation and movement, and then through doing one’s कर्म, and not running away from it, slowly with time the person gets to the सत्त्व > रजस् > तमस् combination.
Additionally, some गुण combinations are not possible, e.g. सत्त्व > रजस् > तमस् | Because if there is a predominance of सत्त्व with clarity on what, why & how I am doing, with an emphasis on धर्म, this cannot be followed by तमस् | Because तमस् stands in opposition, since it stands for inertia, inactivity. If one is clear, one will not duck responsibility, so the next गुण has to be रजस् | Also, तमस् > सत्त्व > रजस् is not possible, as if there is so much confusion and not thinking, inertia/laziness/apathy/indifference, then it cannot be backed by सत्त्व |
If one is going through a phase of inertia, or apathy, one should not be harsh on oneself and think that I am तामसिक् | We all have our phases, but we should not languish in that phase. We just need some movement to snap out of the phase of inertia, laziness or apathy.
In the वैदिक् society,
1. सत्त्व > रजस् > तमस् are called ब्राह्मण or brahmin.
So, whenever ब्राह्मण is praised in the शास्त्र, the group is not being praised according to the कर्म performed, but rather the शास्त्र is praising the one who is a ब्राह्मण by गुण |
That person has a lot of सत्त्व | सत्त्व does not come from eating ‘सात्त्विक् food’ – actually this focus indicates रजस् |
2. रजस् > सत्त्व > तमस् are called क्षत्रिय-s.
3. रजस् > तमस् > सत्त्व are called वैश्य-s.
4. तमस् > रजस् > सत्त्व are called शूद्र-s.
This is the division of society based on गुण-s.
So, one should recognize one’s गुण-s and where one stands. These combinations are not set in stone. There can be a lot of changes during the course of one’s life. Changes definitely happen during the course of a day- initially there is सत्त्व where one is fresh, looking forward to the day, and eager to absorb and learn. Then, there is a rise in activity with रजस् | Then by the day’s end, one winds down as तमस् sets in with good fatigue after a day’s work. So, there is a play of सत्त्व, रजस् & तमस् even during the day.
(ii) कर्म
A society is divided into groups according to कर्म | There cannot be a class-less society. The communists have tried this and have failed. There must at least be a minimum of ruler-ruled classes. The divisions do not mean that there is no equality, but there is difference in terms of skill, function and duty.
1) So, the duty of the first group i.e. ब्राह्मण-s is to pursue knowledge, teach, officiate at different rituals. And much of their life is devoted to prayer for the welfare of society.
The person would have worked very hard for self-mastery i.e. शम, दम, and would have studied the वेद, and served as a purohit.
Society requires ब्राह्मण-s to officiate in different functions.
Nowadays, all educators, teachers, purohits, priests, writers, judges, would be considered as brahmins in terms of कर्म |
It required twelve (12) years of full-time study of a particular discipline to be considered a master.
2) क्षत्रिय-कर्म or the warrior class. Their job is to maintain law & order and defend the country against external aggression. Their life would be dedicated to discipline, strategy, politics, understanding and protecting धर्म and the वेद, and the rest of the population.
As a क्षत्रिय, Arjuna’s duty was to rule and protect in terms of administration, judiciary, defense etc. In any society, the warriors are required.
3) वैश्य-कर्म i.e. the business community or the entrepreneurs. They would be those involved in business, industry and farming, dealing with commerce, wealth, farms, agriculture and cargo transport. They would contribute a great deal to the economy.
4) शूद्र-कर्म are those whose duty is to serve. They provide the hands and legs, eyes and ears for the others. Without शूद्र-कर्म, nothing can be accomplished. In any society, we require शूद्र-s. शूद्र-s were not untouchables. They were those who could help set up, or work for a business/industry. They also did menial jobs. A lot of us who work in the corporate sector, who can be hired/fired, and are working for someone and serving a particular cause are doing शूद्र-कर्म |
This entire कर्म division was designed because the entire वैदिक् society was oriented to मोक्ष | There was no hierarchy. Each group/person was proud of whatever skills they had.
The pursuit of कर्म योग does not depend on the कर्म one does, but it depends on how one does the कर्म |
So, one could be a brahmin by कर्म e.g. by teaching, but one could be a वैश्य by गुण –
If one is commercial, with their eyes only on the bottom-line, and one charges a premium for the services/products rendered, and disregard those who cannot afford.
Or, one could be a brahmin by कर्म, but a शूद्र by गुण because one is very lazy, does not want to do, doing the least minimum, not answerable/accountable.
So, this 4-fold division is based on both one’s गुण and कर्म | And there can be several different combinations.
In our culture, we see that though many saints did simple jobs, they were ब्राह्मण by गुण, e.g. Sant Namdev who was a tailor, Sant Tukaram worked in the farm, Sant Kabir was a weaver, and the 63 Shaiva saints in South India.
So, though these people did शूद्र-कर्म, they are highly revered.
This 4-fold division emphasized the role of duty/कर्तव्यम् | In this way, कर्म योग was relatively easy for someone born into a structure where the duty was clearly defined, as one would just work with the spirit of ‘whatever is to be done’.
E.g. One is born into a carpenter’s family. Therefore, one starts to do carpentry at an early age. One is socialized into this work through family-life, and also inherits the genes for this work. So, even at a young age, these people are skilled craftsmen. So, one is born into this family, and one continues to do the same occupation as one’s parents. Because, the pursuit was for excellence. And, अर्थ/money was not the driving factor.
The principle of धर्म was foremost ~ whatever I am doing, how do I bring धर्म into it. And धर्म was done with the ultimate intention of aspiring for मोक्ष |
So, this may sound idealistic, but it was a good system and it worked at that point in time.
It was not a society based on competition. All groups were considered important and necessary for the functioning of society. So, looking down on a particular group, or elevating a group to a pedestal was not done.
But historically, subsequently, a lot of abuse has happened. Because people forgot what the original teaching was.
If one looks at the Mahabharata, we see Dronacharya who taught Arjuna and the others about warfare. Dronacharya was a brahmin by birth (his father was a teacher), but he was the greatest क्षत्रिय of all times, so much so that he taught क्षत्रिय-धर्म to Arjuna & the others.
Further, भगवान् वेदव्यास who we deeply revere and worship annually on Guru Poornima, he was according to today’s standards, an illegitimate son of a fisherwoman and a Rishi. He is the Guru of all Guru-s who has codified the वेद |
So, in terms of the जाति, He may have been born as a शूद्र, but by गुण, He has brahmin गुण |
Or, Rishi Valmiki was initially a robber indicating तामसिक् कर्म & गुण | But, Ratnakara, after performing many years of Raama जप went on to become a great ऋषि, and eventually wrote the Ramayana. Rishi Valmiki remains deeply revered.
So, the association of शूद्र and untouchability came in only because of the degeneration of society and the attempt by Lord Risley who tried to club 1000s of जाति-s into वर्ण-s and created a hierarchy.
Even so, the caste system is not to be blamed on the British or the Portuguese.
Due to abuse of power, there has been degeneration of this system. This should not be denied nor whitewashed.
But we should be allowed to tell our history. This system should not be articulated/reformed by other cultures. Any reform that needs to happen, should happen internally.
The idea of untouchability cannot arise in a culture where all that is here is ईश्वर, as one does not treat another human being as lowly.
So, however we allowed ourselves to be manipulated, now this वर्ण-system has been on the decline. Some people will romantically say that we must go back to the वर्ण system, but we cannot go back, because there is not enough understanding about it, and most people will not want to go back.
The takeaway point from this teaching of भगवान् श्री कृष्ण is that we recognize why the whole system was made i.e. for the smooth functioning of society. Any society that has these groups and more, will function in a harmonious way. No group is superior or inferior to the other.
E.g. The person who sanitizes the surgical instruments in the operating theatre is as important as the surgeon. There is the story of patients who went blind after they had eye surgery performed with un-sanitized instruments.
So, the work of every group is important, there is dignity of labour.
Now, there is a decline in the attitude of ‘us versus them’ in India and throughout the world, due to the rise of education, organizations, and some attempts at affirmative actions of reservations etc.
So, with this understanding of गुण & कर्म, we should reflect on what is the वर्ण that I belong to, and with respect to जाति i.e. whatever family I have been born into- what am I proud about, and what might I be embarrassed about.
Because this वर्ण or जाति identity is an important part of our धार्मिक identity.
So, we should own up what is wonderful about belonging to a particular जाति |
And we should also strive towards becoming more of a brahmin by गुण i.e. having more सत्त्व, clarity, knowledge and determination to do the right thing i.e. to follow धर्म |
One’s कर्म can be anything- one can be a doctor, lawyer, entrepreneur, but the point is- can there be more सत्त्व, with a move towards more clarity & knowledge. And one should consider, how can I use any कर्म that I perform as an offering to भगवान् | Because the कर्म that I do is my कौशलम् – it is what I excel in, it is my contribution to भगवान्’s symphony. And at the same time, I also learn to accept the different results/situations as प्रसाद/कर्मफल from भगवान् |
Although it is an important part of my identity, and I use it to function effectively, I also have to be able to see that I am free from all the गुण-s & कर्म -s. But, unless I live through this identity, and not fight shy of it, nor boast about it either, but have some balance about it, I will not be able to discover the truth.
For people belonging to other cultures, and may have grown up in another religion, it is also worth thinking about- what I am proud about, what I am embarrassed about, and what have been my reasons for moving away from what I have been born into.
Because having clarity in this is very important. Because decisions must be made after having thought through this.
Otherwise, neither will I gain what Hinduism has to offer, nor will I gain what the religion of my birth has to offer.
The purpose of this entire discussion is –
(i) One owns up their identity based on one’s वर्ण | Especially if one lives in India, there is a chance that one either feels superior or inferior depending on which वर्ण one belongs to.
And वर्ण is often confused with जाति |
(ii) The caste system is thrown at India as the worst thing ever of India. But, the truth is that we don’t know enough about the original teaching and we tend to confuse it with the historical perspective.
So, as practicing धार्मिक people, we need not whitewash nor deny this. We have to be open to seeing what happened historically, but also know the original teaching.
(iii) By knowing the combination of these गुण-s, our motivation is to move towards having more सत्त्व गुण | Because ब्राह्मण across the शास्त्र is defined as सत्त्व गुण प्रधान (predominance).
All of the Gita Amrtam students have a predominance of सत्त्व गुण because one is studying the Bhagavad Gita~ desirous of knowledge, wanting to know oneself, living a धार्मिक/fulfilling life i.e. one is clear about one’s priorities, though there may be scope for more growth.
ॐ
Here भगवान् श्री कृष्ण is showing us the (weak) connection between कर्म and ज्ञानम् (knowledge).
Arjuna’s dilemma is~ should I do घोर (cruel) कर्म? i.e. कर्म that will cause a lot of deaths.
And it is not that Arjuna was a pacifist- he was a warrior and he had definitely tasted blood and had fought many battles unafraid. But here there is a hesitation to fight in this particular war.
Challenging situations are a good test for me to see if I do what is required of the situation, or if I withdraw. One’s initial tendency is to withdraw. I do not want to deal with conflict or suffering. I am not sure if I will be able to handle the situation, or if the other will be able to handle it. The reasons for not wanting to do something may be many. As in Arjuna’s case, the कर्म to be done may be long overdue. However, still I procrastinate, I want to buy time.
And then there is confirmation bias, where one’s clever mind looks only for that information that confirms my point of view, so I can feel happy about myself.
After भगवान् श्री कृष्ण talks of the 4-fold division that He created in society for its smooth functioning, He then switches our attention to the स्वरूप of भगवान् i.e. one’s own nature, which can never be negated nor defined.
भगवान् had previously given the example of King Janaka- despite being a king, and being busy, dealing with all problems; he was a wise person.
So, भगवान् says that despite all कर्म that I have done in creating this जगत्, I have not really done this. And it is not that भगवान् is abdicating His responsibility, but rather He is shifting one’s attention to the consciousness that one is.
Given that this is the case, people who want मोक्ष, did not abandon their responsibility in the name of this exalted pursuit of वेदान्त | They did what they had to do. Because at some prior point in time, they had made choices, and so now they fulfill their responsibilities in accordance with those choices that were made.
So, भगवान् says that even मुमुक्षु-s perform कर्म, therefore Arjuna may you please perform कर्म |
Now भगवान् श्री कृष्ण asks a question to Arjuna. And then goes on to answer it.
* श्लोक १६ *
किं कर्म किमकर्मेति कवयोऽप्यत्र मोहिता: ।
तत्ते कर्म प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात् ॥ १६॥
किं कर्म? What is कर्म?
किं अकर्म? What is अकर्म?
Even कवय: i.e. people who are very bright and intelligent.
(कवि ~ poet.)
Here कवय: refers to the one who is मेधावि i.e. the one who uses one’s memory & intelligence; the one for whom learning is there; and anger/sadness does not cloud one’s faculty of reasoning.
For instance, we are often quite good at advising others, but not so good at following our own advice.
So, कवय: i.e. even people who are very bright and intelligent, these scholars/seers,
they are मोहिता: i.e. confused,
about what is कर्म & अकर्म (actionless-ness).
Therefore, I will tell you more about what कर्म is.
Because,
यत् ज्ञात्वा ~ once you know,
मोक्ष्यसे अशुभात् ~ you will be released from that which is अशुभात् i.e. that which is inauspicious, the cycle of suffering.
N.B. – भगवान् श्री कृष्ण does not say यत् ध्यात्वा (by meditating).
भगवान् says यत् ज्ञात्वा i.e. there is an emphasis on knowledge.
So, we should understand that meditation is not the answer to all suffering.
But, by knowing more about कर्म, and all that surrounds it, one will be released from suffering.
* श्लोक १७ *
कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मण: ।
अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गति: ॥ १७॥
बोद्धव्यम् implies that this should be done.
The वेद, and the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता in particular, talks of the कर्म that is to be done.
If one is confused, or one wants to continue to be confused, then, one does not want to do कर्म |
This is because it seems like कर्म is painful and requires a lot of effort.
This becomes obvious to one, when one looks around and sees the responsibilities that I have- one only has to look at one’s relations~ family, friends, colleagues, in order to understand this.
E.g. At home, situations require some actions to be done i.e. there is some लौकिक कर्म to be done.
And then, there is also कर्म related to the पञ्चमहायज्ञा i.e. how I relate to भगवान् through यज्ञा, दानम्, तप: |
So, the कर्म that the वेद talks of is important- it is to be known.
And the कर्म that is to be avoided must be known as well.
Two things that the वेद says NOT to do are-
1. Do not eat meat.
2. Do not drink alcohol.
So, if I do not eat meat, nor drink alcohol, then I am okay with this, and agree with these values.
But, if I am a social drinker, then I am challenged by this statement of the वेद |
I make excuses for myself and say- Well I never overdo it. I never regret my behaviour after I drink. Or, other people are addicted to tea and coffee, so what’s so wrong with a couple of drinks?
Or with respect to meat, one justifies meat-eating by misusing the example given in class of भगवान् वेदव्यास’s mother being a fisherwoman, and so He definitely must have eaten fish as a kid. Or, one incorrectly references the Ramayana and points to Lord Raama eating meat, in order to justify one’s misdeed.
The वेद teaches us not to eat meat from the standpoint of अहिंसा | But no value is absolute, E.g. There are exceptional circumstances given in Ayurveda.
And why should one not drink alcohol? Because one’s बुद्धि: becomes compromised. No great nor noble acts follow the drinking of alcohol.
In this way action-consequence is pointed out by the वेद |
So, it is also important to know what is to be avoided.
An important line in this श्लोक is- गहना कर्मणो गति: |
Once one starts digging into कर्म, it is difficult to understand its flow.
For instance, why did I marry Person X? How did I land up with this person?
कर्म may explain it to a certain extent, but the more one digs into it, one finds that everyone’s कर्म is interrelated- my parents, my partner’s parents, my friends, and so many more relationships.
So many things are related, so whose कर्म is primarily responsible? It is difficult to say.
So कर्म is difficult to understand.
After all, कर्म is the grandchild of अविद्या |
One can go digging, and Astrology may be able to give a peek into the कर्म pattern in one’s life, but this is not deterministic. Astrology can give a hint to the likely patterns that will emerge according to one’s personality, but everything is not predetermined.
This is because my choices also play a role.
So, the question is, if I take to वेदान्त or spirituality, should I stop doing what I normally do & enjoy?
Because, one may have romantic ideas that one should stop doing certain things.
So, with ज्ञानम् & कर्म, there are some questions that we have.
Recognizing our dilemma, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण says this verse-
++**श्लोक १८**++ very important verse++
कर्मण्यकर्म य: पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म य: ।
स बुद्धिमान्मनुष्येषु स युक्त: कृत्स्नकर्मकृत् ॥ १८॥
The person who is युक्त: / a योगी / together as a person,
[ युक्त:/योग: share the same युज् धातु ].
कृत्स्नकर्मकृत् ~ completely, this person can say – been there, done that.
So, this is a part of one’s journey before संन्यास i.e. all open loops are closed, there is no unfinished business; whatever one wanted to do, it is expected that one has done that before taking संन्यास |
Because prior, one thinks that all the कर्म that one does, is for the sake of one’s fulfillment.
But when one is ready for संन्यास- there are no unfulfilled desires, no more to be achieved in this world, there is no more agenda, nothing to be gained.
Why? Because the mistaken notion that कर्म will give me complete fulfillment is no longer there.
The glory of कर्म is such that I have exhausted the possibilities that कर्म will give me complete fulfillment through the different roles that I play. It is not that responsibilities end.
Ritually, responsibilities may end with संन्यास | But, with संन्यास, one recognizes that no one owes me anything, and I don’t owe anyone anything. There is no sense of entitlement.
So, what are we talking of?
That relative fulfillment that comes with bringing in कर्म योग बुद्धि: into all areas of my life, so that there are no dark corners in my life.
And what about such a person?
This person who has done everything that has to be done has a particular vision i.e. कर्मण्यकर्म य: पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म य: ।
But first, one has to see that in all roles that I play, that I remain as a simple person.
I relate to my mother as a daughter, to my partner as a wife, to my son as a mother. I relate to my colleagues, friends, as a citizen, as a group member.
So, I-the person am playing all these different roles, and in playing these different roles, I-the person fill the role up.
As mother, daughter, professional, I-the-person fill up the role. But, I-the-person am independent of the role.
Is there a physical distance between me-the person and me as the mother?
No- where the mother/role is, the person is.
So, how can I say that the person is independent of the role?
This is because I am not in any role 365-24/7. When I go to sleep, I am no longer the mother.
When I am interacting with my work colleague, I am not playing the role of mother.
So, I play the role of mother to my children, but not to my partner nor work colleague.
I have no confusion about this, I just relate accordingly in the different relationships, according to whatever I think is the purpose of the relationship.
But no one ever thinks about the purpose of a relationship.
Everyone marries, so I marry; everyone works, so I work; everyone has children, so I have children.
So, one should be clear about the purpose of every relationship.
In general, my role is to care for and support/contribute to the happiness of the other. And this love & support manifests differently according to the role I play. E.g. my love & support for my parent versus my child would manifest differently.
And this being so, if I have a problem with my boss at work, I should recognize that this is limited to this particular relationship only.
However, if I am not in touch with I-the-person who am filling up the role, then what happens is that though the distressing event/encounter is over, and I am out of that physical space; the suffering continues, as I continue to carry the experience with me.
A problem can travel with me all over the world, for many years if left unresolved.
But, if I recognize that this experience is only limited to this particular role, then I need not bring the foul mood into other interactions. Or else everyone gets a piece of my mind, and the whole world feels gloomy to me.
So, I should understand that this was only one experience in one of my many roles, and so this event should be isolated and kept to the role in that relationship. And so, I count my blessings of the people in my life in other relationships.
So, I recognize that I am that simple person, independent of all these roles.
The roles depend on me, but I do not depend on the role; though there may be emotional fulfillment from a role.
One should appreciate that the simple role-less neglected person fills up all roles.
If not for this person, there would be no role whatsoever.
A lot of one’s suffering is because I have confused the role to be me.
E.g. A mother describes all the wonderful meals that she prepares for each member of the family according to their preference. But, when asked- what do you like, she is at a loss for words.
So, one is so engrossed/identified with the provider/mother role, that mistakenly one may think that if that role is not there, then I am not there. I am decimated if the role is not there. I do not know who I am without the role.
And often my greatest sadness is because I have confused the role to be me.
I think that one specific role is me.
E.g. I think that I am only the work-professional, or only the partner, or only the parent.
And I move between one of these 3 roles.
And then thinking myself to be the role, there will be burn-out; and then I find myself wanting to be away from all these roles.
So, I should recognize that I am free from all roles; that the roles depend on me. The roles cannot exist without me. I fill up the roles, but I am independent of the roles.
I choose to play the roles. The roles are important to me, but they do not define me. The roles are not my defining reality.
It will take time for this understanding (that I am not the role) to sink in, because my greatest happiness & fulfillment comes from my roles.
And it is not that we are denying one’s roles. One can enjoy one’s roles. But one should also see this reality~ that I-the-person am free from all roles.
I can pick up the role, and I can drop it.
And this unnoticeably happens effortlessly for us-
E.g. If I go to a party, I interact with 4-5 different people, and I relate to each person differently. There is no confusion. I can relate to person A, and then temporarily suspend that role when I speak to person B.
The same happens when I am speaking to my partner, whilst also trying to address my son.
I pick up and drop roles effortlessly within fractions of a second.
So, in this seemingly innocuous action is a moment of great wisdom as it shows that I can relate to person A, and I do not decimate my role with person A when I relate to person B. But in my vision I have temporarily suspended my role with person A, as I relate to person B. There is no confusion. I can pick up & drop roles seamlessly.
This reveals that I am more than the role.
It is not that I am not the role. I fill up the role.
And there is no perfect role~ no perfect partner relationship, no perfect parent-child relationship, no perfect गुरु-शिष्य relationship.
If it is good enough~ okay. I enjoy and am contented with what is there.
In the different roles that I have, I do कर्म |
Who is the one who performs कर्म? The कर्ता/doer.
So, the results of the कर्म performed, and whatever is to be experienced will come to the doer. The doer/experiencer is the same person/being.
So, what is the unique vision of this युक्त: (wise person) ?
कर्मण्यकर्म ~ In action, one sees actionless-ness.
The wise person sees that I-आत्मा am अकर्ता~ I am not the doer, I never was the doer.
And likewise, I-आत्मा was never the भोक्ता/experiencer.
And this is not because I used to do a lot, and now I just sit in a cave. No. It is not a becoming of अकर्ता / अभोक्ता | It is understanding that अकर्ता & अभोक्ता is the nature of I-आत्मा |
And to recognize the nature of आत्मा, the first step is to recognize that I am independent of the roles. Because only then I will enquire into the reality of who this person is; this person who is wearing this body-mind costume.
And this is a strange uniform that the जीव has~ made up of blood, bones, muscles etc.; the dress-code for living in this world.
The कर्ता has a great sense of self-importance of how I go around doing a lot of कर्म, performing my responsibilities etc.
The wise person says that the आत्मा (अकर्ता) is the basis of this कर्ता |
अहंकार (the one with the identity of कर्ता-भोक्ता, one’s self concept, one’s sense of I)
अहम् करोति इति अहंकार | So one feels important, because one does a lot of things, and also experiences a lot of things.
The अहंकार is the individual who comes to वेदान्त, but the अहंकार does not stay at the end of the inquiry. The अहंकार commits suicide, in recognizing that all that I claimed myself to be is not independent of ईश्वर or the order. All that I claimed as I, me & mine has been given to me. So, this अहंकार now has some surrender.
Otherwise, the job of the अहंकार/जीव/individual is that one looks at what one is associated with (the body/mind) and says that this is mine. And there is self-preservation, where if there is any slight/adverse comment, then the अहंकार pounces on that person. One reacts in this way because one’s sense of self is challenged.
So, the अहंकार does a lot of कर्म, in the hopes of gaining fulfillment from कर्म |
But, the vision of the wise person is that through all अहंकार-कर्म-कर्ता / the doer, what I am is independent of the self-concept.
So, just as it was understood that I-the person am independent of the roles, I-consciousness-आत्मा am independent of the अहंकार |
And wherever I-the person is, consciousness-सत्यम् is.
It seems as if 3 words are being used –
(i) my role,
(ii) me-as-a-person,
(iii) consciousness-सत्यम् |
But, 3 words do not mean 3 entities. E.g. many endearments may be used to refer to one person by the partner- sweetheart, darling, my love.
So, wherever the role is or where my relationships are, there the person is. And wherever the person is, whilst relating or not relating, सत्यम्-consciousness is.
So, what is सत्यम्-consciousness?
It is not a property of the body, because if it were, it would be subject to increase or decrease, e.g. one’s weight.
It is not a product of कर्म | I cannot sit in meditation and consciousness will arise.
Because I am always consciousness. I am that because of which I am aware of everything. I am that because of which everything becomes evident to me. I am that self-evident being. No one’s approval is needed for me to be self-evident. It does not matter what gender I am, what age I am, what my achievements are, or which गुण is predominant (सत्त्व, रजस्, तमस्).
I am a pure being who as though feels enclosed by the boundary of this bodysuit.
E.g. All pervading space, as though feels enclosed in the pot, and thinks that I am limited.
Similarly, during the pandemic, one thinks that I am limited to staying here with this community, I cannot travel/vacation freely.
And then in one’s work situation, there is the great resignation where everyone wants to leave, because there is the recognition that work is not everything, it does not define one’s life.
And one can get consumed thinking, what कर्म can I do to make it all okay.
This is because one is so identified with this limited form ~ the shape of the pot, where the pot is in life (its age & stage), and what कर्म should one do; because I am relating to other pots, and it seems as if everything that I do is never enough.
And it will never be enough, because this is how कर्म is.
But, one can shift one’s attention to- what is the content of this pot. The content may be said to be space. But आत्मा is the cause of this subtlest of matter which is आकाश/space. So, space is really a product.
Then, when we talk of this body-mind complex, भगवान् आदि शङ्कराचार्य & Pujya Swamiji use the term कार्य-करण-सङ्घात |
कार्यम् is a product, करण is an instrument, सङ्घात is an assemblage. So, कार्य-करण-सङ्घात means body-mind-sense complex (BMSC).
कार्य means product not cause. Where the product is, i.e. where the body is, or where the अहंकार/कर्ता/self-concept is, the Self is.
आत्मा is not a property of the BMSC, nor is it a product of any process that one may engage in, nor is it a part of me. If it were a part of me, then it could be amputated.
आत्मा is that which pervades me, that which always is in all 3 periods of time, and in fact is the basis of time.
आत्मा is that which is, even when the body falls.
And आत्मा does not have parts, so it cannot do कर्म | For कर्म, limbs are needed.
So, the wise person recognizes that in all the कर्म that I do, I am untouched by पुण्य & पापा |
But, the body & mind may be touched, E.g. One still has to eat for sustenance.
Importantly, wherever the body is, आत्मा is. But, आत्मा is ever-free.
When one looks at one’s life, one sees that what one once thought was पुण्य, now seems to be पापा, because there is now a lot of suffering as a result of that event. Or, what seemed like suffering, is now a blessing for me in disguise.
If we are able to see that all events that I have labelled as happy/sad, that depending on how my maturity levels are, my perspective changes. One does not have to force oneself to change any perspective, but when one reflects on one’s own life, with respect to how I have been as a कर्ता one recognizes this.
The कार्य-करण-सङ्घात does कर्म i.e. the body-mind assemblage.
When one questions- is this body mine? One initially thinks- yes, of course. But upon further deliberation, one recognizes that I did not create this body with its cells of inherent intelligence that know its precise functioning within this system. Even one’s abilities and achievements are because of the fortune of one’s opportunities. And even one’s intelligence if attributed to one’s parents, were not created by the parents.
So, with a closer look, one recognizes that there is nothing that I truly own- not even the body/mind.
With death, we leave this body behind. And it is interesting that after a person dies, the dead body is no longer referred to as the person, instead, one says- when is the ‘body’ going to be taken to the cremation site.
So, when one enquires into the जीव / कर्ता / अहंकार, it is recognized that it is no longer there. The अहंकार is recognized to be pervaded by the order that is भगवान् and the nature of भगवान् is consciousness-सत्यम् and that is me. So, there is no going or coming for me- no जन्म nor मृत्यु | But, the body & mind will have its own trajectory.
With कर्म योग बुद्धि:, one has grown so big, that things don’t impact one as much. One is no longer dependent on specific things to be present for me to be happy, or for certain things to be absent for me to be happy. This is because रागद्वेष has now been converted to preferences. And I have learnt to be cheerful and relatively happy because I-the-basic-person is a भक्त/devotee who is always relating to the total which is भगवान् |
When one relates to another e.g. one’s partner, one can then drop this role, and then relate to the child. But can one drop the role of being the individual relating to the total? One cannot deny the connection of how this body-mind is sustained by the पञ्चमहाभूत-s. So, the more the basic-person grows into being a devotee, then as a devotee, one can perform different roles. The role of devotee is never given up.
E.g. the devotee may have the current role of taking care of the ailing bed-ridden mother. In this role, one does the पूजा of changing the diapers and offering food to the mother. With the devotee-mindset, the tag of pleasant/unpleasant कर्म drops off, as I recognize that what I am doing is my contribution as a devotee to this order.
So, it is seeing that I-आत्मा am ever अकर्ता & अभोक्ता i.e. never the doer/experiencer, and in all the कर्म that is done, I see this Truth.
This is the vision of a wise person.
ॐ
In this chapter 4, we see that श्लोक-s १८-२४ talk of the nature of knowledge.
This is the reason why the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता is called as ब्रह्मविद्या, since these verses talk of the essence of the उपनिषद् i.e. the nature of आत्मा | We previously saw that Chapter 2 also discussed this topic.
So, both ब्रह्मविद्या and योग शास्त्र are the recurrent themes presented across the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता |
It is beautiful that both are presented.
If it were only ब्रह्मविद्या, as in the उपनिषद्, then the situation is- I want knowledge, but I am not prepared for it.
Pujya Swamiji gives the example of the bachelor who has just moved to the city, and is trying to make a cup of chai. His apartment is bare, so he asks for some hot coals from his neighbour. But, he has no wares to carry them in. He grabs some newspaper and directs her to place the coals in there, even though this is not the appropriate पात्र | Unfortunately the coals never make it back to his next door apartment, because the newspapers are unable to support the hot coals.
The problem was that he did not have the appropriate पात्रता (capacity to receive something).
If someone is exposed to ब्रह्मविद्या, and is prepared in terms of a spontaneous कर्म योग बुद्धि:, such that one is in harmony with all relations in the world, then smooth understanding ensues.
But most of us do not have enough पात्रता |
We have enough मुमुक्षुत्वम् i.e. a desire for मोक्ष, and a willingness to work towards it in terms of preparing oneself.
Therefore, योग शास्त्र is important in order to prepare oneself in the context of one’s maturity regarding all aspects of life. For instance, I come to understand & accept my relationship with कर्म – the situations that unfold in life and how I respond to them.
And if only योग शास्त्र is presented, then one would have a calm contemplative mind, be more effective in one’s relationships, and have harmony, but sooner or later one will ask the question~ for what? If anyway I am going to die, then what is the point of being effective or productive- I came from dust, and will return to dust, so what is all this for? Then, there may seem to be no purpose…
So, this is the beauty of the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता, as both ब्रह्मविद्या and योग शास्त्र go hand in hand. One always has the insight as to why I am preparing myself- so that I qualify for ब्रह्मविद्या |
And, when the goal is clear, one sees that death is just an event, and that any changes that happen are only to the body/mind. I-आत्मा remain ever-untouched. And आत्मा is who I truly am. So, all conflict & suffering fade away.
If I am not ready for ब्रह्मविद्या, it is enough to prepare oneself for a harmonious life.
So, verses १८-२४ relate the nature of आत्मा, and these verses are given from the standpoint of कर्म |
आत्मा is referred to by many words, from different standpoints:-
– In chapter 2, we saw the word स्थितप्रज्ञ(wise person) referring to the one whose प्रज्ञ(wisdom) is well-established.
– पूर्ण: refers to I-आत्मा complete in and of oneself.
– अव्ययम् means no व्यय (decline/decay). So, no facelift nor corrective surgery is required for I-आत्मा |
So, from different standpoints, depending on the conclusions made about oneself, different words are used.
Here, in these current verses, अकर्ता (not-the-doer) and अभोक्ता (not-the-experiencer) are used for आत्मा | Sometimes, भोक्ता is translated to mean enjoyer, but one can be the भोक्ता of both सुखम् & दु:खम् | Therefore, experiencer is a more apt translation.
When one looks at one’s day, there are a set of experiences & a set of कर्म, across many roles. In an experience, I can be both the कर्ता and the भोक्ता | E.g. If I try a new dish- in the preparation I am the कर्ता, and in the enjoyment, I am the भोक्ता | In attending a program- I am कर्ता through my participation, and I am भोक्ता as I listen to what others say.
So, in all our lives, on a daily basis, across all roles and relationships, what gets formed and entrenched is the identity of कर्ता (doer) and भोक्ता (experiencer). This identification is natural since one is doing so much कर्म and also having so many experiences- whether I contribute to the कर्म experienced, or it is someone’s कर्म towards me.
So, all the time one’s identity is कर्ता-भोक्ता, this is the identity of the अहंकार/ego.
And one spends all of one’s life trying to manage this identity. E.g. one uses productivity hacks to increase/decrease कर्म, change one’s experiences, and even spirituality becomes a part of one’s experiences.
And कर्ता-भोक्ता being my identity, I can go from lifetime to lifetime having different kinds of experiences and doing different kinds of कर्म |
But here भगवान् श्री कृष्ण points out that as आत्मा, I was never the doer nor the experiencer.
भगवान् आदि शङ्कराचार्य gives the example that if 2 boats are moving at the same speed, one can feel stationary in relation to the other. So, in action one can experience actionless-ness.
Another example is- if one is on a boat, and looks at a ship in the distance, the ship does not appear to be moving. So, in the seeming actionless-ness, there is movement/action.
So, do these everyday experiences show literal actionless-ness and action? No.
Similarly, one can be doing a lot of कर्म so one seems to have the identity of कर्ता | But if one does enquiry and it is discovered that I am आत्मा who is not the कर्ता,
then, the wise person can say that I-आत्मा was never the doer.
We may see the wise person running around and doing projects, e.g. King Janaka did all kinds of projects, and was involved in all ministries and working for His subjects.
But, even through the performance of different कर्म-s, there is no more अविद्या(ignorance) because the person has discovered that I was ever आत्मा |
So, though appearing to be doing a lot of activity, the body & mind is understood as मिथ्या with a status of dependent reality. And I-आत्मा am not touched by any of this.
Just as I am the person across the different roles that I play- I am the role, the role is not me. Without me, there is no role. That role is not my entire identity.
The role is just a uniform that I wear in this particular context/situation/phase in my life.
भगवान् श्री कृष्ण explains that as आत्मा (pure existence-consciousness, without any limits/boundaries), I was never the कर्ता (doer) nor भोक्ता (experiencer).
As भोक्ता, I have to come to terms with the hurt that I have experienced.
Generally, one is not able to move beyond the identity of the doer/experiencer because one does not feel fulfilled as the doer- there is always scope to do more in any role, and definitely there is scope to experience more e.g. more travel, experiencing family milestones.
So, one looks forward to these experiences and it feels as if life is incomplete without X,Y,Z experiences.
The current experience is that कर्ता & भोक्ता feel अपूर्ण(incomplete).
Will there be a time where I pile on more कर्म and then finally I will be fulfilled?
No matter how exalted the कर्म is, अपूर्णत (the sense of incompleteness) continues as there is identification with the human condition. And so, along with this human identification, existential sorrow is a given.
One can push the limits and enjoy all the glories of one’s शक्ति-s, but remaining as the कर्ता-भोक्ता, one will never be enough.
This is the humbling reality, it is not being pessimistic.
So, one can relax because the human situation is that the body-mind will have a certain lifespan and death will come as an event, sooner or later.
If this is the final conclusion, then one had better reconcile with it. But this is not the Reality.
In reality, I was never born, I will never die; I cannot be negated.
An inability to be negated is the definition of being real.
One may negate oneself on the basis of perception, e.g. the body is born, and dies.
Or one may say~ you say that I am eternal, but I don’t feel like that. So, this too is one’s perception.
So, one should talk from the standpoint of प्रमाण – वेदान्त says that I was never born, that I will never die, that I am always there.
But, the identity that I hold on to is centered around कर्तृत्वम् (doership)- I have not achieved enough, or भोक्तृत्वम् – when will these events happen; this didn’t happen to me.
If doer-ship & experiencer-ship were real, then they would NOT come and go. For instance, in deep sleep, if one is kicking someone, one is not voluntarily doing it. Because, कर्तृत्वम् & भोक्तृत्वम् are not there in deep sleep.
श्रवणम् (systematic listening to a Teacher) is not just audio perception. As I go with the words, I have no choice. I do not know what will be said next. I can close my ears, but once I am listening I cannot control the input. This is how perception works. Similarly there is no कर्तृत्वम् with seeing. One has कर्तृत्वम् up to the point of opening one’s eyes, but then there is no choice in what is seen.
So, listening to वेदान्त is not a कर्म | One can just relax, and the Teacher does the job through the use of words; and I recognize that yes, this is talking about me.
When listening there may be भोक्तृत्वम् with some emotion, or reaction being evoked.
But, when listening one is not the कर्ता |
And in between 2 thoughts, one is not the कर्ता nor the भोक्ता |
So, all of this points to that I was never the कर्ता nor the भोक्ता | And the wise person understands this.
I am the limitless, as though going through human experiences via a human medium.
This theme of कर्तृत्वम् and भोक्तृत्वम् continues in the rest of the verses.
भगवान् continues by discussing aspects on the nature of knowledge, and the wise person’s lifestyle-
* श्लोक १९ *
यस्य सर्वे समारम्भा: कामसङ्कल्पवर्जिता: ।
ज्ञानाग्निदग्धकर्माणं तमाहु: पण्डितं बुधा: ॥ १९॥
For this wise person,
सर्वे समारम्भा: ~ all projects that the person undertakes,
काम सङ्कल्प वर्जिता: ~ are free from काम सङ्कल्प (binding desire i.e. the will that this should/should not be done).
But, if there is no desire/will, then why is one undertaking a project?
For लोकसंग्रह: i.e. for the benefit of everyone.
For instance, our closing prayer is a prayer for everyone, no one is excluded-
ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः
सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः ।
सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यन्तु
मा कश्चिद्दुःखभाग्भवेत् ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
So, the wise person sees the need in society and responds to it with a project.
How is this person’s lifestyle?
There is no more अविद्या(ignorance), due to ज्ञानम्(knowledge).
ज्ञानाग्नि i.e. the fire of knowledge has दग्ध (burnt away) the कर्म |
There are 2 understandings of this burning away of कर्म by ज्ञानम् –
(i) ज्ञानम् (knowledge) is opposed to अज्ञानम् (ignorance).
So, when knowledge is there, ignorance is not there. The sense of doer-ship and experiencer-ship is no longer there.
ज्ञानम् is knowledge of oneself, the nature of the world, भगवान् |
(ii) There is a connection between अविद्या, कामा and कर्म | And there is so much कर्म in one’s account.
अविद्या is that I don’t know who I am.
Therefore, there is a sense of अपूर्णता/incompleteness.
And because of incompleteness, I feel pushed/impelled to do कर्म, depending on the nature of कामा |
E.g. I must go to India, and so I cannot sit quietly with this कामा – I have to look at flights etc.
So, अविद्या leads to कामा, and then कर्म | So there is this constant sequence.
For the wise person, there is no more अविद्या |
Then, what about प्रारब्ध कर्म (कर्म that has already begun in this lifetime)?
Does the person with clarity drop dead? No, this does not happen.
Because प्रारब्ध कर्म has begun, so पुण्य & पापा continues in this lifetime, and a series of situations are encountered.
These are experienced by the wise person like a roasted seed i.e. there is experience for this lifetime, but there is no more seedling/sprout for reincarnation/rebirth.
So, in this sense कर्म is burnt away. The sense of doer-ship and experiencer-ship is no longer there.
Even if one enjoys a ripe mango, one sees that the भोक्ता is a dependent identity, and what I really am is आत्मा |
Obviously, this reasoning does not stand in a court of law.
For instance, one cannot kill another and then say that I am not the doer, I am आत्मा |
It is a given that धर्म is the framework of life. And धर्म lived by deliberate practice becomes spontaneous. Wisdom only comes after having धर्म as a solid framework foundation of this life.
काम सङ्कल्प वर्जिता – In this way, the लक्षण of the ज्ञानी becomes the साधन for the मुमुक्षु |
How does one deal with one’s binding desire?
So, first one should align one’s desire with धर्म | Then, one can fulfill the desire with कर्म योग बुद्धि: |
Then, one gains the required maturity for knowledge.
One does not have to give up one’s desires. One can have desires but distill them into priorities.
Just as with respect to exercise, there may be a variety of options- cardio yoga, zumba, running, walking, cycling. But one would not have time to do all of this. So, what is one’s priority? Is it strength, stamina, endurance, flexibility? So, one can identify one or two options, and then stick with this.
So, in all desires, I should question- what is this for? And then, one can be creative and combine things- e.g. working- out and housework.
So, desires can be distilled when one understands what is the larger need that I want to meet.
Then, the clamor of different desires/कर्म does not bother one as much.
And then, the pressure of social media or relatives do not bother one. People can suggest, but if I am clear about my priorities, then I am not bothered/pressured by their suggestions. I just understand their suggestions as an expression of their care for me.
And भगवान् uses the phrase पण्डितम् बुधा: here in this verse. The first time He used the word पण्डिता: was when He began the Teaching of ब्रह्मविद्या in 2.11.
श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे ।
गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचन्ति पण्डिता: ॥ ११॥
There, He told Arjuna that- you speak words of wisdom, but there is no reason to grieve.
Then, what else about the wise person who recognizes the आत्मा to be never the doer, nor the experiencer-
*श्लोक २०*
त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासङ्गं नित्यतृप्तो निराश्रय: ।
कर्मण्यभिप्रवृत्तोऽपि नैव किञ्चित्करोति स: ॥ २०॥
त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासङ्गं ~ Giving up of the attachment to कर्मफल |
It should be noted that the verb is in its present continuous form. Therefore this ‘giving up’ should be done on a daily basis.
So, why is one doing कर्म, if it is to be given up?
My कर्म is an offering to भगवान् i.e. प्रासाद बुद्धि: |
Giving up the सङ्गं to कर्म means that I give up the notion that- once this happens, I will be fine; that the various कर्म that one is doing for one’s fulfillment, only when it happens, then I will be fine.
There is the practicality of statements like- when I wake up, I will go to work.
But, when there is the thinking that- only when there is a certain occurrence, I will be completely fulfilled, e.g. when I go on vacation, or when this relationship mends. There is that tag attached to a future situation that complete fulfillment will happen only then. But really through this event, the purpose of one’s life will not be achieved.
So, the wise person does not define oneself by the outcome of any event.
If I am not कर्ता, then I cannot define myself by कर्मफल |
Usually we define oneself by the degrees on one’s CV, one’s occupation & earnings, one’s relations.
But this कर्ता-भोक्ता identity is a dependent identity on I-आत्मा |
As a कर्मयोगी, because I am a भक्त/devotee, my कर्म stands offered; कौशलम् stands offered to भगवान् |
I recognize all results of action as प्रासाद, sanctified by the altar of भगवान् |
In this way we grow to sanctify all areas of our life, including the relationship with one’s mother-in-law, or whatever seemingly difficult situation there is. Some areas are easier than others.
So, as a कर्मयोगी, one understands that, depending on the choices made, I go through a given set of experiences~ good, bad & ugly. And that defining myself by these experiences is not helpful.
By defining myself with these limitations, I am denying the limitless that I am.
As a कर्मयोगी, I learn to be relaxed with the experiences unfolding in my life.
In the कर्म that I am involved in, I do what I can, and this is good enough.
So, my relationship with कर्म is loosening, both with respect to कर्म that is done and कर्मफल that is received- there is nothing that I have to do, and I am not attached to any result.
So, a wise person does not define oneself by कर्म nor कर्मफल |
The wise person is नित्यतृप्त: ~ One is always content since one sees myself as पूर्ण/complete.
The wise person is निराश्रय: ~ not dependent on anything.
There will always be physical dependence on the पञ्चमहाभूत (air, water, fire etc.) for शरीरयात्रा |
The bacteria depend on these 5 great elements, so what to talk of the more evolved human being?
But there can be emotional independence where I am free enough to allow the other person to be i.e. I become a more loving person.
Emotional independence is not being a cold person~ ‘I don’t need anyone’. This is actually a symptom of someone who is hurt.
I can be related to many people, and I am free to love.
I am not dependent on another following my list of should-s & shouldn’t-s in order for me to be happy.
For instance, in the beginning of a courtship, or for parents, there is the feeling that I want to be there for the other. One is willing to do whatever is required for the growth & happiness of the other, despite the other’s annoying habits. One thinks- what can I do to make the other feel cared for?
The thinking of ‘how can I contribute’ comes from a bigness of heart.
This is emotional independence.
The wise person is निराश्रय: |
Whether the other does or does not do for one, it is okay.
There is no bitterness of heart. It is not that one does not have expectations.
E.g. Elderly parents can become hurt by their children’s behavior and think- well I have learnt not to expect~ this is not the teaching of the भगवद्-गीता | One can tell one’s children about what one’s expectations are, and the children may or may not be able to fulfill this. Then, if the children are not able to do, one should make peace with this and find an alternative arrangement.
कर्मण्यभिप्रवृत्त: अपि नैव किञ्चित्करोति स:
A great महात्मा in Rishikesh was asked- for how many hours do you meditate?
His response was that- why are you putting this disturbance called meditation in my mind? ~meaning that He was always meditative.
So a person may be involved and fully engaged(not detached) in a lot of projects & activities, but knows that I am not really doing anything as आत्मा |
Even as a कर्मयोगी, one can come to the understanding that कर्म happens through me, that I am an instrument of कर्म |
And this can bring one a lot of joy.
There is a description of a ‘flow state’ where when one is busy with a project- writing, singing, creating, that there is a sense that one is not really there. Even if one is appreciated for doing, one feels as if I did not really do this, that I was prompted to say/do something.
This occurs when one allows, and there is no resistance to how things should be. One is fully involved in the task with whatever skills that one has. And just by doing one’s कर्म, one recognizes that कर्म happens through me.
This ‘flow state’ is beautiful- it is a state of surrender, where I have exercised my will to such an extent that ultimately, I learn to drop it. This is the greatest lesson of the will.
Whether I am in the gym lifting weights, or pushing myself to do an assignment, or whatever situation where there is a lot of willpower required, one trains oneself that I can do this.
Then, there comes a time when one drops it~ e.g. during ‘flow state’ or in surrender.
Surrender- as a part of my भक्ति/worship, I do what I can, and it’s all because of भगवान्’s grace. And the results are fully accepted even before the results come to me, because I recognize that the results are being shaped by भगवान् | So, I don’t wait to see what the results are before deciding if I accept them or not. I may not always be happy with the results, but I will learn from it, and see what else can be done. And so, I learn to drop my resistance, because we are all resistant to so many things, including ourselves.
So, आत्मा is अकर्ता- this is what the wise person recognizes.
* श्लोक २१ *
निराशीर्यतचित्तात्मा त्यक्तसर्वपरिग्रह: ।
शारीरं केवलं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ॥ २१॥
This श्लोक २१ refers more to a संन्यासी than to a गृहस्थ | Since, the phrase त्यक्तसर्वपरिग्रह: is used, meaning the person has given up all possessions.
गृहस्थ-s/householders are referred to in श्लोक-s १९, २०, २२, २३ & २४ |
निराशी: ~ the one who is free of expectations.
Pujya Swamiji is a role model for this. At the end of the full-time teaching of a 3-year वेदान्त course, what were His expectations of His 85 students? There were no conditions set for what one should do after the course. One was free to do whatever one wanted to do- यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु ~ Verse ६३, Chapter १८.
Though He was so busy with so many administrative duties, various projects, helping people; He had no expectation that His students in whom He had invested so much in would do His bidding. This shows His bigness of heart.
Or, in trees- the mother-tree never knows where the children-seeds are, for they are strewn/carried across so many lands. The प्रारब्ध is such that the mother-tree is stationary, but the seeds are scattered, and the mother just has to trust that they will be okay.
So, निराशी: is where one grows so big that one does not need other people to do X,Y,Z so that one is okay.
Along the same lines, the गुरु is asked, why does one teach?
There is very less demand for ब्रह्मविद्या | The so-called demand seems to be there, people explore and ask about वेदान्त, but there are very few people who have the commitment to see it through.
So, why does गुरु teach?
One is so used to having transactional relationships, that one cannot believe that someone can be kind without an agenda or any strings attached, yet still committed to one’s growth and happiness.
There is a profession where one goes from place to place and blows a conch.
The conch is a symbol of the sound of the वेद | Literally, it is considered as a sacred sound that dispels all negativity. And metaphorically it stands for the वेद |
So, this person had the job of going from village to village and blowing the conch in order to wake up everyone in 3-4 villages. He would wake up at 2am in order to do this, because he had to walk a few miles to get to each village. And what if the people of the village did not wake up upon hearing the conch? Well to this question he replied- I do what I have to do, which is to blow the conch; they will wake up whenever they are ready.
So, in the process of teaching वेदान्त, one is exposed to different kinds of students- some are committed, some are there for the fringe benefits e.g. to better manage one’s relationships or to be more effective at one’s job. And then at some point one enquires into the nature of आत्मा, and this is the process of waking up.
One can be very great and effective at managing one’s life, but who is the one who is managing one’s life, what is the nature of that being?
And if one wakes up to that reality, then the person has woken up to the sound of the conch. If not, the person can take his/her own time.
For the wise person who teaches, the person is निराशी: | Knowing that the person will wake up when the person wakes up, one drops one’s expectations of the other. Because everyone is on their own spiritual journey, and so we give people that time.
Additionally, the person has-
यतचित्तात्मा ~ mastery over sense organs,
and,
अपरिग्रह ~ a sense of non-possessiveness, or an absence of ownership.
अपरिग्रह is mentioned as one of the यमस् in अष्टाङ्ग योग |
So, one practices अपरिग्रह as a value- Whatever I have (including this body/mind) is given to me, and at best I am a trustee, and I take care of it for whatever pursuit.
So, in regard to everything that I have bought with my hard-earned money, I am only a temporary owner.
For instance, when one has to sell one’s property, one recognizes that I was indeed the temporary owner. Or, during a divorce/separation, one recognizes that the relationship was not for keeps. It is temporary and there is no ownership. Even if one owns a dog, the dog has to go to a dog training school in order for the dog to listen to what I want it to do. So, what to talk of a person listening to me?
So, the recognition that everything is given to me is भगवान्’s grace. My कर्मफल has fructified due to भगवान्’s grace.
So, for this संन्यासी,
शारीरं केवलं कर्म ~ i.e. कर्म is only done to sustain the body.
And the कर्म which is done, since it is not done due to binding desires, then there is no किल्बिषम्/पापा involved.
As once there is binding desire, one is impelled to do अधर्म, e.g. giving someone a piece of my mind, or regretting that I did not say something helpful in a given situation.
Also, the संन्यासी has no sense of ownership. Even though one has possessions, one is very willing to give them away. One does not define oneself by the objects around one. If certain things are there, one uses them, and that is all there is to it.
ॐ
The theme of आत्मा being अकर्ता (non-doer) and अभोक्ता (non-experiencer) continues.
It is easy to gloss over आत्मा being अकर्ता (not the doer).
The additional aspect to this understanding is that even the law of कर्म is sustained by आत्मा |
So though आत्मा is अकर्ता (never the doer),
but yet I-आत्मा as though give कर्म a validity, reliability and reality that it actually does not have.
So, from the standpoint of the absolute reality, is कर्म really कर्म?
E.g.
From the Reality standpoint, some action is performed, as though, by the different waves in the ocean.
What is the reality of the waves? Water- which is सत्यम् |
So, the movement of the waves is really the movement of water.
In a given form, some कर्म is performed by the wave. But what sustains the form of the wave? All the way it is water.
आत्मा sustains the ‘individual wave’, which is water only ( i.e. the individual which is I-आत्मा-consciousness only).
AND also, all movement/ नियति/order of कर्म, I-आत्मा sustain.
Therefore, to delve into this understanding, different kinds of कर्म are mentioned.
In 4.18, we see that the vision of the wise person is revealed in the context of कर्म and अकर्म, अकर्ता and कर्ता |
Then, श्लोक १९-२४ highlight some aspects of a wise person and some aspects of the lifestyle of a wise person.
A wise person can be a गृहस्थ or a संन्यासी | The lifestyle is just where one’s life priorities are.
Importantly, regardless of one’s lifestyle, no one is denied this knowledge.
E.g. King Janaka was a successful king, who continued to manage his kingdom after gaining knowledge.
श्लोक २२ continues with another aspect of the wise person’s way of living-
* श्लोक २२ *
यदृच्छालाभसन्तुष्टो द्वन्द्वातीतो विमत्सर: ।
सम: सिद्धावसिद्धौ च कृत्वापि न निबध्यते ॥ २२॥
In this description of a wise person, whatever लाभ (gain) comes, one is संतोषः (happy/content).
This श्लोक makes reference to a संन्यासी going for भिक्षा |
भिक्षा generally is in the form of food, and is just enough for शरीरयात्रा |
For instance, in Rishikesh there would be क्षेत्र-s which would give simple free food of roti with watery dhal to these संन्यासी-s who study there, as भिक्षा |
So, the wise person is the one who is संतोषः with whatever comes. Whatever comes is recognized as प्रसाद | And if nothing comes, then one just makes do, e.g. drinks water from Ganga-Mata. This is यदृच्छालाभसन्तुष्ट: |
So, प्रसाद बुद्धि: has to be at a high level in order for one to accept whatever comes. Some things are more easily accepted, and a lot of things one resists and struggles with- for instance the disposition/annoying habits of one’s partner, one’s colleagues, or some things about oneself.
So, समत्वम् and प्रसाद बुद्धि: are to be extended into all areas of my life. This is my साधना | It is not a forceful acceptance; it is to relax and glide into the understanding of dropping resistance.
द्वन्द्व अतीत: ~ not affected by pairs of opposites.
द्वन्द्व(dual), अतीत: (transcends).
If one has राग for one thing, one cannot avoid having द्वेष for the opposite.
E.g. If one has राग for धर्म, one’s tolerance level for those practicing अधर्म is low.
राग is anything that one gets obsessed with, or feels has to be done. It is making anything ABSOLUTE- it must be, always, at all times, places & situations.
Everyone wants to live a धार्मिक life, whether this is discerned or not.
Another example is that just because I am vegetarian, I believe that everyone should also be vegetarian. But this does not make sense because 70% of India is non-vegetarian.
So, if I have a value, and I understand the exceptions to the value, then I have understood the value of the value. E.g. In Ayurveda, allowances are made to consume meat if one lives in the mountainous cold regions, because in these places there is no other vegetation.
So, one should recognize the value of the value. And recognize that for every value, there are exceptions, only then I can be relaxed and balanced. This is not moral relativism or subjectivism. It is recognizing the reality of any value. Because every value is universal, but relative in application.
So with the attitude of द्वन्द्व अतीत:, one is not affected by opposites.
One swings to one extreme, if one position is important to me. If I define myself by my likes/dislikes because this is what makes my personality, then I will be intolerant of anything opposed to that. So, some balance is needed.
One recognizes that आत्मा sustains everything, including the opposites- hot/cold, all seasons, all values etc.
One is also विमत्सर: i.e. free from मात्सर्य (jealousy).
E.g. Jealousy consumed Duryodhana, as he had murderous feelings towards his cousins, and could not stand them being happy. He did not have the पुण्य to reach the stage of recognition that he needed help and should seek guidance from a गुरु to manage this मात्सर्य | So instead of trying to extinguish the jealousy, he justified it, and acted upon it. For him, it was unacceptable for others (the Pandavas) to be happy.
But it is easy to be happy if one revels in the happiness of others.
I-the person do not need to be happy; if another is happy then okay. But this feeling comes with seeing another happy, where one wishes I was like that.
E.g. One easily becomes jealous whilst seeing the lives of others through the filtered lens of Instagram. One thinks- I also want that; why is this not happening in my life.
मात्सर्य is one of the षड्रिपु (6 inimical forces) that exist in all of us.
These षड्रिपु are काम (binding desire), क्रोध (anger), लोभ (greed), मोह (confused thinking), मद (arrogance) and मात्सर्य (jealousy).
These are called enemies because they are not conducive to one’s happiness & growth. When one acts upon it, and it consumes one, it is likely that one will perform an act of अधर्म |
E.g. With binding desire, I must have what I want, regardless of the other.
Then, in chapter 2 we saw that thwarted/obstructed काम results in क्रोध | Therefore it is not completely effective to merely manage one’s anger by various techniques like drinking water, counting to 10 etc., because due to the intensity of काम, क्रोध arises which one is impelled to act upon.
Or, as a result of मोह (confused thinking),one does unthinkable things. E.g. if someone does something wrong, one thinks that that person is inherently bad, and on the basis of this one shames/humiliates the person, but really, I have also made mistakes.
For instance, the 3-year-old falls down and the mother is angry with this child who accidentally tripped whilst attempting to keep up with the mother’s pace. Instead of comforting the fallen child, the immediate reaction is that- it is all your fault, how can you fall down, you are not supposed to fall down.
So, these situations seem instinctual, happening in the spur of a moment, but it is a series of reactions- you fell down, it is your fault, you never listen to me etc.
So, like this one has confusion about all kinds of thinking.
षड्रिपु is part of the psychological landscape. It is synonymous to अपस्मार (the unconscious) seen in the मूर्ति of Dakshinamurthy. This षड्रिपु/अपस्मार are emotions and reactions.
To some extent, they may even be helpful. For instance, how can one have mastery, if one did not have काम or क्रोध?
All of this षड्रिपु is there due to अविद्या which leads to human insecurity. Therefore, one cannot avoid it.
In Psychology, षड्रिपु is referred to as the shadow self.
Literally, we all have a shadow when we walk out in the sun. But metaphorically, this shadow self is also there with these aspects of jealousy, hatred, being judgmental etc.. These can be managed, pushed under the carpet, minimized, or allowed to have free reign.
E.g. People who have the habit of showing anger may have grown up with the idea since childhood that if one does not assert oneself in an angry way, then no one will listen to me. So, this becomes a habitual pattern.
So, we must appreciate what happens to us when one is in the throes of any of these-काम (binding desire), क्रोध (anger), लोभ (greed), मोह (confused thinking), मद (arrogance) and मात्सर्य (jealousy).
Do I just justify it? E.g. With respect to लोभ (greed), do I justify wanting more of everything and find supportive reasons, or do I ask myself- do I really need this.
So, highlighted in this verse is that the wise person is free from jealousy.
So, one is genuinely happy when another is doing well, because one is not threatened by others doing well.
E.g. People who spend a long time on social media feel depressed since one compares oneself to others, and so it reminds oneself that I do not have what those other people have.
If someone is happy, then why can I not be equally happy for that person?
But there is the feeling that- I am not enough, I do not have enough, etc.
The wise person is free from all of this, and not just because of emotional management, but one recognizes that I-आत्मा pervade everything~ all forms.
So, if any form is my form, then if that form is doing well, then that is great because it is my form anyway.
Then with respect to सिद्धि and असिद्धि i.e. any kind of accomplishment or failure, there is समत्वम् |
कृत्वापि न निबध्यते ~ Even if the person is involved in all kinds of projects, really speaking the person is not doing any kind of कर्म |
* श्लोक २३ *
गतसङ्गस्य मुक्तस्य ज्ञानावस्थितचेतस: ।
यज्ञायाचरत: कर्म समग्रं प्रविलीयते ॥ २३॥
For this ज्ञानी, सङ्ग (the sense of being attached) to objects/situations has gone away.
This is sometimes misunderstood as ‘practicing detachment’. One mistakenly thinks that ‘being detached’ will free one from all conflicts. No.
It is to understand that I-आत्मा am ever-detached.
So then, what is attached? अध्यास is the extra value that I superimpose/place on relationships/objects that- this will complete me.
All things have their utility value, but the erroneous thinking that this thing/person will complete me is not there for the wise person.
So, this wise person is free from सङ्ग /dependence. Free from Dependence is actually a better translation than detachment for गतसङ्गस्य |
This means I can relate to all people with love and support, but not be dependent on them. These people do not have to fulfill criteria on my behavior checklist manifesto, in order for me to be okay. This is great freedom for me.
So, of this person, who is free from dependence, who is मुक्त: (liberated),
the चेतस् (mind), where is it rooted/anchored? ज्ञानावस्थित ~ It is rooted in self-knowledge.
So, what does this person do? One continues to do कर्म, because it is not possible for someone to not do कर्म, but this कर्म is performed for the sake of यज्ञ i.e. it is worshipful कर्म | So, everything is an offering.
The कर्म of such a person is समग्रं प्रविलीयते |
With अविद्या gone, due to विद्या/knowledge, there is only the कर्म of this lifetime that the wise person is exhausting.
So, if this person dies, in this person’s कर्म bank account there is a bunch of कर्म; so to whom will that कर्म go to?
The one who claims the कर्म i.e. पुण्य or पापा, is the कर्ता (doer). And the कर्ता is no longer there with the death of the body of a जीवन्मुक्त i.e. with विदेहमुक्ति | But really, even before death, there is no कर्ता, since कर्तृत्वम् (sense of doer-ship) has been falsified.
कर्तृत्वम् has been seen to be मिथ्या with a status of dependent reality.
So, the wise person who is free from अविद्या, is also free from its grandchild कर्म & its effects.
So, all कर्म is to be looked upon as यज्ञ |
यज्ञ is commonly referred to as a ‘sacrifice’. But a more suitable though loose translation is a ‘fire ritual offering’.
To do a यज्ञ, the वेद is the प्रमाण (means of knowledge).
What does one do in a literal यज्ञ?
There is the होम कुण्ड (fire pit) in which different rituals are performed for different goals/ends.
In a given ritual, there will be the one performing the ritual, and in most cases because we do not know how to perform the ritual, we depute the pandit/priest/purohit, who is professionally trained, to perform the ritual on our behalf.
The fire is kindled in order to invoke the grace of अग्निदेवत |
अग्निदेवत is the best courier service to all the देवत-s, as whatever oblations are offered, faithfully and totally it is taken to the appropriate देवत | We know this because the वेद tells us so.
As a part of the ritual, a 5-fold offering is made. The principle is that 5 symbols of the पञ्चमहाभूत (5 great elements) are used, since the entire world is made up of these पञ्चमहाभूत |
These are-
(i) पृथिवी- food/fruits are offered.
(ii) आप – water is offered.
(iii) अग्नि – fire is present, since all offerings are made to अग्नि |
(iv) वायु – मंत्र-s are chanted; fragrance is used.
(v) आकाश – flowers are offered.
So, this 5-fold offering indicates that all that I can offer to You is made up of the पञ्चमहाभूत, and I am symbolically offering this to You.
So then, can anything be offered? No. A यज्ञ has a protocol with stipulations. There are many do-s & don’t-s. For instance- how big the fire should be, when you need to offer. The materials that are used for यज्ञ should be clean & pure, and are especially put aside for use in the यज्ञ |
The वेद tells that if I perform a certain ritual, then I will get the specific results.
From the standpoint of perception, a यज्ञ may seem like a weird action with a few people seated around a hot fire, offering things into the fire which become ash at the end of the ritual, and there is chanting going on. So, an onlooker may think that this looks crazy.
But from the Vedic standpoint, it is awe-inspiring.
The difference between these 2 reactions is only श्रद्धा, because in the latter case one understands the principle behind the ritual, and comprehends that I am able to offer all this and that I trust that-
(i) this ritual will help,
(ii) this ritual is a powerful one because it has been revealed to me by the वेद,
(iii) the ritual tells me things that I do not know,
(iv) I am invoking the देवत/देवत-s. And when I invoke the देवत, the देवत will come,
(v) I invoke the देवत’s grace, and the देवत will bless me because I do the यज्ञ sincerely with devotion.
Towards the end of the ritual, the priest will say “न इदम् मम” ~ meaning that I give You totally, that I fully surrender all materials to You. This statement is needed because we all have a tendency to hold on to things.
So, the offering is made to the different देवत-s.
A long ladle is used to make the offerings of ghee etc. And there are stipulations- for instance only when certain मंत्र-s or words are uttered, then the offering can be made. Also, one looks closely at the kind of flame created (there are 7 kinds of flame). And it is also said that the form of the देवत appears in अग्नि i.e. the fire takes the form of that which is there in the ध्यान श्लोक | E.g. Just before ललित सहस्रनाम or विष्णु सहस्रनाम, there are contemplative verses that helps one to have a form to arrest the mind.
In कर्म, there can be a lot of variables, e.g. how the materials are procured, how they are offered, the level of devotion etc.) So, even in यज्ञ, there is no perfect कर्म, which is why we ask for forgiveness at the end of the यज्ञ | Because though we do it with the right intention, it is possible to commit an error/omission, so we ask that this कर्म done completely with our full heart be accepted.
And then in order to complete the ritual, दक्षिणा is given to whomsoever performed the ritual on one’s behalf.
So, this is the वैदिक ritual/ यज्ञ |
Now, this same metaphor of यज्ञ is being used for the next verse.
* श्लोक २४ *~ Beautiful verse on यज्ञ
ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम् ।
ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना ॥ २४॥
This verse is chanted before we eat, like grace before meals.
For any कर्म, there are different कारक-s involved.
Here, the vision of the wise person is that all that is here is ब्रह्मन्-the limitless and that is me.
So, how will the कर्म of that person be?
ब्रह्म अर्पणम्(ladle/मंत्र-s) – the ladle used for the कर्म is ब्रह्मन्; the मंत्र-s chanted as offering is ब्रह्मन् |
Because if one is saying that all that is here is ईश्वर, then is there a place where ईश्वर is not? Or is there a time when ईश्वर is not there?
In one’s dream, is there any part of the dream that I do not touch? The whole dream has come from me- the entire intelligence & material of the way that things are in the dream has all come from me. E.g. If I dream of a safari in Tanzania- the various animals, the safari jeep, the grasslands – all are me, I am there everywhere.
So, this vision of the wise person is that the instrument that I am using, or the मंत्र-s that I am chanting are ब्रह्मन् |
ब्रह्म हवि: – हविस् are the oblations that are offered, e.g. barley or rice. So, what is offered is also ब्रह्मन् |
Where is this being offered? ब्रह्माग्नौ (7th case) – It is being offered into the अग्नि/fire. This is also ब्रह्मन् |
ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यम् – This sincere seeker who wants to ‘reach’ ब्रह्मन्; this seeker is also ब्रह्मन् |
ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना – This person sees that all the कर्म resolves in ब्रह्मन् |
The law of कर्म is sustained by ईश्वर | The स्वरूप of ईश्वर is ब्रह्मन्- the limitless being.
ईश्वर is just the name given to that function which helps different things to manifest.
So, all the way, the कारक-s- the कर्ता (doer), the कर्म performed, the instrument used, the purpose for which the person is doing (e.g. to have a child, or to have harmony between husband & wife, or appeasing a particular planet) – all of them are ब्रह्मन् |
So, ब्रह्मन् is not missed in day to day living.
There is no learning of the theory of वेदान्त, and then this is followed by practice. There is no divide like this.
In other disciplines of knowledge this is possible. E.g. in कर्मकाण्ड there is this divide. Also, when one is learning Sanskrit, just श्रवणम् is not enough, one has to practice a lot. Also, just by knowing the recipes in a cookbook, the food is not produced.
So, there are some things to be understood, and some things to be done on the basis of the knowledge that one has.
But the person gets confused and thinks- okay, I get what वेदान्त is saying, so now what should I do? If this question is asked, then one has not gotten what वेदान्त is saying.
If by doing the कर्म which one is supposed to do, one feels good, then the person should do this कर्म |
So, the vision of the wise person is that everything is ब्रह्मन् |
It is easy to say that everything is ब्रह्मन् and gloss over it.
OR, in the context of this metaphor provided we recognize that each though different is seen as ब्रह्मन् – the form is different, the purpose is different; but all of it is sustained by ‘is’-ness. This is ब्रह्मन्, This is me.
The कर्म which is performed, whether it be a यज्ञ as mentioned in this श्लोक, or otherwise is ब्रह्मन् |
So, in the upcoming verses, we will see a series of कर्म that one performs, that one can relate to.
The theme to take away from this श्लोक is that in the offering/surrender, there is knowledge, and all the factors are ब्रह्मन् |
The more we see this, the more is our attitude of surrender.
* श्लोक २५ *
दैवमेवापरे यज्ञं योगिन: पर्युपासते ।
ब्रह्माग्नावपरे यज्ञं यज्ञेनैवोपजुह्वति ॥ २५॥
These योगिन: i.e. these different people who are given to कर्म योग, what do they do?
They perform यज्ञ, and in that they invoke दैवम् i.e. grace, the different deities. And so, this is their form of worship.
And what do the others do? Others refer to the संन्यासी-s.
So, two lifestyles are being mentioned continuously in the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता –
(i) कर्म योग is where one is pursuing धर्म, अर्थ, काम, along with मोक्ष. So right now, one has a lot of life priorities that are very important to one, e.g. I want my kids to be married, and I want to be a grandparent etc.
In कर्म, there are a lot of variables that one has no idea about. One is working hard on a project, and has made all the effort, and somehow things do not work out. So then, what should one do?
So then one should acknowledge the grace of भगवान् |
This is objectivity; this is not being religious. One recognizes that I am not controlling the law of कर्म – I do not know what पुण्य or पापा is going to fructify, and so I make an attempt to gain some पुण्य, and also learn to be okay with knowing that I have done my best. I have done this कर्म, and may I have the strength to deal with whatever I get.
Because a lot of our conflict is because of our resistance- we do not want things to be in a particular way.
So, this is what the कर्मयोगी does i.e. performs a lot of rituals.
Nowadays, very few people perform अग्निहोत्र | अग्निहोत्र used to be a very important part of the Hindu lifestyle.
अग्निहोत्र is a ritual that is performed in the morning and in the evening, and is for the well-being of the family. But there are stipulations there. Once one decides to perform अग्निहोत्र, then it is a commitment until one’s death. So, people don’t take up this कर्म due to concerns about not being able to perform if I am travelling etc. So, what has happened now is that people perform पूजा | And even so, people have hesitation about पूजा |
So, the कर्मयोगी-s perform these.
Because the कर्मयोगी wants धर्म, अर्थ, काम, then taking care of the invisible variable is a good thing to ask.
E.g. If one goes to a coffee chain and orders coffee, one does not hesitate in telling the barista about what kind of coffee one wants. So, if one does not hesitate to tell the coffee-guy, then why is there this great hesitation to tell भगवान् what I want? This difference in standard in asking for what I want is incomprehensible.
But one has the thinking that I must not ask भगवान् for anything. So then why is it okay to ask Amazon to deliver things to me? One asks everyone specifically for what one wants, but the being who can help me and sustains all of me from the form standpoint, one does not ask. There need not be any hesitation to ask. Whom else should one ask? One should ask the one who is more powerful than me, who continues to bless me every moment.
So as a कर्मयोगी one should ask.
If one is blessed with so much पुण्य, that everything worked out well, and one is very hardworking and has never really had to ask, then okay. But if one has to ask, then one should not hesitate to ask.
So, the कर्मयोगी can perform all these different rituals.
(ii) संन्यासी
The last ritual that is done by a संन्यासी is the one to become a संन्यासी | In this ritual, one thanks all the देवत-s, saying that you have blessed me with so much, and that I no longer need all these different things that you have blessed me with, and also I am not vying for your position. देवत is also a position/role, and one can aim for a देवत’s position if one does elaborate मंत्र साधना over many lifetimes.
After this last ritual, the संन्यासी no longer has a relationship with अग्नि, in the sense that one no longer wants things in terms of धर्म, अर्थ, काम |
So whatever minimum is gotten for शरीरयात्रा is enough.
In order to reach this level of maturity, one would have been there, done that, and realized that I can manage without all of this.
So, what does the संन्यासी do?
To do any कर्म is expensive- one needs the material and the दक्षिणा for the pandit/purohit.
So, the संन्यासी offers oneself. This is not सती with offering oneself into the fire.
It is ब्रह्माग्नि i.e. the fire of knowledge.
So, what is offered? अहंकार |
This ज्ञान यज्ञ i.e. this ritual of knowledge is spoken of here. And later on, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण will talk of this ज्ञान यज्ञ being more superior to any other कर्म, because all other कर्म-s strengthen the identity of being कर्ता |
The कर्ता(doer) cannot help but be affected, as the कर्ता is the भोक्ता, so what is done affects one. If one is doing- one may get, or not get, or get different from what is expected, so one is always affected. This is the drama of the life of the कर्ता-भोक्ता |
But, for the one who starts the enquiry, the अहंकार commits suicide and is no longer there. Because in the recognition that everything is ब्रह्मन् / ईश्वर, there is nothing left to be offered.
But, initially there is an offering.
So, all wrong/false/मिथ्या notions which can be negated and so do not have absolute reality, are offered into the fire of Self-knowledge.
So, two lifestyles are given, and the way in which the यज्ञ should be performed in each lifestyle is given.
Arjuna is on the battlefield, so what is भगवान् श्री कृष्ण talking to him about यज्ञ ?
So, He does not literally mean यज्ञ, as all the यज्ञ-s that would have been needed to be performed to help secure victory would have previously been performed, so what यज्ञ is भगवान् speaking of?
So, He is talking of the whole understanding of offering/surrender and what that means because in the vision there is surrender, and also in the surrender, there is vision. Both ways one can look at this.
Then further, He talks about self-mastery.
If one cannot do these rituals, still everyday one is listening, watching, speaking, eating/drinking. So, one can make these activities into यज्ञ |
This we shall see more of in the next class…
ॐ
Then, there are many more यज्ञ-s(prayerful offerings/rituals) mentioned. These are used as a metaphor for different activities of our lives-
* श्लोक २८ *
द्रव्ययज्ञास्तपोयज्ञा योगयज्ञास्तथापरे ।
स्वाध्यायज्ञानयज्ञाश्च यतय: संशितव्रता: ॥ २८॥
There are people who offer different द्रव्य (substances). In this case, द्रव्य means धनम् |
धनम्/giving is an integral part of one’s life in सनातनधर्म |
Even if this is not the case at this point in time, one should try to grow into a person who contributes more than consuming.
द्रव्य could be helping someone with their education, or working on some innovation. In earlier times द्रव्य would be the giving of cows, gold, land etc. द्रव्य is considered as an offering unto ईश्वर, because there is a certain discipline which comes with it.
One may have standing instructions with the bank so that a certain amount of money is deducted from one’s account on a monthly basis for the charitable causes that one supports. The intention is that I want to be able to give every month depending on the शक्ति that I have. So, for the ones who share their wealth, one can also have mastery in this.
It can be considered as an ordinary act of giving, but here I am learning to give and be free of my रागद्वेष of hoarding and collecting, and it is an offering unto ईश्वर |
भगवान् Ramana Maharishi in his Upadesha Sara explains how to do सेवा to भगवान् –
जगत ईशधी युक्तसेवनम् ।
अष्टमूर्तिभृद्देवपूजनम् ॥ ५॥
He describes this as अष्टमूर्तिभृद्देवपूजनम् | The entire world that is there is in the form of अष्टमूर्ति (8-fold form) i.e. the पञ्चमहाभूत (the 5 great elements), the Sun & the moon (both representing all luminaries in the sky), and चैतन्य (consciousness). [N.B. it is not that चैतन्य is the 8th, because it is not at the same level of reality; it is considered the 8th with respect to the other 7].
So, one can make an offering to any of these manifestations, based on one’s talents & skillsets. This is one’s यज्ञ |
तपोयज्ञ is the next form of यज्ञ that is spoken of as an offering to भगवान् | तपस् is an important part of सनातनधर्म | It is a religious discipline that includes fasting (not necessarily followed by feasting), or going on तीर्थयात्रा | तीर्थयात्रा is not a 5-star luxury trip, there must be some discomfort, and despite this discomfort, one is prayerful. When a religious discipline is involved, there has to be some denial of comfort. Why? Because I am extending my sense of ‘I’. Otherwise, I remain in my comfort zone. For instance, I stay in my comfort zone so I do not interact with others, because I find that when I interact with others, it is too disturbing. So, this is not the right way of thinking.
Another तपस् is व्रत (vow) of doing मंत्र |
There is an elaborate साधना called पुरश्चरण | If the मंत्र that one has received has 5 letters, e.g. ॐ नमःशिवाय, then as a part of पुरश्चरण, one chants this मंत्र for 500, 000 times spread out over 1-2years. But there are a lot of stipulations, so not everyone can do it. For instance, the time when one does this is fixed, the place where one does this is fixed, a certain शुद्धि/cleanliness should be there, etc.
So, it is a religious discipline, and one does it though one does not feel like doing it, and even though the mind is going all over the place, and one keeps on wondering- when is my माला going to end, that this feels so mechanical, I am not doing this meaningfully, do others feel the same, I keep on thinking of my to-do list etc. So, this happens to all of us, and this is all offered. This is the discipline- that my mind can go all over the place, but I bring it back again & again.
योग यज्ञ refers to all the people who practise अष्टाङ्ग योग | अष्टाङ्ग योग is a very deep and sophisticated body of knowledge that starts with an ethical basis of यम and नियम | For instance, we have a natural tendency to hurt people so we should restrain oneself i.e. अहिंसा | So, there is no specific अहिंसा-action, but the restraint in wanting to hurt, insult or humiliate another is exercised and this is अहिंसा |
So अष्टाङ्ग योग includes यम, नियम, आसन, प्राणायाम, प्रत्याहार, ध्यान, धारणा, समाधि |
So, one may look upon these practices as a यज्ञ | In the earlier practice of all the आसन-s, the chanting of मंत्र-s for each of the 12 postures would be included. But unfortunately, some of this knowledge has been lost.
आसन practice is important with huge benefits – good health, it prepares one for वेदान्त | Importantly, it helps one to focus on one’s sensations and alignment, and one becomes more aware of oneself and one’s surroundings.
And because there is discipline and mastery involved, this योग can be offered to भगवान् |
Otherwise, one can get into a competitive spirit in this practice. E.g. one compares oneself to others and feels bad about oneself because I am not as flexible as the other.
So, both संतोष (contentment) and तपस् should go hand in hand. One should be content with what one’s body can do, but at the same time, one should push one’s body. If there is too much तपस्, then one will have injuries. But, if one is too lackadaisical, then one thinks that one did a lot of work, though doing very little. So, getting that dynamism is important.
So, one’s योग practice can be offered to भगवान्; it is a यज्ञ |
स्वाध्याय यज्ञ – स्वाध्याय is an important part of नियम | स्वाध्याय means that one studies the scriptures. But this is not an academic study. It is स्व i.e. one is studying oneself in the light of the scriptures- योगसूत्र, or श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता |
So, it is not about knowing the definition of कर्म योग or कौशलम् | It is understanding how समत्वम् & कौशलम् are reflected in my life. This self-reflection is a यज्ञ | One is not saying that X & Y have to change so that I am happy. Instead one reflects on me- where I am, what am I doing in my life, how am I using my time, effort and energy, how am I aligning with धर्म, how am I offering my actions to भगवान्, my surrender. Reflection does not mean criticism, this breeding द्वेष towards oneself is not objectivity.
So स्वाध्याय is a यज्ञ |
ज्ञान यज्ञ is the offering of my ignorance into the ज्ञानम् that is me. This is an activity that one takes regularly, e.g. weekly गीता अमृतम् class. And because there is an element of surrender, one is not too worried about फल | I make my offering and trust that the परंपरा blesses me, and I seek their blessings also, so I have no doubt that I will get the understanding that I seek in this lifetime. This is श्रद्धा | One makes the adequate effort for learning वेदान्त and trusts that I will be rewarded.
Otherwise if one thinks that I am in charge of my self-study i.e. I will decide what text I am going to do, when I am going to do etc., then there is no room for भगवान्, because one is so full of me, I & myself. Then, whatever understanding I have, I keep questioning it, and criticizing myself in the light of that understanding. So, this is not helpful at all.
So, this ज्ञान यज्ञ is an offering to भगवान् |
Then, there may also be the thinking that I did not attend class for many weeks, so I think that it is time to drop out. But really in any pursuit, there are phases. For instance, in one’s profession, there may be phases of excitement and phases of stagnation, and then one also takes leave- privilege leave, casual leave etc. So, in the pursuit of wealth, there are many phases, and the phases are all different from each other. Therefore, if this is acceptable to one, then the मोक्ष pursuit and the different phases that are there in it should also be acceptable to one. There will be moments where one wonders- what am I doing, am I really progressing? Or, I have heard this so many times, I am really bored, maybe I should try something new. Or, I want to take some time off. All of this is okay. As, if it is a commitment, one will come back to it. Maybe right now, one doesn’t feel up to it, or maybe one is going through a fragile phase, e.g. dealing with the death of someone. But this is actually more of a reason to attend class. So, one should not worry about what the Teacher will think or that I have let myself down. There is no need to create such drama for oneself. One should just attend when one can. Just as one shows up to work when one can- but this commitment because it has external accountability is much more higher, and then there is also the factor of one’s salary being involved.
But, we try to show up. This is ज्ञान यज्ञ | Despite one’s mood, one stays with it. As one recognizes it as a very important pursuit with different phases. So, one is not too hard on oneself.
स्वाध्याय also involves the recitation of the वेद | वेदान्त is an oral tradition and a lot of the knowledge was preserved by chanting, memorizing, retaining, reproducing anytime and anywhere. A book is not needed. Traditionally also, chanting was not taught with a book, though now we have the स्वर marks. One is just supposed to listen and repeat many times. For instance, one can make it into a discipline to repeat a word 108 times, and so this goes very deep into one’s cellular memory, with increase in neural pathways through this repetition. The Sanskrit effect is also seen with the study of the structure of the brain of people who did Vedic chanting for many hours per day.
The uniqueness about Hinduism is that there is no library that has all the treasure of Hinduism. So, it is not that- if the library is destroyed, then Hinduism is destroyed. It is not like this. The knowledge is all there with people, and available to them whenever.
Traditionally, if one has not memorized a text, then it is not taught to one. E.g. in मठ-s, the verses are repeated for hours with the intention to memorize, and this repetition is offered.
Then, when one has the verses with one, then the way in which one understands the verses also changes. Then, one does not have to keep looking at one’s notes.
So, this repetition and recitation is very important. Chanting & singing practice is recommended for everyone. It is a beautiful aspect of music- everyone must sing as it is an important aspect of self-expression.
यतय: is the संन्यासी-s. They are totally devoted to ज्ञान यज्ञ | Their lifestyle is such that most of their waking hours is spent in reading, learning, chanting, assimilating, contemplating etc.
So, all of our कर्म can be made an offering, and we learn about surrender as we do this, and our mind expands in the understanding of भगवान् |
Upcoming, verse 29 speaks elaborately about प्राणायाम, so प्राणायाम is also a यज्ञ | Then, in verse 30, we see moderation in eating- this आहार नियम also can become a religious discipline. So, all of one’s activities can be made into a religious discipline, with the understanding of धर्म, and with the understanding of ईश्वर |
So, one makes an offering, which is my कौशलम् i.e. competence in the कर्म and समत्वम् i.e. acceptance of the different kinds of results.
Summary of यज्ञ-s discussed so far-
1. दैव यज्ञ ~ offering unto deities.
2. विषय-भोग यज्ञ ~ offering of one’s pleasure & sense pursuits.
3. दम यज्ञ ~ restraint of sense organs, and organs of action.
4. शम यज्ञ ~ being centered, alert and mindful in terms of what one consumes.
5. द्रव्य यज्ञ ~ धनम् and सेवा to अष्टमूर्ति i.e. the entire world.
6. तपोयज्ञ ~ तपस् including fasting, going on तीर्थयात्रा, व्रत of doing मंत्र |
7. योग यज्ञ ~ अष्टाङ्ग योग practices.
8. स्वाध्याय यज्ञ ~ studying oneself in the light of the scriptures; the recitation of the वेद |
9. ज्ञान यज्ञ ~ offering of my ignorance into the ज्ञानम् that is me through the study of the scriptures.
ॐ
वसुदॆव सुतं दॆवं कंस चाणूर मर्दनम् ।
दॆवकी परमानन्दं कृष्णं वन्दॆ जगद्गुरुम् I
We seek the grace of जगद्गुरु, the गुरु for the entire universe, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: in every class.
There are 2 streams that flow alongside each other in वेदान्त | These are:
(i) Self-mastery ~ कौशलम्, संयम |
(ii) Self-discovery ~ enquiry into आत्मा i.e. आत्मा विचार |
The stream of self-mastery has many साधना-s. Self-mastery is so that we can use the mind and body as our instruments for our many pursuits, with the one major pursuit being मोक्ष |
So, for how long should one pursue self-mastery? Until one understands the Truth.
If one already understands the Truth, a lot of self-mastery would have been spontaneous in one’s life.
If one has a strong achiever identity i.e. there is the strong identity of कर्ता (the doer) and भोक्ता (the experiencer), one can take on this self-mastery as a lifelong साधना & challenge, thinking that I will be the master of my destiny.
Now, the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता offers us a more expansive understanding of mastery i.e. that mastery is achieved in the larger framework of धर्म |
Because one can be a master cyber-criminal, but this is not good for the people at the receiving end of this.
So, mastery includes the understanding of भगवान् ~ nothing that I can perform and no results that I get are untouched by the order that is भगवान् |
How or what shall I surrender?
So, now we see a series of verses from श्लोक २५-३० that are giving us different options for different kinds of साधना-s. Because we may be partial to one साधना, or one of our राग-s may be this particular activity, and so how can I convert my whole life into a साधना? How can I convert my whole life into a surrender unto भगवान् ?
In श्लोक २५ we saw that the कर्मयोगी can perform rituals/यज्ञ unto the deity for different ends, e.g. for a child, for harmony in a marriage, for removal of obstacles, for success in a business venture etc.
And the संन्यासी-s offer themselves- all conclusions/notions that one has about oneself, one questions, and stands purified in the fire of knowledge.
* श्लोओक २६ *
श्रोत्रादीनीन्द्रियाण्यन्ये संयमाग्निषु जुह्वति ।
शब्दादीन्विषयानन्य इन्द्रियाग्निषु जुह्वति ॥ २६॥
Here we see a helpful imagery from the कठोपनिषद्, which uses the chariot. There are five elements in this chariot-
(i) the Chariot.
(ii) Five horses –
Each of the five horses represents a sense organ, and each has their respective area of exploration as they move into the world. The horses are wild and just go all out in their sphere of operation.
– the sense organ of sound is attracted to music,
– the sense organ of sight is stimulated by all that one must watch and read,
– the sense organ of touch is attracted to comforting touch,
– the sense organ of smell is attracted to pleasant fragrances,
– the sense organ of taste is stimulated by food. We all go to great lengths in order to plan for and procure our meals; a lot of events can be dictated by food.
So, all of these are important for all of us. The horses of the sense organs can be let wild into the world- for instance, whatever is one’s fancy, one can go all out towards that. Or, the reins of how the sense organs need to move in the world can be decided by the mind.
(iii) Reins – is the अंतःकरण with the function of the mind i.e. that which throws up different kinds of desires, e.g. I am pondering over lunch ~ should I have Thai, or Japanese?
So, the outward going horse can drag one along as one ponders over the menu, and the reins will throw up the different desires. But who makes the decision? The charioteer.
(iv) Charioteer – is the deciding function i.e. the बुद्धि: of the अंतःकरण | The बुद्धि: will decide that today I will have Thai food. The options are many, so the बुद्धि: stays firm and sticks with one based on all the desires that are thrown up.
For whom does the बुद्धि: decide? The master of the chariot.
(v) The master of the chariot i.e. the one for whom the chariot is being driven.
This is the one who is illumining all the shenanigans of the sense organs, and desires/pursuits. All of this is happening for the master of the chariot i.e. आत्मा |
So, in our regular pursuits which are श्रोत्रादि i.e. all that one can hear etc.(see, smell, taste, touch),
are offered into संयम अग्नि i.e. the अग्नि of self-mastery. [संयम has another meaning in योग शास्त्र ]
So, does one pluck out the ears and throw them into the fire? Obviously, no.
In the activities of the different sense pursuits, there is both restraint and some movement in that direction.
1) If the reins of the horses are too tight, such that the horses cannot move, then one will suffer. Because one will keep having desires but because the controls are very tight, one is not able to enjoy anything. One feels guilty for every enjoyment. So, this is not appropriate.
2) If the reins of the horses are too loose, then the horses will decide what one needs to do. One is pulled in all different directions, as the sense organs decide what one does, instead of the mind/intellect.
We live in this multi-sensory world where there in constant sensory input i.e. constant knowledge from these ज्ञानेन्द्रिय | ज्ञानेन्द्रिय are the sense organs of knowledge, but what we decide to do with the knowledge received may vary. E.g. If something tastes nice, one can choose to indulge in more, or just enjoy a small serving.
The sense organs do not decide. In the light of one’s pursuits, one decides how much to pursue, what to do in any kind of pursuit etc.
The purpose of any pursuit that one has is self-mastery. We get to enjoy wonderful fragrances, beautiful sights, charming/harmonious sounds, delectable tastes, but one does not get carried away with it, because all of it is meant to serve me. It is meant to bring me some enjoyment, but at the same time I am not conditioned by the enjoyment.
For instance, if one has very particular taste, then even as one travels the world, one must have one’s rice & lentils. So, one misses out on the wonderful cuisine offered in all the different cultures. When one corners/limits oneself, then the scope of enjoyment also gets limited.
So, enjoyment is good, but one should offer one’s enjoyment into self-mastery, with some framework of धर्म |
E.g. With respect to vegetarianism, for the sake of 2.5 inches of tongue, one does not kill an animal for meat. For the few seconds that the food is on the tongue, is it really worth it? So, this is an extension of अहिंसा |
So, in all of one’s pursuits, may one offer it into the अग्नि of self-mastery.
Then, there is another अग्नि~ इन्द्रिय अग्नि i.e. the fire of the senses. Here the metaphor is that each of the senses is like the हवन् कुण्ड् with offerings to be made. How does one decide what to offer?
Whatever is appropriate one should offer- how much to see, how much to listen etc. are the decisions to be made. Even if it is वेदान्त or योगासन, one cannot spend 8-12 hours or more, per day on this. Also, excessive मंत्र chanting without guidance can produce a lot of heat in the body. So, all these activities must be guided, because it is not necessary that more of a good thing is a good thing. There must be appropriateness.
So, here the teaching is that may we be alert, deliberate and conscious with what we are consuming. This is not just limited to scrutinizing what one eats, but this discernment should be applied to all sensory input (see, hear, taste, touch).
Discernment does not mean that one swings to an extreme, e.g. one thinks that when I watch news, I become very disturbed, therefore I am not going to watch any news. One is a part of this system, so one cannot ignore the news, one should at least look at the headlines. But one thinks that the news is too toxic- this topic of toxicity makes us into soft creatures who cannot handle toughness.
It is easy to say that a person or situation is toxic, so I will run away from this- this is one’s द्वेष masquerading as the seeming toxicity of the other person. There may be people who seem to be always whining and complaining, having negative things to say, so one can try to contribute some positivity to this situation. But running away from what I perceive as toxic under the guise of controlling oneself is not self-mastery.
For instance, one may think that when I talk to people I get disturbed because I think over what I should have said and what I should not have said etc., so then one avoids talking to people. So, it seems as if people have become a source of disturbance for me, but really is it that one’s own thoughts about people have become a source of disturbance for me. So, this need not be so.
So, with respect to the mastery of the sense organs, given the nature of one’s pursuits, and where one is in one’s current age and stage of life,
being deliberate, conscious and alert about what do I see, what do I consume, what do I hear is very important as one has limited attention, and one does not want it to be scattered. So, there are management and productivity books that one can read to help with building these good habits.
So, we exercise discipline in the use of our sense organs and offer this unto संयम (self-mastery) i.e. ईश्वर-izing & spiritualizing all of our pursuits. It is not to say that this is a pleasure pursuit and so it is not spiritual.
Everything is made spiritual by recognizing that everything is touched by the order that is ईश्वर |
So, there is no reason to feel guilty with moderation and the framework of धर्म, as all the pursuits of pleasure of the sense organs, I offer it unto ईश्वर | It is all a यज्ञ – whatever I eat, see, smell, taste, touch.
Then, it also helps with शम: and दम: for अधिकारित्वम् i.e. the preparedness for वेदान्त |
One can get disturbed when one sees certain things, so how do we resolve it?
So, one may see news of the Ukraine-Russia situation or about the Kashmir fights, so this will naturally evoke a reaction.
So then does one immediately go into a binary type of thinking that those are the bad guys who I hate, and then feel very righteous about myself. Or, do I sit with the discomfort and recognize that maybe I do not fully understand all of it- yes, this does not seem right, and maybe I need to learn more. I can pray, I can educate myself, I can have another perspective. So, various options are there. In this way I am not disturbed, or I do not continue to be disturbed by the goings-on of the world. Because there is already enough to disturb one, and this disturbance will impinge on my pursuits.
So, right at the beginning the reins are in my hands as to how much I consume.
Mastery does not mean denial. If the reins/controls are too tight, then one cannot enjoy this world which is such a blessing, but if the reins are too loose, then one is all over the place. So, it should be just adequate. And this balance is dynamic~ we master it by mastering it. So, effort is required so that the mind and body are fully available for my pursuits.
For instance, if one is a social media analyst then one would need to spend many hours per day on social media because this is one’s job. But even if this is not my job, it is so easy to spend a lot of time on social media as one gets pulled into the rabbit-hole of the offerings of social media. So self-mastery is to remember that the reins are in my hands.
* श्लोक २७ *
सर्वाणीन्द्रियकर्माणि प्राणकर्माणि चापरे ।
आत्मसंयमयोगाग्नौ जुह्वति ज्ञानदीपिते ॥ २७॥
This talks about संन्यासी-s since सर्वाणीन्द्रियकर्माणि i.e. all sense pursuits(ज्ञानेन्द्रिय-s/organs of knowledge), and the कर्मेन्द्रिय-s/organs of action are both being offered unto आत्मसंयम अग्नि |
आत्मसंयम अग्नि is self-mastery that has been stoked by ज्ञानदीपिते |
Especially for a संन्यासी, the pursuit of अर्थ & कामा is at its least minimum, therefore a lot of time is spent in meditation, contemplation and learning. Therefore, one needs to be fully available for this pursuit.
Therefore, there is a certain वैरग्य/objectivity that I have been there and done that. It is not that one has द्वेष, but whatever sight/sound/travel etc. has served its purpose for me. My mind does not get carried away all the time by what I am feeling, or what I am thinking, or what I should/should not be doing. The mind has resolved, and one is fully available, borne out of विवेक/clear thinking about what is important to me at this time and stage in life, having made the commitment to मोक्ष |
With self-mastery, one can use the mind to master the body. And one can also use the body to master the mind.
This is not a dualism.
E.g. in school, one may think that when I am in the right mood, I will study. However, the right mood never happens, and one stays distracted. Then, after a few hours pass, one feels even worse about oneself because then time has also passed.
So, instead one compels oneself to do the desired action. In this way one gets going on the project, even if one does not feel like it, and then one finds that the mind will align.
So, sometimes there is शम: i.e. in the light of different pursuits, I am also resolving psychologically my mental status, centering myself despite the disturbance.
And then, one can also take the help of physically getting into the activity, and as one starts doing the activity, one gets into the right mood.
So, both शम: & दम: is needed.
दम: is mastery at the level of the body which contributes to a more centered mental status, and शम: is centering oneself and resolving issues that may have disturbed one and then one is in the right frame of mind for action.
Then, there are many more यज्ञ-s(prayerful offering/ritual) mentioned. These are used as a metaphor for different activities of our lives.
This class begun with प्राणायाम |
For this practice, first-
(i) Sit comfortably,
(ii) Straight back,
(iii) Gently close eyes.
प्राणायाम is an attempt to regulate the प्राण that keeps us alive. So, in a simple way by using my breath which is always with me physically, I can attempt to regulate it.
Different types of प्राणायाम have different types of results.
We recognize that the प्राण in the body is the same वायु that is outside the body. So, really speaking, inside & outside is just a point of reference. It is really वायु presided over by वायु देवता that is energizing my body, even though breathing is involuntary.
So, with deliberate conscious attention, one takes a deep breath in, holds the breath and then exhales to different counts.
Inhalation should be done fully, and exhalation should be done fully.
Different variations-
1) Inhale deeply to a count of 8, hold for a count of 2, exhale fully to a count of 4.
2) Inhale deeply to a count of 4, hold for a count of 2, exhale fully to a count of 8.
3) Inhale deeply to a count of 4, hold for a count of 4, exhale fully to a count of 4.
Each of these can be repeated, with a few normal breaths in between.
By प्राणायाम, we understand that the process of breathing is governed by the laws of भगवान्, and in our attempt to regulate there is effort involved and that effort we offer unto Him. Really speaking, what is His, we offer unto Him. The effort then becomes a यज्ञ | Because, in the recognition that the प्राण that energizes my entire system is indeed वायु (air) presided over by वायु देवता, I see that I am ever connected to भगवान् through this simple act of प्राणायाम |
To end, one can bring one’s palms together and rub them, and then gently palm the eyes and open them.
The next verse explains how प्राणायाम can be a यज्ञ –
* श्लोक २९ *
अपाने जुह्वति प्राणं प्राणेऽपानं तथापरे ।
प्राणापानगती रुद्ध्वा प्राणायामपरायणा: ॥ २९॥
This chapter is called ज्ञान-कर्म-संन्यास-योग: | So, the topic is ज्ञानम् which is in the form of कर्म-संन्यास and कर्म-संन्यास is not actually giving up कर्म, but giving up the sense of doer-ship i.e. कर्तृत्वम् that is associated with कर्म | Because कर्म is not opposed to ज्ञानम् | We have to really assimilate this. Therefore, one is free to do any कर्म that is in line with धर्म | So, instead of thinking that I will do lots of कर्म, or I will do little कर्म, one should do whatever one needs to do, according to the धर्म of the situation, because कर्म is not opposed to ज्ञानम् |
And so, as a result of this teaching of आत्मा being अकर्ता-अभोक्ता i.e. never the doer, never the experiencer, so then how do we relate to कर्म? How can कर्म serve us? NOT we serve कर्म |
So therefore, to look upon all कारक-s (the factors of कर्म) as ब्रह्मन्, we have to ईश्वर-ize all aspects of our life. And to be able to do this, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण is not encouraging block thinking or any glossing over, as if one does not know how to do यज्ञ (the fire ritual), then one can look at all one’s activities as यज्ञ-
1. दैव यज्ञ ~ offering unto the deities that pervade the different laws of nature.
2. विषय-भोग यज्ञ ~ offering of one’s pleasure pursuits, e.g. eating/drinking, dancing, music etc. So, these can be looked upon as a यज्ञ and therefore one can have moderation in it.
3. दम यज्ञ ~ the way in which we use our organs of action, may be looked upon as worship and therefore accordingly regulated.
4. शम यज्ञ ~ the resolution that is required in response to different situations, because we build up a lot of reaction. So, may one resolve whatever comes up.
5. द्रव्य यज्ञ ~ the offering of धनम्, any kind of giving.
6. तपोयज्ञ ~ any तपस् i.e. any religious discipline that one takes on.
7. योग यज्ञ ~ अष्टाङ्ग योग practices, particularly आसन-s because the ethical basis of योग is यम and नियम, which is धर्म, so everything is involved, but here definitely आसन can also be an offering. Generally now we only consider सूर्यनमस्कार as an offering, but earlier आसन-s had a lot of मंत्र-s associated with them.
8. स्वाध्याय यज्ञ ~ having that discipline in one’s life, in terms of looking at one’s life in the light of the शास्त्र | But, one needs to know a little bit of the शास्त्र in order to look at one’s life. Otherwise, in the name of स्वाध्याय, we will just be observing body sensations, and some people even define स्वाध्याय like this also.
9. ज्ञान यज्ञ ~ a commitment to ज्ञानम् |
10. प्राणायाम यज्ञ ~ This is spoken of here in श्लोक २९ |
So, even this act of प्राणायाम can be a यज्ञ | प्राणायाम is a very important part of अष्टाङ्ग योग, and classically it is taught much later as there needs to be दम i.e. some regulation of the body first before one can get into प्राणायाम |
अपाने जुह्वति प्राणं –
There are five aspects of प्राण- प्राण, अपान, व्यान, उदान, समान |
So, for different physiological functions of the body, प्राण plays an important role and takes on different manifestations. Here, what is being referred to is प्राण and अपान | अपान generally refers to that aspect of प्राण that is responsible for evacuation. But here in this verse, there is a slightly different meeting- अपान is the activity of inhalation and प्राण is the exhalation.
प्राणायामपरायणा: –
Those who are committed to this practice of प्राणायाम, we can take a leaf from their book and commit to doing प्राणायाम every day, because one does not need any material for it, nor does one have to be in a particular mood for it. It is an important aspect that one can integrate into one’s lifestyle.
The beautiful part about प्राणायाम is that it is a part of the सूक्ष्मशरीर |
The capacity for the five types of प्राणा is a part of the सूक्ष्मशरीर which includes one’s mind/अहंकार |
The सूक्ष्मशरीर consists of 17 factors- 5 कर्मेन्द्रिय (organs of action), 5 ज्ञानेन्द्रिय (sense organs; organs of knowledge), 5 प्राण-s, and then अंतःकरण-अहंकार |
So, the capacity for the 5 प्राण-s is there with the सूक्ष्मशरीर |
And so, the beauty is that you can tug one, and then the सूक्ष्मशरीर quietens down. That’s why प्राणायाम has this magical effect. It’s not like all the problems in one’s life have suddenly disappeared, because after doing प्राणायाम they are still there. But, definitely one is more calm and more composed after प्राणायाम, because प्राण is interrelated with the सूक्ष्मशरीर | One observes that when one is disturbed, the breath becomes fast and shallow. But if one just shifts one’s attention to one’s breath/प्राण and just breathes, one recognizes that just simple deep breathing is enough to calm one down and is enough to clear the mind. Why? Because it is a part of सूक्ष्मशरीर |
So, this is an important practice, and the people who are committed to it, they take it to the level of यज्ञ and what do they do? So they do something similar to the प्राणायाम exercise that we did at the beginning of class i.e. the अपान (the inhalation) they offer to the exhalation. Because the meeting point between inhalation and exhalation is a fraction of a second and in this breath regulation one is looking at it as an offering, not as a mechanical process.
So, the अपान/inhalation, when it is more than the प्राण/exhalation, this is what one is offering. And then one also makes the connection with वायु देवता and भगवान्, so it is an offering. And on the other hand, प्राणे अपानं – so when the exhalation is more than the inhalation, e.g. the exhalation is to a count of eight, and inhalation is to a count of four, then the exhalation is much more and so that is as though being offered onto the inhalation.
So what changes a simple activity or a process is one’s attitude behind it. One can do it mechanically also and reap the benefits. But when one sees that every breath that one takes is ईश्वर only, then one cannot say that I don’t feel connected. If one says so, then, the problem is with one’s feeling, as there is no other problem.
So when one is too caught up with one’s mind, one can just see that प्राण is वायु देवता or the laws of nature, and that they are pervaded by भगवान् |
Then there is also प्राण अपानगती रुद्ध्वा i.e. there are also different प्राणायाम-s where one holds the breath. So, one inhales and holds the breath, so there’s no exhalation or any more inhalation. And then, one completely exhales and also holds the breath again for a count of a few seconds.
With this breath regulation one can feel like I’m running out of breath, especially when one does it for the first time to a number of many counts. And so in this breath regulation, there is discipline involved, and so for the people who are committed to प्राणायाम as a यज्ञ, then they can offer this कर्म in the spirit of surrender.
The मंत्र सोहम् is meant to be understood. That स: (He) is अहम् (me).
There is a particular organization that uses this मंत्र while breathing in and breathing out. Traditionally though, this is not done; it is just something to be understood. Because otherwise what will happen is this association will only be with breathing, as the mind is so subtle, that conditioning happens this way. So then one thinks that सोहम् means breathing, but really it is the महावाक्य | So we don’t treat it lightly in this way.
* श्लोक ३० *
अपरे नियताहारा: प्राणान्प्राणेषु जुह्वति ।
सर्वेऽप्येते यज्ञविदो यज्ञक्षपितकल्मषा: ॥ ३०॥
So now one of our favorite topics i.e. food. So how do we regulate our food intake and how that can be a यज्ञ is being pointed out.
So, one does not really have an excuse. Even if one does not know how to do पूजा, one is not exempt from यज्ञ, as all major activities of one’s life have been taken into consideration. This also highlights that the spirit of surrender is really about recognizing the truth that one is pervaded by ईश्वर from a manifestation standpoint.
आहार generally means that which you consume. But here आहार specifically means food.
And how does one regulate food intake? Because there is so much research that is being thrown at us every day- from eight meals, to intermittent fasting, to three meals a day, to liquid fasting, to fruit fasting, to grain fasting and feasting. There’s so much, so how does one know?
So, Ayurveda has one thing to offer- Imagine that the size of one’s stomach is divided into four parts. So अर्धम् (half of it) must be filled by food, in keeping with whatever is one’s culture. Then one quarter is filled by उदक (water) or water-related juices etc. And the remaining quarter, what shall we do? It is for वायु to move around and have a little space to digest. This means that one never fills up the stomach and says that I can’t eat anymore. This is not what is recommended. One must always feel like I can have one more helping but stop, and that is the discipline involved.
There is a Sanskrit श्लोक that describes this ration-
पुरयेदशनेनार्धं तृतीयमुदकेन तु
वायोः संचरणार्थं तु चतुर्थमवषेशयेत्
पुरयेदशनेनार्धं ~ this अर्धम् should be filled i.e. fill up the stomach 50% with food,
तृतीयमुदकेन ~ one quarter should be filled up with water,
वायोः संचरणार्थं ~ for the संचरणम् of वायु i.e. for the circulation of वायु/air, please keep some space,
so, चतुर्थमवषेशयेत् ~ the last quarter you keep it empty. Basically, you don’t stuff yourself.
So, in the simple action of eating, one offers one’s desire to eat more unto वैश्वानर अग्नि |
अहं वैश्वानरो भूत्वा- I am that वैश्वानर अग्नि | ~ Chapter 15, Verse 14, श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता |
Yes, there are digestive juices that digest, but from the प्राण standpoint there is अग्नि present because it is cooking one’s food twice. So, regardless of what one eats, some cooking happens outside e.g. in the preparation of salad or, overcooked food. Then, partly cooking happens in one’s mouth. This is why since childhood one is told to chew one’s food properly. Then, there is the final cooking that happens in the stomach. This is really how we look at it because there is अग्नि involved. So, अग्नि has different manifestations- जठराग्नि/ वैश्वानर अग्नि is present very much in the stomach. But one should not think that there is a literal fire in the stomach, even though with enthusiasm some people may illustrate a literal fire with flames in the stomach.
Ayurveda places a lot of emphasis on the capacity of the stomach to digest. If one goes to a traditional Ayurvedic practitioner, they ask many details about one’s toilet habits. And it’s surprising but a lot of people are constipated across the world. Everybody has some problem with the stomach. And a lot of health issues are seen related to the capacity to digest food~ over-digestion, indigestion etc.
So, this verse points to वैश्वानर अग्नि | And so through the regulation of food, one can even convert a simple action of eating to a discipline, to a यज्ञ, and offer it in that way.
सर्वे अपि एते यज्ञ-विद: ~ All the different religious disciplines that were mentioned here, what happens to these people?
यज्ञक्षपितकल्मषा: ~ the different kinds of impurities such as रागद्वेष which color our thinking, color our life, color our behavior, and definitely color our mind and our mood, all of that is destroyed.
Why? Because when one looks at any of these कर्म-s~ whether it is about eating, or it is about giving, or it is about any kind of sense pursuit, pleasure pursuit; there are राग-s and द्वेष-s involved. And then, one is bringing in an element of regulation and discipline, and as a result of which one becomes bigger than the राग/ द्वेष |
For instance, earlier if one didn’t have that cup of coffee in the morning, one’s whole day would go for a toss. But after converting it into a यज्ञ, one may deliberately go for days where one postpones the time when one has coffee, or reduces the quantity, or one skips that cup of coffee, without which one couldn’t function earlier. So, we play with this.
Basically, any kind of discipline is an attempt to understand for oneself that I am bigger than the thing that I think that I am dependent on- whether it is a cup of coffee, or food, or an addiction to work, any hobby, Netflix binge watching, or anything really. So, there is some regulation.
Nowhere in any of these verses does भगवान् श्री कृष्ण say to stop what you’re doing and only pray to Me. No, not at all. He said whatever you’re doing just convert it into a यज्ञ | And in the process of this, what happens is that one’s रागद्वेष-s are left by the wayside and one has a deeper appreciation of भगवान् pervading my entire world, including me.
* श्लोक ३१ *
यज्ञशिष्टामृतभुजो यान्ति ब्रह्म सनातनम् ।
नायं लोकोऽस्त्ययज्ञस्य कुतोऽन्य: कुरुसत्तम ॥ ३१॥
यज्ञशिष्टामृत – अमृत is nectar. शिष्ट is what is left over at the end of the यज्ञ, for instance in a proper fire ritual offering, there will only be भस्म (sacred ash) left. And of course, there is the नैवेद्यम् that is offered, i.e. some food that is offered, which is received as प्रासाद |
So, it can be that kind of प्रासाद, or the कर्म that we’re doing and therefore the कर्मफल that we are getting as प्रासाद |
So, those who partake of that, i.e. those who look upon it as प्रासाद, what happens to them?
यान्ति ब्रह्म सनातनम् – they gain ब्रह्मन्, That is eternal.
So, the attitude of प्रासाद बुद्धि: is the attitude that कर्म is done with. And there is no secular कर्म, as all कर्म is sacred. It’s up to me whether I recognize it or not.
Why is it sacred? Because it is pervaded by भगवान् | And, if one has a problem with भगवान्, then one should get over it, or resolve it.
So, throughout the day one is involved in all kinds of कर्म – the people I am meeting, the situations that are in front of me, whatever be the nature of my work, my interactions with people, and in terms of दम, how I am using my sense organs. So, it is to recognize that this is a यज्ञ- there is discipline involved, so therefore all of धर्म comes into the picture.
So, all that is leftover i.e. a cultural representation meaning कर्मफल after the कर्म is over; one gains this.
Because of looking at one’s different kinds of कर्म as कर्मफल प्रासाद, so then what happens is that one’s resistance to people, to situations, and to oneself reduces. One does whatever one can, and then one is in the right frame of mind to undertake the inquiry into ब्रह्मन् | So, it is really referring to अंतःकरण शुद्धि, because this कल्मषा: i.e. the impurities that are mentioned, are really रागद्वेष | So, even just performing one’s कर्म with the attitude of surrender and that whatever I am experiencing is प्रासाद, including my breath, that helps me to gain ब्रह्मन् through अधिकारित्वम्/preparedness.
Now, one of the things we note in the शास्त्र, i.e. including the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता, is that there is स्तुति (praise) and therefore there might be an element of exaggeration. And there is also निन्दा (criticism) i.e. something is criticized or the limitations of something is pointed out, so that we can decide accordingly.
So here in the first line of this verse #31, it is not that you do कर्म, and you gain knowledge. Rather, it is highlighting that you gain the अंतःकरण शुद्धि so that you have the right mind to inquire into ब्रह्मन् |
Otherwise, one can be stuck, and for instance say- how do I deal with the hurt that I experienced 20 years ago? That can be the constant theme for some. So then one needs some other techniques, and there are a lot of techniques to help oneself.
So, contrasting the first line with the second one- so for the one who does not ~ अयम् न यज्ञ: i.e. for the one who does not perform कर्म with this attitude of यज्ञ/surrender, this person does not gain much in this world.
And कुत: अन्य:?~ And so what will the person gain in some other world? (rhetorical question). Because, in this world you are not able to make the most of it, so in another world, what are you going to gain?
It’s like this- So if somebody is dying, this dying person very rarely says that I’m ready to go now. So, suppose Lord Yama comes, and Lord Yama can come to anyone at any time, one does not have to be at the ripe old age of 95 years for Lord Yama to come. So, Lord Yama comes and says- Come with me. Then, the dying person says- No, no, no, please, I don’t want to die. So, Lord Yama can very well say- Why not? Your time is up. Whatever you wanted to do, if you’ve not done it in the past 50 years, what are you going to do in another one year of your life?
So really, what are we waiting for? One thinks- I will do this on one fine day, so we have our reasons for it. But all the people who are struggling, who don’t want to die, well what is one going to do tomorrow, which one was not able to do today?
So, this living a complete life i.e. living your life by your priorities is not necessarily about achieving X Y Z in the context of कर्मफल | It’s about making the adequate effort towards one’s priorities.
Because, is there really a time when something is done? Only one’s cake can be done, nothing else can be really done.
What can be done? Only cake. That’s it.
So, one says- Oh, I wanted to have a child. Well the कर्म related to this is never really done, until the child is no more (i.e. dies). So, there will always be something which will preoccupy one.
Any venture is like this. For instance, even if one sold off one’s company, from time to time you’d like to know what’s happening and then you realize- oh no, these people are making a mess of it. So then of course, you will appoint yourself as advisor, and then they don’t bother about any of your advice. So now what shall one do?
So, this ‘whatever could have been gained in this world’, if we don’t have an element of acceptance, then there is a constant restlessness because nothing is enough- what people do for one is not enough, one is ever dissatisfied with all of one’s relationships because they don’t understand me, and one doesn’t understand them etc.
And then in terms of one’s कर्म, because there is not acceptance- one thinks I must strive for more, and I’m ambitious etc., so the कर्म that I’m doing is never enough. One can’t sleep peacefully, one is just lengthening this to-do list, and then day after day there is restlessness, it’s not enough, it’s never enough.
So, even the satisfaction of having pursued धर्म, अर्थ, काम in this world, and enjoying the results of it is not available to one because there is no acceptance, there is no element of surrender.
Then, what shall we say? Even if one goes to some tourist destination like Mauritius, there also one finds fault- there are some who are like this, anywhere they go, they will always find fault, from the airport to the driveway. Now it’s a different thing if you’re in the business of hotels, but at least one will appreciate something that is nice.
This constant fault finding in everything and everyone, it helps one to sink into depression.
So that’s what is being referred to- that there’s nothing there if we are not able to have a value for acceptance or for surrender.
Then,
* श्लोक ३२ *
एवं बहुविधा यज्ञा वितता ब्रह्मणो मुखे ।
कर्मजान्विद्धि तान्सर्वानेवं ज्ञात्वा विमोक्ष्यसे ॥ ३२॥
एवं – in this manner,
all these different यज्ञ-s,
बहुविधा यज्ञ:- different and various यज्ञ were elaborately mentioned.
And it is not that भगवान् श्री कृष्ण is saying this on His own, as these are mentioned in the वेद – ब्रह्मणो मुखे | So these are all the words of the वेद | The other word for वेद is ब्रह्म |
विद्धि कर्मजान् – may you realize that all of these are born of कर्म,
and,
तान्सर्वानेवं ज्ञात्वा – knowing these,
you will be free- विमोक्ष्यसे ~ you will be liberated, you will be free.
So, referring to the nature of all कर्म, with respect to any kind of कर्म- whether one is taking care of one’s child, or going to work, or signing a check for some contribution, whatever be the nature of कर्म, it is dependent on me, i.e. me as in the कर्ता |
But is the कर्ता an independent entity- self-existing, self-revealing, self-illumining entity? No.
The कर्ता(doer) is really the आत्मा | The कर्ता is a being who is performing कर्म and has the sense that I am performing कर्म |
Then, how is कर्म performed? With करण i.e. with different kinds of instruments- the अंतःकरण (mind) and बाह्यकरण (body).
भगवान् आदि शङ्कराचार्य has a very nice word referring to this body-mind instrument i.e. कार्य-करण-सङ्घात |
सङ्घात is something that’s been put together, like an assemblage. कार्य means effect. करण means instrument.
So, this assemblage, which is an effect (effect means there’s a cause), and has these different instruments i.e. body mind, etc. So, the word itself reveals that it cannot exist on its own.
The कर्ता/doer, has a great sense of pride- inflated or deflated, depending on who acknowledged all the work that I have done, or who has deflated my ego, etc.
For this कर्ता, the कर्तृत्वम् i.e. the sense of doer-ship, does it exist on its own?
कर्ता does not exist on its own. It needs all this करण for all the कर्म to be performed.
Then, what is there between one कर्म and the other? Although it may be in a fraction of a second, what is there? It is me-चैतन्य-consciousness-आत्मा | Between 2 thoughts I am there, between two कर्म I am there. When I sleep, कर्ता is not there- even if I am kicking someone in bed during sleep, I am not aware of it.
So, what is always there? आत्मा | And आत्मा is ever अकर्ता i.e. never the doer.
So आत्मा is not touched by कर्म- पुण्य, पापा etc. i.e. कर्मफल |
आत्मा is the very basis of all कर्म, and even this entity called the कर्ता |
So, the कर्ता is the आत्मा | But आत्मा is not कर्ता. This has to be understood well.
कर्ता (doer) is the आत्मा | When one really starts to define the कर्ता- am I my mind? No, I am there in and through the different thoughts of the mind. Am I my body? There are times when I’m in the zone, when I’m dancing to trance music, then I don’t think that I have a body, although I’m dancing, what a unique experience. Okay, so I don’t really feel that I have a body. So, am I the body? Because when we ask this question, we are attempting to arrive at something that defines me, without which I cannot exist.
So, without the mind, I still sleep very soundly- metaphorically and literally also, as everybody can hear when I am sleeping so soundly. So, I am very much there.
So, neither the mind can define me, nor the body can define me.
Are we then doing a process of reductionism? It seems like it, but we are just negating what we thought is our identity. So, really speaking, the doer is आत्मा, because when we keep going in the inquiry, what is it that defines me? Thoughts don’t define me. Experiences don’t define me, because they come and go. One’s relationships don’t define me because they’re not always there, or they are not there in the same intensity, as sometimes we come together and then we drift apart. So, it’s not a constant. For instance, in no way is my relationship with my parents a constant, because it changes over a period of time.
Everything is changing- my body is changing, my mind is changing, what is it that is not changing? So, it is the आत्मा, That which illumines the body, mind etc.
Therefore, we can say आत्मा is not the doer, but the doer is आत्मा |
If I say I am not the doer, then there will be some indifference. And this is what happens in modern वेदान्त | In the modern teachings of non-duality, one says that I am not the doer. So, there is a temporary relief and it’s a great thing. But then if one keeps on repeating it, without understanding that आत्मा is not the doer, but the doer is आत्मा, if one doesn’t get the entire equation, then one will want to run away from all कर्म | Then, in the name of non-duality teachings, one is only furthering one’s राग and द्वेष |
So, one thinks- I am not the doer, I’m not going to do. But anyway, कर्म doesn’t define me. So then, what is wrong with doing any kind of कर्म?
So, understanding that the nature of the कर्ता, irrespective of the nature of the कर्म that one does, that is indeed the आत्मा so,
अकर्मणि कर्म य: पश्येत् – ४.१८
The vision of the wise person is that though the person may be doing lots of कर्म, the truth is that आत्मा is अकर्ता i.e. never the doer. And there might be somebody who’s not doing any कर्म but has a very strong identity of the fact that I gave up all my कर्म as a संन्यासी | But, this is of no use. Why? Because the sense of कर्तृत्वम् i.e. the sense of doer-ship, which is just notional, which is just an idea, it’s a story that we tell ourselves in order to feel significant. That story, if that continues in my life, then there is no wisdom. So, whether one is performing lots of कर्म, less कर्म, the truth is that आत्मा was never the doer. And आत्मा is That which illumines all doing and even the sense of doer-ship.
* श्लोक ३३ *
श्रेयान्द्रव्यमयाद्यज्ञाज्ज्ञानयज्ञ: परन्तप ।
सर्वं कर्माखिलं पार्थ ज्ञाने परिसमाप्यते ॥ ३३॥
In this श्लोक, भगवान् speaks about how ज्ञान यज्ञ i.e. this religious discipline of knowledge, is superior to all these disciplines/यज्ञ-s that were just mentioned.
Really? Even better than giving दानम् and all? Yes, ज्ञान यज्ञ is better than all of this. Why? Because, for any other कर्म, there is- कर्ता/doer, कर्म and कर्मफल | And, we are subject to कर्मफल i.e. the results of कर्म which is limited- there can be less than expected, more than expected, or completely different to what we want, and so on. So, then there’s always a struggle.
But this ज्ञान यज्ञ is so unique, because everything is swallowed in it. So, the कर्ता is swallowed, कर्म is also swallowed, and the कर्मफल is also swallowed, in the sense that when I abide in the nature of the आत्मा, then I am free from the sense of bondage that is experienced because of my identity as कर्ता |
With the कर्ता identity, when days are good, one can thump the chest and say like He-man that I’m the master of the universe. But, then when everything is not so good, one says- what a lousy day, I’m not happy with the way this day has gone, I should have done more, and then I beat myself up about why didn’t I do etc.
So, with this कर्ता identity one cannot win- one wins some, one loses some, and we kind of manage with it.
But in ज्ञान यज्ञ, the reality of the कर्ता is being pointed out- that I am the आत्मा, I am the limitless being that happens to have this कर्ता role. It’s just a role, so one should not take it too seriously, one should walk lightly with it.
सर्वं कर्माखिलं पार्थ- So all the कर्म, any kind of कर्म, what happens to it? Everything dissolves in knowledge. In the sense that the आत्मा that is me, is the basis of the त्रिपुटी/triad- आत्मा illumines the कर्ता(doer), आत्मा illumines कर्म, and आत्मा illumines the कर्मफल. So any triad that is taken~ knower-known-knowledge, or कर्ता-कर्म-कर्मफल, all of it is swallowed/resolved in knowledge.
Knowledge of what? Not knowledge of Ethereum, rather knowledge of आत्मा |
So, I-आत्मा am the very basis of all the identities.
Therefore, attention should be shifted to who I really am. And then all the other things drop away i.e. the worry, and the build-up drops away.
Then, the next verse which we will look at next time, talks about the attitude towards knowledge and therefore, the attitude towards the Teacher.
ॐ
All sorted. Much gratitude Swamini ji
In the fourth chapter, the vision of the wise person has been mentioned of seeing the आत्मा as never the doer, never the experiencer-
कर्मण्यकर्म य: पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म य: ।
स बुद्धिमान्मनुष्येषु स युक्त: कृत्स्नकर्मकृत् ॥ १८॥
In order to prepare oneself to see this vision, how might one be able to convert one’s कर्म into a यज्ञ (a reverential worshipful offering)? And so, the varieties of यज्ञ were mentioned.
At the beginning also, भगवान् had mentioned that ज्ञान यज्ञ is the most superior.
He also gave these instances of the other यज्ञ-s to help us see that all our कर्म can be sanctified by our attitude. It’s the same attitude with which we receive an object and it becomes प्रसाद for us.
So, all कर्म- with no division between secular and sacred, because all कर्म is sacred.
So, even in the verse-
ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम् ।
ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना ॥ २४॥
the entire metaphor of a यज्ञ is taken.
So, the means of offering, the one who is offering, what is offered etc., everything is ब्रह्मन् |
After भगवान् spoke about the different यज्ञ-s, He concludes that section by saying that ज्ञान यज्ञ is the most superior, and what is very unique about the ज्ञान यज्ञ is-
(i) There aren’t too many rules. Conversely, if anybody does a पूजा or यज्ञ, there are different factors to be considered- What are the kind of offerings that are to be collected? How are they to be collected? What is the right time when the offerings have to be made into अग्नि? Then, what should be the height of the flames? What are the मंत्र-s that have to be chanted? What is the साधना that is to be done by the pundit who does it? Even before the pundit gets to the यज्ञ, he has to do अनुष्ठानम् i.e. an entire discipline of chanting certain मंत्र-s before he actually goes to perform the यज्ञ | So there are many such stipulations.
And of course, if we’re talking about the कर्म that we set up for our work situation, again there are many things to be looked into. And, if there is a weak link in your team, or even in your work cycle, then we all know that things can go for a toss.
But in this ज्ञान यज्ञ, there are no rules nor stipulations, and no materials are required. Only oneself and the teacher are required.
(ii) And in any कर्म, the notion of कर्ता is very strong. If any कर्म is done, it is done because the कर्ता wants certain things. But in ज्ञान यज्ञ, the कर्ता is exposing himself or herself to the knowledge such that I want to know the reality of me. So, the कर्ता, कर्म, करण, everything is swallowed up by ज्ञानम् | It’s a very different kind of यज्ञ |
And having spoken about its glories i.e. आत्मा विचार, भगवान् then says how one can go about this ज्ञान यज्ञ –
* श्लोक ३४ *
तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया ।
उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिन: ॥ ३४॥
This is an important verse in the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता about the approach to knowledge.
तत् विद्धि – may you know, may you understand.
What? Three things-
1. प्रणिपात: – the right attitude of surrender.
2. परिप्रश्न: – asking the right kind of questions.
3. सेव – being of service to the teacher.
So, who is this teacher?
ज्ञानिन: – the one who has ज्ञानम् |
तत्त्वदर्शिन: – What is the uniqueness of this knowledge? The teacher/ज्ञानिन:/the wise person sees the reality i.e. तत्त्वदर्शि |
One will note that the word दर्शनम् is used very often in the शास्त्र | दर्शनम् really means direct immediate seeing.
And even culturally when we go to a temple, if somebody knows you’ve gone to some famous temple, people don’t ask you what प्रसाद you got, nor will they ask how many people were there, nor how was the gathering. People will ask- did you have दर्शन्? Did you see the deity ~ this is the most important part of going to the temple. One can sit and chat, or can meditate, or admire the architecture etc., but the most important thing is- did you see?
And then when we look at our other customs of doing the प्रदक्षिणा (circumambulation of the deity), the principle is that may I see all of you.
Or even when we do the आरति(waving of the camphor/lamp), the understanding is that I am that consciousness in the light of which I am able to see you. And the traditional pundit/पुरोहित् will take the आरति plate from the feet of the deity, to the face of the deity. And that sanctum sanctorum is not meant to be lit up, it is supposed to be dark. And so, with that camphor light, one is able to see.
So, there is a lot of symbolism in every aspect of this आगम शास्त्र, and also what is there in the living culture.
So, may I see all of you~ तत्त्वदर्शि – the one to whom the reality is direct, it’s immediate, it’s me. I am the आत्मा – This is not a statement of arrogance. I am the आत्मा, the limitless, in which there are no borders, there are no boundaries, and all forms exist in me. I am the reality within which the world, me-the-जीव/individual/body-mind and ईश्वर; all of these functions are all swallowed up in I-the आत्मा |
So, this Reality, the one who knows That i.e. the wise person, how should one approach this person for this ज्ञान यज्ञ?
1. प्रणिपात: – the willingness to admit that I don’t know, and I cannot figure this out on my own.
This willingness is very difficult especially because in the name of globalization, our cultures are becoming very individualistic, and we think that there’s something wrong with us if we were to admit that I don’t know something~ How come you don’t know, figure it out, you better figure it out…
And then of course, there is an abundance of information. So for any other knowledge, one can enroll in a course- online nowadays since so much is online. And we can read, understand, assimilate, learn enough, and one can teach others also. So, this is so for any other discipline of knowledge. But, people make the same mistake with वेदान्त also- some people listen to a particular Teacher’s talks and make copious notes. Then, they will pick and choose and find somebody maybe in their management circles or leadership circles, and then they will try to teach. It’s a different matter when you’re so inspired by the knowledge, and it’s helping you a lot and you weave in some of the things because you can’t help it~ you are changing, you’re transforming, it’s benefiting you. And so, one weaves certain things into what one does. That’s a different matter.
But here, for some people the pressure to be a गुरु, or to be someone that people look up to, can be very high- I want people to look up to me. So why don’t you take any other subject matter? But no, this वेदान्त is the subject matter of interest to me and so I will teach.
So traditionally, one cannot teach वेदान्त unless one’s गुरु says that you are eligible. But who follows this? Everybody decides that they are eligible, and that they can teach. And then one says that- you know what, my गुरु does not know how to simplify, and so I will simplify more, and I will teach.
So anyway, this प्रणिपात / surrender is not because one is wanting to be obedient.
There is a strange relationship between a गुरु and a student, such that the गुरु wants the student to be independent of him or her.
Contrastingly, as a parent one may want one’s child to be independent of one, but still, it feels nice when one’s children come back and say- I can’t do this without you, or what would I do without you, etc. And sometimes parents try to control their children’s lives because they cannot handle the fact that the children are independent and doing very well on their own.
So, the relationship between a गुरु and a student is a very strange one, because it’s unlike any others. In most relationships, there is some level of reciprocity, but in a गुरु-student relationship, the गुरु honestly doesn’t need much from the student. So that’s not easy to deal with. And also, that the गुरु is committed to the student’s growth completely, and so is willing to do whatever is required for the student- now that itself is not easy to stomach for a student. Because one always wonders- there must be a hidden agenda. Why is this person always available for me? Saying nice things to me? Why is this person teaching? etc. It’s very difficult to fathom that there could be someone who didn’t quite know you, initially at least, or even if the person has not even interacted with you, but still can be committed to your growth. So anyway, we struggle with trust. As adults we have been wounded enough, and so to regain our trust, is not easy. That is one constant issue that we are struggling with in our life. And then to add to it, trusting भगवान्, and now to trust another adult. It is easier to trust my dog, but trusting an adult is too much because one is concerned that I will be hurt or be let down etc.
In the eastern cultures, particularly in India, culturally प्रणिपात is expressed as touching the feet or doing a strict साष्टाङ्ग नमस्कार, that looks like a collapse on the floor. There is a verse that explains that- with one’s feet, hands, thighs, chest, head, words, mind, one says that I surrender to You- the Reality, That which is being taught.
The one who is teaching is a mouthpiece for this Teaching.
So, प्रणिपात is expressed in this way.
With some of the Japanese friends in the आश्रम, initially they were always bowing every time they see you. Or traditionally, the Indians would put their palms together when saying नमस्ते | In Nepal in particular, the people really make the effort to bring the hands together in the अञ्जलिमुद्रा and say नमस्ते |
If you do this अञ्जलिमुद्रा, and you stay like this for a few minutes, you will find something changing in you. If one stays like this, there is a settling and there is certain natural humility that creeps in.
So, this प्रणिपात ~ I don’t know, and I want to know the Truth, or I want to learn and so I am open, I am receptive. That’s all that surrender is. So, one doesn’t have to be afraid. But, we are all afraid of the word surrender- what would I be asked to surrender? So, I better be careful. One doesn’t have to surrender anything. The teacher doesn’t need anything.
2. परिप्रश्न ~ Questions.
So, this is a tradition of understanding of the Truth, and then when truth is involved, then there’s no scope for beliefs. Because beliefs are statements that are there, which have to be verified and confirmed.
If the teacher says~ 2+5=8. But one wonders if the teacher forgot their Maths, or what kind of a test is that? Because one’s experience of basic Math tells otherwise. So, then the teacher says that if you do not believe, then you will rot in hell.
So, it is not that if one does not believe, then they will rot in hell.
परिप्रश्न is that one has the freedom to ask questions. It is expected that one asks questions.
But also, one should not worry, if too many questions do not come to the mind.
Some people tell~ you know, in the rest of the class, some people ask such intelligent questions, but no question comes to me.
But really, one should not worry about this.
Or, someone says~ I ask too many questions in class, is it okay?
So, whether you ask less or more, one should feel free, as it is one’s right to ask a question.
And obviously, the attempt of the question is to understand. It’s not to prove how brilliant one is by asking such a nice question; it is to ask with the right intention.
Also, it is not just प्रश्न, it is परिप्रश्न by any person, emphasizing that the appropriate kind of questions should be asked.
One can ask- What आसन do you sit on while meditating? Which school did you go to? Did you study this language? Did you have friends in school?
One can ask all these questions, but these are not परिप्रश्न |
भगवान् आदि शङ्कराचार्य in His भाष्य says that one can ask questions like~ What is बन्ध/bondage? What is मोक्ष? So those questions when you are seeking to know the Truth, those are good questions to ask.
One can ask other questions also, so one should not feel guilty. One is welcome to ask any questions. But ultimately one’s questioning must also culminate in asking परिप्रश्न questions because the purpose of the गुरु-student relationship is knowledge.
Yes, there can be mentorship, guidance, validation, acceptance. But ultimately, the purpose is knowledge.
Sometimes, people mistake closeness to the teacher for knowledge. For instance, people may say that I have known Pujya Swamiji for 40 years. Or, I have done this for so many years. It’s good. But, the person still behaves in an insecure way. So, closeness to a person, or just because a person is an assistant and is helping with different things, doesn’t necessarily mean that the person has the attitude of surrender for knowledge. Because surrender involves dropping one’s रागद्वेष | In other words, one is very aligned with reality. So, it is not about- Oh, this is how I want this to be, or this is how it should not be etc.
So, sooner or later one’s रागद्वेष will be projected on the Teacher also- it may have happened for some, it’s not yet happened for the others. For instance, one thinks- I don’t think the teacher should be talking like this. Or, I think that the teacher should be doing XYZ. One is free to express one’s preference & opinion, but when that view starts to block what is being said, then one should understand that रागद्वेष are interfering with one’s reception
of that knowledge. No more is one open and receptive.
3. सेव – This is very big in the culture.
सेव or service to the Teacher, is really for the sake of the student. It may appear like it is for the Teacher, because certain tasks need to be done, and then the Teacher assigns. Or some proactive students say that you know what- I think that I can do this for you, is it okay? Shall I do it? Great, fantastic.
But what happens with सेव is that it is an opportunity for the Teacher to see how you are handling your रागद्वेष in performing a कर्म |
And generally, for सेव some task will be given that one is not comfortable with. Sometimes of course a task will be given that is one’s competence and therefore, it’s something that comes to one effortlessly. So, both ways are there.
So, it’s all good to talk about प्रसाद बुद्धि: or कौशलम् | But then, sooner or later if there are a few people working on a project, then complaints will begin- she didn’t do this, he didn’t do that etc. And I didn’t like the way she spoke to me and so those long complaints will come. And then one decides- I’m not going to work with this person. If you want me to do some work for you, I will not work with this person. So, it becomes like bickering children.
So here the purpose of सेव is to work through your रागद्वेष and to be of service to the teacher. Why?
Because in most cases, especially for संन्यासी-s who are not earning a living, so in order to make the teaching available, some basics are required, so that the time of the teacher, may be spent more for teaching and sharing the knowledge and therefore the student thinks- what can I do to make that person’s life comfortable such that the person is not spending time in admin or repetitive tasks.
So, this is what we try to do with our family members also- so what can I do to make your life more comfortable? So, in the way in which you try and take on some of the tasks of your family members and say- I will do it for you. It’s coming out of a certain care. Or suppose one is not proactive enough, then the person will say- oh, please help me with this and then you say okay, fine, I will do that. And you can see that the person’s time has been freed up to do whatever is important to that person and so on. We do this with our children, with our partners, with people at work.
If you have people you delegate your work to then you know you’re focused more on strategy and analysis and then somebody else is doing some of the more routine day to day work for you. It’s not that you can’t do it, you’re capable of doing it, but we all have a very limited amount of time and we want to use it in the most effective way possible.
And so, the number of wise people in this world are very few, and the ones who can teach are fewer.
So then, it is out of care for this knowledge, care for the tradition, which also extends to care for the Teacher. What can I do to make this Teaching available and to make that person’s life a little more comfortable? Comfortable, not in terms of creature comforts, but so that time will be taken away from the usual tasks.
So, these three things (प्रणिपात:, परिप्रश्न:, सेव) are important in one’s attitude in the way in which one approaches a Teacher, and then what happens is that the ज्ञानिन:/तत्त्वदर्शि will Teach.
उपदेक्ष्यन्ति- will give you knowledge, will reveal what is the Truth.
Not give you one set of advice- you must do this, you should not do that. Some teachers do this; maybe the students require it.
But the vision of the Teaching is that of freedom and therefore if at all there is any guidance to be given, then this also needs to promote the freedom of the person.
The way one lives, one lives in freedom, one promotes that. And the vision is also of freedom. So, it’s freedom all the way.
So, these wise people will Teach.
If you don’t ask questions, then the Teacher will ask you questions. And surrender is what one needs to do. And सेव also. If you ask any Teacher, they will all have stories about the nature of सेव that they have done for their Teachers. It’s a part of the relationship, especially if one is living with a Teacher, or even if one is not, then there are a lot of things to be done and so one pitches in.
* श्लोक ३५ *
यज्ज्ञात्वा न पुनर्मोहमेवं यास्यसि पाण्डव ।
येन भूतान्यशेषेण द्रक्ष्यस्यात्मन्यथो मयि ॥ ३५॥
On the confidence of the शास्त्र, we consistently see that once you have a Teacher then you will Know, there’s no other way because that’s the beauty, that the tradition carries you.
One might say~ Oh, I don’t think I’m worthy, I don’t know if I will be able to know completely, etc. No worries. Once you have a Teacher you will Know.
So, this is what भगवान् says.
This is assuming that you have found a Teacher that you can relate to.
Then, the knowledge that you gain as a result of this relationship,
यत् ज्ञात्वा ~ Knowing this Truth i.e. The knowledge of this reality of what the तत्त्वदर्शि is sharing, so gaining that,
यास्यसि न पुन: मोहम् ~ So knowing this truth, you’re not going to be confused again.
The confusion/मोह is because of self-ignorance.
So not knowing what I am, therefore making conclusions about myself and then struggling with my self-judgments~ Why am I like these? I should not be like this, and then when will I be fine, etc.
So, the person is not going to have this मोह/confusion.
And what is the result of this knowledge?
येन भूतानि ~ by this knowledge, in all these beings,
अशेषेण द्रक्ष्यसि ~ you will see completely,
What?
आत्मनि मयि ~ you will see भूतानि(all these beings) in oneself(आत्मनि) and in Me(मयि) .
Here, आत्मनि does not mean सच्चिदानन्द आत्मा, but means in me-the person.
So, it’s not that me-the person will see the आत्मा | That is not how it is.
I am the आत्मा in which all forms are present – that’s the understanding.
It’s like pot space.
One can say- So I finally I stopped identifying with the shape of this pot and the mind. I am the pot space. I am now liberated. No, this is not the understanding, as I am still functioning according to a sense of being bound and enclosed, I just got relief from thinking that I am only this body/mind.
The vision is that I am the आत्मा in which this body-mind is. I am the आत्मा means no boundaries, no limits. So, this body-mind, all body-minds, everything is in this आत्मा |
So, I am that space in which this pot, including the pot belly, and all these other pots, they are all in me.
When I say me- do I think of myself with the name, and the person, and the form etc. Or is it more than that?
मयि means in me, and in me means in the आत्मा |
So, then it’s like this- if you remember when we would paint with watercolors, suppose you put a little drop of blue(रागद्वेष) in a glass of water. So, if you think of yourself as very small, very little, then all of it in this little glass is colored by this blue(रागद्वेष). But when you are this vast expansive bucket of water- if you put the little blue drop, I am so vast and expansive, that I can accommodate one राग/द्वेष and say what’s the big deal?
So, I am this vast expansive consciousness. Expansive is used in the sense of the metaphor of space, but I-आत्मा cannot be described as expansive because there is no more place where I can expand because I am the limitless.
So, if some little irritation/upset is there, then it’s okay, no problem.
But if you’re enclosed in your mind and your patterns and you’re managing and you’re trying to struggle with it, then we all know what happens right?
So, we go into loop thinking- thinking the same thing, and we don’t even tire of it.
If somebody else were to say one statement three times, one would say- You know what, you actually already said it three times. But in our mind, we go on and on and on. Even with no resolution in sight, one doesn’t even get bored of it. And we are excited about it- Oh, let me look at it this way, I think that’s the real reason etc. It’s all entertainment for ourselves.
आत्मनि भूतानि मयि ~ All these- all these different forms, including thought forms(thoughts, emotions, etc.).
All that is seen in me, and that’s the knowledge.
So, this knowledge that you gain from relating to a Teacher with the right attitude i.e. surrender, with the right kind of questions and सेव, then you are not going to be deluded again.
And further talking about the glory of this knowledge, He says-
* श्लोक ३६ *
अपि चेदसि पापेभ्य: सर्वेभ्य: पापकृत्तम: ।
सर्वं ज्ञानप्लवेनैव वृजिनं सन्तरिष्यसि ॥ ३६॥
अपि चेत् – just in case; let’s assume.
What?
Suppose you are the greatest पापी | पापी means the one who has committed all kinds of पाप |
So, let’s assume you have committed all kinds of crimes, and maybe you have served your time, or you may not as you were never caught. But still, you have committed all these different kinds of पाप ~ you’ve hurt lots of people, etc. Then, what? Is there any hope?
भगवान् श्री कृष्ण says- Yes.
So, what will happen? Even if you are like that?
The worst of the lot i.e. पापकृत्तम:,
सर्वं ज्ञान प्लवेन |
प्लव is like a raft/boat.
So, assuming that you are a पापी and you’re floating on this ocean of पाप as you’ve done all kinds of wrong things.
Still, by just one raft of ज्ञानम्/Knowledge,
सन्तरिष्यसि ~ you will cross over all the पाप |
Oh, so that means that I will not be liable, and not have to face the consequences? No.
But what it does is that the one who suffers the effects of one’s कर्म i.e. the कर्ता; the कर्ता’s reality is seen.
I see that I was never the कर्ता | And by extension, I see that I was never the भोक्ता also.
So as my true reality आत्मा, I was never the experiencer.
* श्लोक ३७ *
यथैधांसि समिद्धोऽग्निर्भस्मसात्कुरुतेऽर्जुन ।
ज्ञानाग्नि: सर्वकर्माणि भस्मसात्कुरुते तथा ॥ ३७॥
If one commits any पाप i.e. some wrong action and therefore you are suffering the results of it, that can be neutralized by some more कर्म – you either do something to minimize the suffering, or you do prayers, or you increase your strength to handle the difficult times, or you share it with people who are close to you and ask them for options/ ideas/ solutions as to how to get over this. Or, just knowing that my family is with me through this difficult time, I will be able to make it. So, we have all these different ways in which we can go through difficult phases in our life.
Now, it may minimize the impact, but the suffering is still there.
So, the suffering is for who? It’s for the भोक्ता i.e. the experiencer because one thinks that I’m the one who’s struggling and suffering and all that.
So then भगवान् gives a metaphor-
Just like the different twigs of wood in a well-lit fire.
What does it do? Once this fire is lit up well, it reduces एधांसि (the wood) to ashes. And this could be any kind of wood- teak wood, or any kind of fine wood etc. But once it’s lit up well, and we all know about forest fires, everything is reduced to ashes.
So too ज्ञानाग्नि: i.e. the fire of knowledge, what does it do?
सर्वकर्माणि भस्मसात्कुरुते – it destroys/reduces all your कर्म to भस्म/ash.
In other words, everything is resolved in knowledge.
So, then you say- Oh, but I worked so hard. What do you mean it reduces all actions to ashes? Does it mean that I will not experience anything? No.
The कर्म that is necessary for you to be born again, it destroys that.
The प्रारब्ध कर्म i.e. the कर्म because of which you were born and then you went through whatever X number of years of life, that will continue, but the the rest of your life will no longer be suffering, or the struggle of becoming. You will be free from the constant restlessness, the dissatisfaction- I’m not enough, no matter what I do it’s not enough.
And all of us have to reach this phase. Like alcoholics, you have to hit rock bottom. Now, people may be dissuaded by this, but you have to hit that existential angst that I have tried different things to deal with this dissatisfaction and sense of incompleteness. And it’s not because I have an inferiority complex, or my चक्र-s are not balanced, or I don’t know how to breathe properly (प्राणायाम).
People will say- why don’t you do प्राणायाम, you’ll get मोक्ष |
So, there is a tendency to reduce, and to exaggerate the benefit of one method and say- oh, you know, you just do this one thing. That’s it, you know, and you are free. So, these are all tall claims so we have to be careful.
So then, by extension, one will say- Oh, how can you say then that by knowledge it’s fine?
So, one should test it for yourself, as some great claim is not being made, only what भगवान् श्री कृष्ण is saying is being shared. So, you try- be exposed to वेदान्त and see what it does for you and then you can figure it out.
So here the reality of the कर्ता-भोक्ता is seen.
You see it as मिथ्या, that it has a status of dependent reality, and that it doesn’t define you.
This is important because on the one hand we use a limited definition to define ourselves- I am so and so, with this designation etc. Then we are not happy with it.
So, you stop the game and recognize that all these- whether it’s related to a relationship or a designation is मिथ्या i.e. it has a status of dependent reality, and that it doesn’t define you.
Promotion time is coming up. So, a lot of stress levels are going up and down. The doctors report that a lot of people come in just before a promotion, or just before bonuses are declared.
And then you might be happy with the bonus you receive of $20,000, as it wasn’t expected in pandemic times. Then, you find out somebody else got $21,000 in bonus. So then one wonders- How could that person get more, and that fellow didn’t even do anything? In fact, I had to pitch in and help this person.
So, a little comparison and that’s it- if you want to be miserable, just compare yourself. It is the best cause for misery. You don’t have to look around, memory is enough to compare and then that’s it, or it will trigger- Oh, in childhood I was compared and I thought in adulthood I would be free but no, no freedom there.
So, this ज्ञानाग्नि: is a waking up to the fact that I was in a dream.
And in the dream, I took everything very seriously. And I really suffered.
In fact, in my hurry, I signed certain documents. And then I realized that the house was being mortgaged and I got into some legal wrangle. Then, I never thought that I would go to the police station. I was marched to the police station for inquiry. So, all these things I’ve seen~ what a life of suffering. And then nobody understands me. And I’m struggling to explain myself and suddenly all these people who showed great trust in me and had confidence in me, this is gone. Now I know in these tough times, who my real friends are. So, it’s very sad.
Then suddenly you wake up. And say- Oh, where’s the police station? What am I doing in my bed? No police station, and no summons, and no suffering.
I recognize that I was the intelligence and the material for this entire dream.
And I was the one who gave reality to myself and all these different entities. It felt real to me and therefore the suffering was also real to me.
So I wake up to the fact that all this was just an identity, it was not real.
And it was negated by me.
So you have actually destroyed the reality that you gave the identity of being the कर्ता-भोक्ता |
You were seeking all fulfillment from being the कर्ता-भोक्ता (doer-experiencer).
And now you see- well actually that’s dependent on me the आत्मा, I-the-consciousness that is limitless.
And this body has to go through some कर्म and that’s okay, it’s not a big deal.
So, there is a lightness of being because of this knowledge.
* श्लोक ३८ *
न हि ज्ञानेन सदृशं पवित्रमिह विद्यते ।
तत्स्वयं योगसंसिद्ध: कालेनात्मनि विन्दति ॥ ३८॥
So, there can be fire as a purifier for certain metals and so on. But, there is nothing like knowledge that can purify you.
For अंतःकरणशुद्धि we look at the role of यज्ञ – all this offering, and giving, and तपस् i.e. any kind of religious discipline whereby you grow out of your comfort zone.
So, यज्ञ, दान, तप: are very important for अंतःकरणशुद्धि / पुण्य |
But there’s something even greater than that.
Knowledge is greater than all of this.
And having said this, कालेन आत्मनि विन्दति |
So, in time with योगसंसिद्ध: – one who attained some सिद्ध: | सिद्धि is not some supernatural powers. सिद्धि is an accomplishment, so some सिद्ध: through योग |
So, generally in the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता, when योग is mentioned in the verses, it means कर्म योग, or in some cases there may be a reference to ज्ञान योग |
So, through this कर्म योग i.e. through the right kind of attitude regarding your कर्म and the कर्मफल, the one who attains this preparedness in the mind, that person gains the knowledge.
So this ज्ञान यज्ञ that will purify you, that is the greatest purifier, that is the best यज्ञ, all that has been mentioned.
So for that, the preparation that is required is कर्म योग in all areas of our lives.
कालेन – so, in time… how much time? how much time will it take?
Can we finish the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता in a crash course of one week?
We can finish, but the point is will you receive? Because, there is an aspect of applying it to different areas of your life; not the knowledge, but applying the कर्म योग |
The knowledge cannot be applied because it is me.
It is not a theory, it is not a system that one can apply elsewhere.
One cannot say- I will practice being the आत्मा | No, you can’t.
I am already the आत्मा |
But if I’m not able to see it, then for that we have to clear the mind because the mind is full of all these other things. So, we can do that, with the right attitude i.e. कर्म योग |
So, the ‘in time’, it really depends on people’s maturity. And this maturity is not age dependent. We see very young people who are very mature. And then we see 85-year-olds who are not, so there is quite a range.
The maturity that life brings, and a certain duty orientation- because you work on your रागद्वेष-s, you are still open, you are receptive, you are cheerful. All that comes from living a good life, living a life of धर्म |
Not constantly annoyed, irritated, disgusted. If so, then you better do something about it.
So, because there’s enough to get flustered about in this world, but you have taken charge of your body, your mind, and there is some level of mastery.
So, one always asks- how much mastery? Well, just enough for you to understand the truth.
Do you understand it now? – Oh, it’s not so clear.
Okay, then please keep working on the mastery aspect.
Because it is just about seeing the truth, seeing that I am the आत्मा in which all forms exist.
So, one of the things we have to be clear about is that वेदान्त is not an escape for the problems in my life.
That I could see the reality of the कर्ता, but there are things to be managed- maybe I’ve been laid off, or maybe I have to figure out where I am, what do I want to do with my work, etc.
And so I cannot escape into the vision of वेदान्त and it will all take care of itself.
If I have that attitude of surrender, and I’m willing for the consequences of that, which has its implications on the family and so on, then that’s fine, that’s great.
Then that’s surrender all the way.
And maybe it may be helpful, but it may not be helpful either.
Because the rules of the game in कर्म are different.
What does it mean that the rules of the game in कर्म are different?
Suppose my work involves me to network with people. Suppose my work involves that I am constantly churning out certain things. Then, that’s exactly my स्वकर्म, my स्वधर्म |
I cannot say- Oh, but you know, this कर्ता is all मिथ्या |
I may do, I may not do, it’s okay though – No.
कौशलम् is very important- there is no compromise in this.
And so indeed, if the vision is clear for you, you are free enough to apply कौशलम्, what’s wrong?
You can work hard, and play by the rules of the game, whatever is the game~ whatever be the nature of your work.
Maybe you can tweak the rules also, maybe you can add a few more rules of your own.
But you can’t say- Oh, but I wish everybody had वेदान्त knowledge and I wish we didn’t fight at our workplace. People will think you’re crazy. And maybe you are, because this is not to be applied here.
So, it’s not that we need to have two parallel tracks i.e. it is not that what you do at your work is different from what you do in the वेदान्त class.
No, but just understand that in व्यवहार, there are alternatives always. With respect to कर्म- you can do, you need not do, you can do differently, you can use your imagination, you can play and figure it out- figure out what works for you and so on.
But don’t escape into वेदान्त and neglect the कर्म that is to be done.
Because that is your धर्मक्षेत्र i.e. your battlefield. That’s where you need to grow. You need to deal with your रागद्वेष, you need to be applying your कौशलम् and your समत्वम् and so on.
If you say- no, I just can’t do this anymore. Really, if you have reached that stage where you feel that you have completed your कर्म journey, then maybe you take time off and immerse yourself in वेदान्त, or anything else for that matter. But until you feel that sense of relative completion, you are not ready.
So, it’s very important to be honest with oneself that I’m not ready, and that’s okay.
कालेन आत्मनि विन्दति –
In time you are preparing yourself, you are maturing, you are ripening and the more you work on your maturity, then the vision is a cakewalk. But otherwise you’re exposed to the vision but the preparedness and maturity is not there. And, so you feel that neither can you enjoy all the things with your earlier friends, nor can you really enjoy this वेदान्त because you’re sort of in between.
So, you can have it all.
And so, we can bless ourselves with the right kind of attitude and apply the knowledge that we have appropriately.
ॐ
So these are the last few verses of chapter four~ ज्ञान-कर्मसंन्यास-योग: | The topic of this chapter has been संन्यास i.e. giving up completely.
Of what? Not ज्ञानम्; but giving up of कर्म through ज्ञानम् |
Otherwise in giving up, I may give up वेदान्त, but stick on to my कर्म because I’m obsessed with doing and deriving my identity from doing.
So anyway, संन्यास is completely giving up of कर्म through ज्ञानम् |
How is this possible? By recognizing the nature of the आत्मा~ as ever the non-doer, ever the non-experiencer.
So, the nature of the आत्मा that we have looked at is oneself, so one shouldn’t imagine something floating around that is आत्मा |
भगवान् has spoken of the different ways in which we can transform कर्म into कर्म योग with the attitude of surrender, with the attitude of offering which is born of understanding the reality- the reality is that whatever is around me, including this body-mind, is not really mine. All that I have, all that I see, all that I experience is given to me. Even the effort that I am able to put in i.e. the capacity to make the effort to make things possible, all that is given to me. So, कर्म योग is the disposition towards my कर्म, कर्मफल (the results of my कर्म) which is born from objectivity- that all that is here is given to me, and I make the most of it.
So, we looked at different ways in which कर्म can be transformed into कर्म योग | And why कर्म योग? Because we want to be awake to the reality. What is the reality? That I-आत्मा was never the कर्ता nor the भोक्ता |
So, to see this vision of the wise person/तत्त्वदर्शि spoken of in 4.18, we go through a certain process of preparing ourselves such that we gain the शुद्धि i.e. the freedom from my रागद्वेष, freedom from wanting to experience certain things, freedom from the addiction of wanting to feel good. Wanting to feel good is a big addiction, which all of us have- the भोक्ता/experiencer identity is very strong, so I want to feel good all the time, and cannot deal with discomfort of any kind, as one has become a slave of comfort. Comfort creatures/सुख-जीवी-s means that one needs some great infrastructure wherever one is going, because otherwise one may not be in a good mood, because a lot of things are required to make one’s mood okay.
So, we can imagine how much we are enslaved. And what is the altar? The great altar of our worship is our रागद्वेष- whatever I can do in service of my रागद्वेष(cravings & aversions) and then I am fine.
The greatest purifier is ज्ञानम्/knowledge.
भगवान् concluded 4.38 by saying that through this disposition of कर्म योग, in time you gain this ज्ञानम्/knowledge.
Now, भगवान् also mentions a very important qualification for ज्ञानम्/knowledge, which is श्रद्धा | This is an often-quoted verse similar to a मंत्र in छान्दोग्योपनिषद् – आचार्यवान् पुरुषो वेद |
The one who has an आचार्य, knows the truth. This is the declaration of the श्रुति |
So, you have an आचार्य/Teacher, then you know the truth.
If you are floundering around seeking, reading books, trying to understand, then you won’t know. Not that it’s a curse, but the method is such that you need to have a Teacher. So, what shall we do? This is how it is.
* श्लोक ३९ *
श्रद्धावान् लभते ज्ञानं तत्पर: संयतेन्द्रिय: ।
ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा परां शान्तिमचिरेणाधिगच्छति ॥ ३९॥
वान् or मान् ~ whenever it is attached to a word, means ‘the one who has’.
श्रद्धावान् – the one who has श्रद्धा |
What happens to this person?
That person, ज्ञानं लभते (gains the knowledge).
When?
तत्पर: संयतेन्द्रिय: अचिरेणाधिगच्छति |
अचिरेण- Immediately, quickly, no waiting.
What else does this person gain?
With that ज्ञानम् comes an absolute शान्ति: |
What else?
Along with श्रद्धा, तत्परत्वम् is important | तत्पर: is commitment.
And also, the person needs to be संयतेन्द्रिय: i.e. a master of his or her senses- how you are using your senses organs in terms of your eyes, nose etc.? Are you overwhelmed by what is being bombarded at you, or are you the master where you decide how you want to use, for what, how much and so on.
So ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा – gaining that knowledge,
परां शान्तिम् – absolute peace is gained.
So now this word श्रद्धा – people translate it as faith, but there is no accurate translation for श्रद्धा, so we stick to the word श्रद्धा | The closest English word for श्रद्धा is ‘trust’.
What do you trust? You trust the one who shares the knowledge/ज्ञानम् |
In तत्त्वबोधः which is a book of definitions of terms used in वेदान्त, श्रद्धा is defined as- गुरुवेदान्तवाक्यादिषु विश्वासः इति श्रद्धा । So, विश्वासः in the गुरु and वेदान्त |
गुरु is the one who is able to remove your ignorance. This is the true definition of a गुरु |
Then, trusting that that person will reveal the truth to me and I will understand, this is श्रद्धा |
But why should you have trust in a person? Nowadays we trust our dogs more, because trusting a person is very difficult.
All of us have to develop some trust in life. Because we start off very beautifully with complete trust. You completely trust your parents.
And we see the pictures of how we have been thrown up in the air and then held- You fully trust that whoever is throwing you up in the air, will hold you. So, imagine if at that time you started to think- I don’t know if this person is going to hold me, then from that time onwards you get a heart attack. It’s a blessing we have been given, which is also called the unconscious, which has its own method and madness within the context of modern psychology.
So, this ability to trust is there because of our sense of helplessness. Because as a child, for everything one is depending on adults (parents or caregivers). So, if one looks at this ईश्वर लीला- because there is helplessness, there is complete trust.
Imagine if there was helplessness, but you could not trust anyone, then you’ll just be crying all day and night, and be dead by now you know.
Then, slowly we realize that the people we trust, who we thought were perfect, they have some faults- sometimes minor, sometimes major. And, you can’t help it- that’s the process of growing up. You realize that your mother, who was always available to you, now has to run errands and cannot pay attention to you, or has to go to the toilet- and how dare she, how dare she leave me alone? But that is how it is. Or, I thought that my mother could take care of everything, but then when she saw a lizard on the wall, she started shouting, and so she also acted helpless. So, she cannot protect me from lizards. And my father is a very brave and courageous man, but the moment his boss calls, his voice changes, and he behaves very meek. So, I don’t know if I can trust. Generally, I can trust but I see a few limitations in the people around me.
Then, there are some small betrayals that all of us go through in childhood- your secret was revealed, your best friend did or did not do something, then boyfriend/girlfriend, partner, children, work…You thought that somebody had your back at work, but then that person betrayed you.
So, in the process of living, even if you’re 20 years old, you would have had enough heartbreak, not necessarily romantically, but someone who has let you down.
Now it’s another story- were you right in putting your trust in that person? We’re not going there. Whether you are right or not, your trust has been broken.
Some of us will still say- no, no, I can still trust a few others. But some of us withdraw into a shell and we become bitter and think that the world cannot be trusted, and so we are angry and sad, and so on.
And so now, it is this person in कलियुग who now wants to learn वेदान्त, and has read lots of books, and has done a lot of exploration, and then is told that वेद says- you need a Teacher. So, this person thinks- what rubbish, everything I figure out on my own. I can read books, I can figure it out.
But, the वेद that reveals the reality, also reveals the method. The method is that you have to be exposed to the one who is wielding the प्रमाण |
What does that mean? And why should I have श्रद्धा?
So here is where some of the talk about प्रमाण is important.
Now, whatever the Teacher says, the Teacher is not giving you information. This is unlike any other knowledge. Why? Because the Teacher is only scraping away ignorance. One already stands revealed. It’s really like the job of a sculptor. So, the sculptor is not creating, though on the face of it, the sculptor is creating. There is a big granite stone. And then with whatever tools the sculptor has, the sculptor will bang/chip away. For example, David by Michelangelo, was sculpted out of the softer stone of white marble, which would be easier to sculpt that granite. And so, suppose somebody is sculpting and banging away- you are already the आत्मा, so what does the Teacher have to do? The Teacher has to do some banging. What kind of banging? In order to take away the ignorance that is there.
Because of अविद्या/ignorance, there are a lot of mistakes we have made regarding our identity, and the कर्म and काम – So, I feel incomplete-> therefore I have to do. Then, no matter how much I do it is not enough. And then I’m on this hedonic treadmill- running & running, but still not okay.
So, to shift attention and say that all this incompleteness that you are feeling is not because you have not tried methods, techniques and processes. All of that is okay to manage life.
– But, what is your true identity?
~ Well of course, I am a human being.
– No, you are not a human being. You are the limitless having a human experience.
~ Oh, come on, don’t talk rubbish. Are you on some substance or something?
– No, that’s the truth. That’s what वेद says. Because it’s true the वेद says it.
So, this श्रद्धा ~ गुरुवेदान्तवाक्यादिषु विश्वासः इति श्रद्धा – how will you have trust in the Teacher?
You have to try, that’s the only way. And you see that what the Teacher is saying sounds
True, so maybe it’s true. So, you start entertaining the possibility.
Even my partner never says that I am the limitless. The Teacher is saying this and does not seem to have an agenda, so maybe it’s true.
So, then your working trust is good enough.
It’s like you sign up for any course. Let’s say you sign up for a course on ‘cryptocurrency decoded’. How do you know whether to sign up or not? You look at the credentials of the person giving the course. Then, you say- okay maybe I’ll give it a shot.
So, similarly, you look at the credentials of the गुरु | Does the person belong to a संप्रदाय? Is the person claiming to teach something that was revealed to him/her in one big dream? Is there a cult? Then all these things one has to watch out for. Does the गुरु have an agenda? Does the गुरु want to gain something from me, and so on and so forth. These are all alarm bells that will start ringing.
So, if this is no, and the Teacher is doing His/Her job, and you are welcome to join- then good.
So now it takes me some time to have working trust, because you remember, I’ve been betrayed in life. I don’t know if I can trust, and all the horrible stories that I have heard about गुरु-s – it’s like rotten apples in any place. So, any group of people who are doing similar things, it would be so very difficult to trust.
But what is the गुरु doing? Just sculpting away what you are not. And that’s only from the point of view of understanding.
How come the गुरु is able to do this? Because He/She had another गुरु | And what was being wielded? What was being wielded is the शास्त्र | Why do we need the शास्त्र? Because it is the sixth means of knowledge.
What do you mean ‘means of knowledge’?
Amazing! how did you transcribe this?
What an awesome job of transcribing! How do you do this?
Earlier Priya would painstakingly transcribe. Now she uses otter.ai which is a great transcription software and manages to get 95-98% accuracy.
The Sanskrit words may need to be entered in.
One can easily play the video on the laptop and switch on Otter while going about one’s errands and
return to the video the second time to fill up the Sanskrit words.
What do you mean ‘means of knowledge’?
That ‘means’ which helps you to know something.
What do you mean by that?
* Six means of knowledge *
1. प्रत्यक्षम्/perception
Like your eyes.
So, you want to see what is in front of you, whether it is some scenery, or a loved one, or you are just seeing what you are putting while cooking. So, how do you know what you are seeing? Because of your eyes.
Suppose your eyes are closed, and then we ask- Can you see? No, no, but I trust that if I open my eyes I’ll be able to see.
If you go to the salon, and then they put cucumber pieces on our eyes. Then you say- Oh no wait, I cannot see, I’ll open my eyes and then I will see okay.
So, you have श्रद्धा in your eyes as a means of knowledge.
Of course, we don’t use this language when we are talking about it. Instead we say- I saw it, that means it’s true, it’s my experience. We thump our chest. It’s my experience, therefore it is true.
Anyway, that is perception- whatever you experience. We call them ज्ञानेन्द्रिय- the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the skin. They receive knowledge, and then we do a lot of things based on that knowledge.
So प्रत्यक्षम्/perception is one means of knowledge, which is required for us to function in this world.
Can perception reveal the reality of the fact that you are the आत्मा? No. Why? Because the आत्मा that is you, is not an object of perception.
So, the limitless, how can you understand with the eyes? The eyes have a very limited range- 20/20 is considered perfect vision. Other animals have better vision than us. The abilities of human beings, besides our mind, are very limited compared to animals.
So, with perception there are certain things that you figure out. Just because you cannot see Pluto nor Neptune, it doesn’t mean that they don’t exist. No- you need special equipment to be able to see it. So, perception/प्रत्यक्षम् is one means of knowledge by which we figure out this world. It has its limitations, like everything else.
2. Inference
There are some things that we cannot directly perceive- see, hear, taste, etc. Then what shall we do? Oh, there is another piece of knowledge that we depend on, which is called inference.
So, inference means that there is a proposition, e.g. your house faces some mountains, and every morning you like to sit with a cup of tea and you are gazing at the mountains and then suddenly you see smoke from one of the mountains. So, you guess and you’re almost sure- I think there is a fire on that mountain. Let me just call emergency services so that somebody can do something about this forest fire or whatever. Did you see the fire? No. How do you know there is a fire? You are sure that there is a fire because wherever there is fire, there is smoke.
You are not seeing the fire, but by the presence of the smoke, you infer that there has to be fire. Why? Because you have seen many cases- whether it is a campfire, or a fire in the kitchen if you’re cooking conventionally, that where there is fire there is smoke.
So, a lot of our inferences we reach on the basis of this second means of knowledge.
3. Comparison
The third means of knowledge is comparison.
Suppose you are going on a safari to Africa and you are told that if you’re going on safari, you must see the wildebeest. Huh? The wildebeest, I have never heard of such a term. Is it an animal? Yes. What does it look like? Oh, it looks a little bit like deer. I have seen deer, but I have not seen wildebeest.
Then, when I am on safari, and as we are driving in the jeep, I see some animals which look like deer and I think okay- that’s what I was told, this must be wildebeest.
So, there was no प्रत्यक्षम्- I have not seen wildebeest, not even seen pictures of it.
But I am able to understand that there is something similar to this and so comparison becomes our means of knowledge.
So, if we say that आत्मा is like space, you can appreciate it, but it is not a means of knowledge. Because space also seems to be limitless in the sense that it doesn’t have boundaries, but we cannot say it is limitless. And there are a lot of other things. So, space is not touched by the air that blows through it, or fire, or water. आत्मा, the limitless that I am, is like that.
But one feels enclosed because of the skin-boundary, but actually one is not bound ever, I was never bound.
So, through comparison, one can appreciate, and get a sense of the आत्मा, but you will not know the truth. But it can be used, as supportive reasons can be given.
4. Double inference or presumption
For example, you see this person who is fasting all day, yet still putting on weight. So, you ask about hormonal issues like hypothyroidism, or PCOD which can make a person put on weight even if the person is eating very less. So hormonally the person says that everything is okay. Then how come you’re putting on weight? Oh, then you realize this person is nocturnal. So, this person raids the refrigerator in the night and therefore that explains why the person is gaining weight though not eating throughout the day.
So, though you’re not spying on the person to see if the person is really raiding the fridge, you figure that this data doesn’t match, and for the person to put on weight, definitely what is being ingested is more than what is being expended energy wise.
So, then this is another way for us to understand our world.
5. अनुपलब्धि/Cognition of absence.
What does that mean? For example- Is Eric here in the class today? You look around. No.
How do you know that he is not there? Is there some reflection from his absence? No.
It’s a direct means of knowledge. You don’t see him. You have not inferred- it’s not that there is no one looking like Eric, maybe he’s not there. No.
You just look around and know that he’s not here. That’s it.
And it’s not perception either, because for perception light has to reflect from the object, and that forms an image on your retina, and so on and so forth.
So here, there is no perception involved. Also, there is no inference- one does not say, nobody is looking like him, so that means that he is not there.
So, it’s another 5th means of knowledge.
6. शब्द/शास्त्र
Then, how do we know that there is a place called स्वर्ग? How do we know that if you do a ritual, there will be some results? How do you know that if you chant a मंत्र that there will be some results? How do you know the rituals to be done to honor your ancestors? How do you know that these are the rituals to be done for देवता-s? How do you know that the performance of कर्म leads to invisible results called पुण्य and पाप | Visible results of course that we all know and that’s fine. Why do good things happen to bad people, and bad things happen to good people? How do you explain it? There’s no way. If you’re going by perception, there is no way you can explain it. I’ve been such a good person, then why did I have to suffer? That is perception. The only way you can explain it is through शास्त्र- the law of कर्म |
So how do we figure out things that we cannot figure out through all these 5 means of knowledge? It is by the 6th means called as शब्द/शास्त्र. Here particularly वेद is being referred to i.e. the revealed knowledge. So, whatever is there in the वेद is not something you can figure out on your own. It is other than you and somebody has to be there to wield it.
No, no, I will learn enough Sanskrit and I will be able to read it. But, you are the one that is suffering from ignorance. And when you are reading something, because the knowledge is talking about you the subject, so you cannot wield the प्रमाण (the means of knowledge). The प्रमाण has to be wielded by someone other than you. Therefore, the गुरु enters the picture.
If you try to do it, then we make big mistakes.
Even if you try to read, you can’t understand. Why? Because to understand the vision of the entire श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता, you have to finish the 700 verses/18 chapters. And in order to understand a verse, you need to have the vision of the whole. To have the vision of the whole, you need to go through all the verses. It’s a bit of a catch-22 situation.
And then we all have our blind spots. There’s no way that you will figure out the truth of the identity that you thought is real i.e. कर्ता-भोक्ता ~ I am the doer and the experiencer, therefore I am the sufferer of whatever are my great sorrows, because my great expectations were not fulfilled.
So, to all that, the शास्त्र raises a question mark. Really, you really think it’s true? Come on, actually, you are not touched by any of this.
So, this vision of the reality that is you, that is limitless, is wielded by a person who happens to be the गुरु | Therefore, you need to have working trust. We are not saying that you please trust the person with your life. No, and therefore we will remember that a few verses before, भगवान् has already spoken about three things that are important-
(i) प्रणिपात: – Some level of surrender, meaning you are willing to see the truth, you are willing to align yourself to reality.
(ii) सेव to the गुरु – whatever help is required; there are different kinds of help required depending on what the गुरु is involved with.
(iii) परिप्रश्न: – asking the right kind of questions, so that you are free from the sense of bondage that you experience.
So, all this is important. श्रद्धा is not blind surrender, and it is not obedience either. This is not expected at all.
And in a few years’ time, it is expected that the student will rebel. And some students rebel early. It is the typical rebellion of a child with a parent. It is invariable, it has to happen. It happens in therapy. It happens as a child, between child and parent. And it definitely happens between शिष्य and गुरु | So, initially there is a honeymoon phase- you think that all that the गुरु says and does is fantastic. Then, slowly you will start finding some faults. There are times that you’re able to dismiss it. Then, if you have a good rapport with the गुरु, and you better have a good rapport for your own sake, not for the गुरु’s sake, then, you can experience a freedom to ask the गुरु- but you know, I’m not able to reconcile this discrepancy. It’s important you do that because you may not understand the गुरु’s behavior and so on. But sometimes we don’t- we don’t feel safe enough, we don’t feel free enough, we are the ones who withdraw, and then what happens is that I start projecting a lot, and then only my ideas are there- How the गुरु should be, and how my गुरु really is. And there’s such a big difference, so I have problems with that. Then, I start to analyze the personality. Now any personality has its limitations. So, then you say- Oh, forget it. You know, this person is a woman, this person doesn’t have a clean-shaven head. This person should have been 75 years. And so, some weird things one entertains. So, these ideas will pass through everybody’s head. But if you entertain them too much, then you are not available for the knowledge. All your time is spent in some other kinds of analysis, you are actually dodging reality.
So, there are different ways in which resistance comes up. And you have to work through that resistance just like a child also works through the resistance with a parent. Why? Because the child after some time doesn’t want to feel dependent on the parent.
The शिष्य/student is never dependent on the गुरु | A little bit of dependence is there until the vision is clear.
So, at times you’re not comfortable with the fact that I cannot figure this out on my own- I should be able to figure it out. There’s a lot of resistance there. Everybody goes through some of this resistance. So, that श्रद्धा is such that despite my resistance, I have working trust.
Of course, if I have been exposed and I have read enough of Ramayana, Mahabharata, and I’m very familiar with the culture of this land, in terms of the living culture, and also I’m able to look up to role models who were able to exemplify a certain श्रद्धा for elders, for द्विज:(twice-born), for Brahmins, for elderly people, etc. then it’s something that might come naturally to me.
So here a bold declaration is made by भगवान् श्री कृष्ण that if you have श्रद्धा i.e. if you trust, then you will gain this knowledge. And trust is seeing the words that are being revealed. Sometimes the गुरु says a word, then the mind gets carried away, gets hijacked. For instance, the word ‘trauma’ is said. Now, all of us have had some form of trauma, but because I said it in a particular context, it’s possible that my mind will go somewhere else. Then, whatever has been said for the next few minutes is gone, because my mind has gone on a world tour. Then, when I come back, I don’t know what is happening.
So, trusting the गुरु, trusting that the गुरु will deliver the goods, trusting that this reality that the गुरु is pointing out is possibly true, so I have to try it out.
So, suppose I say- You know what? I am very insecure. I can’t handle uncertainty. You give me a guarantee that I will be able to see.
Suppose I have had cataract surgery and my eyes are bandaged, and then I tell the doctor- doctor, you have to give the guarantee that I will see. So, what will the doctor say? Hey, you know your operation was very successful, you please open your eyes then you’ll be able to see. But I say- No, no, no doctor, you are the world class doctor, until you give me a guarantee, I will not open my eyes. Now this is a little ridiculous on my part. I have to trust, so what will the doctor say? Well given all the facts, and given that the operation was successful, I believe that if you open your eyes that you will be able to see. Okay, so little by little I open- first it’s a little blurry, but then I realize that what the doctor said was right.
So, I have to open my eyes to the शास्त्र | How? By listening to the शास्त्र | That’s the only way, that’s the traditional way. And then I say maybe it’s true. Yeah, I think so. Oh, definitely it’s true. It’s true and therefore the शास्त्र is saying it. So, you will reach such a stage, if you haven’t already.
So, the value of श्रद्धा has been emphasized very much in this verse. And, because there is a commitment to knowing the truth, you are done with exploring.
You know we have a fear of commitment, all of us have it, more so nowadays. We like the idea of options, and we’re not talking stocks. So, optionality options- I want to keep exploring, as something new, something better will come along.
A lot of people are now regretting- why didn’t they marry such a person before? Because they thought someone better will come along. So anyway, this fear to commit that is there, is there because we delude ourselves that the grass might be greener on the other side.
Now, but if you have commitment, with your विवेक you have looked at your life. You have seen what things and relationships do for you, and what they do not. Both are important.
And then you say that it’s not that I’m unhappy, but that sense of incompleteness that I experience, nothing can complete it. It’s an existential sorrow that is wept or unwept in every human heart. Why? Because one is identified with the human condition, which is a limited human condition ultimately ending in a funeral/cremation.
So, you feel the futility of some of the things, you feel the meaningless-ness as after all this is done, ultimately, I die and not take anything with me including this body, which I have to leave behind. So, what is this? It is so totally unfair.
So, if there is a commitment that I think I have found something, and I want to see it through, some sort of completion, then both श्रद्धा and commitment can go hand in hand.
Because I have श्रद्धा in the Teaching and therefore the गुरु, then my commitment will increase. If my commitment is there to this exploration- I will see the limitations, I will try different methods, I will see what’s working, and what’s not working, as I’m committed to discovering the truth, whatever that is~ I don’t know some people call it non-duality etc.
Then because of that commitment I will explore thoroughly. So that commitment can also help me to increase my श्रद्धा, because, there are certain things that I feel very uncomfortable about.
The गुरु’s job is a destructive job. Why? Because all the notions that you are holding on to very dearly- So, you think that’s real? Then, the saw is out, so that is also hacked.
For instance, I’ve been a vegan for 20 years. And then let’s say- in the context of some teaching, that’s just an identity. What? You dismissed my identity, you don’t know what it means to be a vegan. It is the greatest thing in this world, etc. Then gone- this गुरु is out of my list, because my identity was attacked. One thinks- Does the गुरु know about veganism? Wow, it’s so insensitive. And all this talk about अहिंसा is all rubbish.
So, you can see how destructive the job of a गुरु is. This is not because the person has anything personal against you, but what you are holding on to, we are doing an inquiry into the reality of it.
So, if there is commitment, then you will continue with the inquiry. A lot of people are आरम्भशूर: – they are very valiant when it comes to आरम्भ/beginnings. With great enthusiasm people sign up. For all courses, with respect to the number of people who sign up in great enthusiasm, the number of people who turn up, and the number of people who continue, there is a great difference in it. It’s the case for a lot of courses, especially online courses, even offline also.
So now, if you’re committed to the inquiry, then you will gain knowledge. You don’t have to remove your special identity. We are just asking you to inquire into it. You only do the enquiry, the गुरु does not do it. The गुरु just shares what the शास्त्र is saying. And we are not dismissing the identity- this is very important to understand. The गुरु is just saying that this could be a functional identity, but it’s not your reality. And, with your functional identity, whatever you need to do, please do- align it with धर्म and go ahead and have as many identities as you want. No problem with it.
श्रद्धावान् लभते ज्ञानं तत्पर: –
So, the one who has श्रद्धा,
naturally that person is committed,
and is a master of one’s senses because of the bringing of कर्म योग into your life,
and so शान्ति is gained.
I-आत्मा am also referred to as शान्ति: | Now, शान्ति generally we refer to in the context of peace of mind. When you ask a Zen teacher- My mind is very disturbed. What should I do? The Zen master says- show me your mind. So, what will you do? I don’t know, I’m very disturbed, but I don’t have the mind. So, how can it disturb you? Well, it is in my head. Okay, if it’s in your head, it is an object, it’s something you are aware of. That means that you are different from what you are aware of. So, if you are aware of disturbance, are you really disturbed? No, but I’m really disturbed. Why? Because the state of mind is my identity. This is what we call as मनोमय कोश i.e. I define myself by whatever is happening in my mind.
Now, in the context of language of course we will say- I’m excited, I’m happy, I’m thinking, I’m confused. All that is okay because ‘I am …(can put any quality/activity in this space)…’, but is it true?
For instance, some people are referred to as blonde. The person is blonde- what does that mean? The person is the color of the hair? But, we all agree to this madness. You define a person by one thing. And hair is also not even a live part of you. It’s inert, you can color it, you can cut it and so on. It’s not alive. It’s not really an integral part of you. But, still you will say- Oh, but that person is a blonde So, this is the collective madness that we use in our language.
So, if I am the state of my mind, then if there is conflict, that means that I am disturbed.
But the शान्ति that भगवान् is talking about here is not an absence of conflict.
Generally, when we say that I want peace of mind, this means that all the conflicts in my life should be resolved. Now, there will never be a time when all the conflicts in your life will be resolved. There will always be something or the other. The only place where all conflicts are resolved is the cemetery- there are no problems for that person whatsoever, but until then, there will be problems.
So, we can have शान्ति/peace, despite our many problems, just like the deep part of the ocean is very quiet and peaceful.
So, with all the conflict that is there, you can still have some शान्ति/peace of mind.
Here, we are talking about recognizing the आत्मा as untouched, as being absolute peace, which is not touched by any conflict. Conflict will happen to the body, it can happen to the mind and so on and so forth.
But the आत्मा that illumines and is aware of the body and whatever is happening in the body and the mind is untouched, always untouched.
So, शान्तिम् अचिरेणाधिगच्छति ~ so one gains that.
Then, to contrast what not having श्रद्धा can do for you-
* श्लोक ४० *
अज्ञश्चाश्रद्दधानश्च संशयात्मा विनश्यति ।
नायं लोकोऽस्ति न परो न सुखं संशयात्मन: ॥ ४०॥
The one who does not have श्रद्धा, and also who is अज्ञ i.e. does not even have the discerning ability of what is true, what is not true, विवेक is not there.
And further, संशयात्मा- what is referred to as doubting Thomas. There are some of us who will doubt everything in the name of knowing the right information, or whatever that is.
So, what happens to this संशयात्मा (the one who doubts)?
विनश्यति- this person is destroyed.
So, this is a very big thing, what do you mean? Because for such a person, anything that is said, they question- really, is it true?
So, typically when it comes up- if somebody says I really love you. Really? No. I don’t believe you. Why would you love someone like me? Or, you don’t believe it, so you need to hear it like 10x per day- you have not told me you love me, it has been a while, you really love me?
Because there is a little insecurity, संशय is there.
But anything, you have to always double check. You locked the door- again you check repeatedly. Anybody says anything to you- you don’t trust. I don’t know if what the person is saying is true. And this ‘what if’ game, is a game we love to play. (there is a podcast on this ‘what if’). What if I die? What if the loved ones around me die? What if I lose a limb? etc. So, we are very good at it.
The power of imagination, which is a great blessing which has been given to us, we use it in this way. It is helpful to some extent because it helps us to prepare for the worst possible consequence. It’s a helpful habit, but it stops being helpful after some time. Why? Because we are always thinking of the worst possible consequence. Therefore, we cannot take a decision. Should I take this job- should I, should I not? Should I marry, or should I not? Should I commit? Should I buy this? All the time there is doubt.
And here what भगवान् is saying is- अयं लोक: नास्ति | So this world, where you can enjoy काम, अर्थ, धर्म, that is also not there for the person.
Because you know in all your relationships you doubt about whether they really care for you, whatever they do is not enough for you, and so on.
Then, you doubt your own abilities.
And as a result of which you can’t stick with any job because again you’re doubting them. So, they’re all out to cheat me, exploit me, manipulate me, and so on.
Then, what can you trust? Nothing because everything is doubted.
So, this world of धर्म, अर्थ, काम is not available for me. So, even that relative happiness is not available for me.
Then, what about being exposed to वेदान्त, and having this commitment? Well that is also not. Why? Because I doubt everything- Really? How is it possible that the शास्त्र was an oral tradition once upon a time? I can barely remember 10 phone numbers. How is it possible that people remember 20,000 verses i.e. one वेद? It is not possible.
So, you can’t actually evaluate a particular era on the basis of your current situation, but we do that all the time – No, no, I don’t think that’s possible, that’s not possible. गुरु and all these people, they are just crazy for money, and power, and fame, that’s why they’re insisting that you need a गुरु | But, I don’t think so.
So, anything anyone tells you- doubt. Whether you are pursuing the शास्त्र- you cannot gain the joy of the ज्ञानफलम् because you are doubting all the time. Nor can you gain धर्म, अर्थ, काम |
So, मोक्ष pursuit is not available for you- संशयात्मा, and neither is this धर्म, अर्थ, काम |
So, we have to recognize that the problem does not lie with the world outside.
It is not that all the problems lie with us. It is possible that we have come across situations where our trust was betrayed, and if we are being a bit alert and cautious, that’s fine. It may be required in this phase.
But, if you are so alert and so cautious that you don’t move you, and you withdraw completely into a shell, you’re not available to transact with anyone, and nor can a possibility be available to you that you can change your mind.
So that’s what भगवान् is saying- सुखं अयं लोक: नास्ति ~ this world is not available for this person. Nor the world पर: – So because I don’t have श्रद्धा in the वेद, I don’t believe that there is स्वर्ग ~ That I’ll do good things, contribute/give, I will do some rituals and gain स्वर्ग | But I don’t trust, I don’t think it’s true. So, स्वर्ग- no chance.
So, there is no सुख for such a person.
So, basically, भगवान् is contrasting the one who has श्रद्धा and the one who does not have श्रद्धा, and what happens to such a person.
* श्लोक ४१ *
योगसंन्यस्तकर्माणं ज्ञानसञ्छिन्नसंशयम् ।
आत्मवन्तं न कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनञ्जय ॥ ४१॥
So, referring to Arjuna as धनञ्जय,
कर्माणि न निबध्नन्ति ~ कर्म does not bind.
Whom?
The one who has done संन्यास i.e. the one who has given up कर्म through योग.
But, what आसन did I do of giving up?
Here, we are talking of both ज्ञान योग and कर्म योग |
So, with the attitude of कर्म योग, recognizing that all is given to me, and I make the most of it. I have a recognition of भगवान्, and I am preparing myself so that I can see the truth that भगवान् and me are one. This is ज्ञान योग i.e. the reality of all the forms.
So, the one who has renounced कर्म, but who remains busier than the busiest bee with lots of projects, but is very clear that आत्मा was never the कर्ता |
कर्म is what you do with your body-mind. I am more than this body-mind. I am the one that illumines this body-mind. And कर्म does not define me.
When we meet people, one of the first questions asked is- what do you do?
Then, we don’t say- I do this…It is very interesting. What do you do? I am a finance professional, or I am an architect. Very interesting. Of course, we want to shorten it, we don’t want to go on and on.
So, suppose the person continues and says- you know nowadays it’s so difficult to find the right architect. Now you’re getting angry, though the person is talking about generally, and the person has a right to make a comment on architects. Well, I don’t think you found the right architect, you didn’t find me, that’s why.
So, with respect to one’s identity, immediately I get provoked, and then I will react. That happens all the time.
So, for the one who has recognized that आत्मा is अकर्ता- never the doer, never the experiencer, and from that standpoint the person has given up कर्म, then also the संशयम् i.e. all the doubts that were there are destroyed.
It’s very natural to have a doubt, but resolve the doubt. Don’t hold on to it, and put it in the museum of doubts as an heirloom or antique piece – I had a doubt 20 years ago and also now, I still have the doubt. And this happens very often. People ask a question in class, and it is answered and then they are satisfied with the answer, and it is clear to them. Then, again it will come up for five years, seven years. Why? Because you have nurtured the doubt so much, now it has become a part of your identity~ संशयात्मा |
So, for this person, all the doubts- I am the doer and I’m affected, I have sorrow etc. So, all these doubts about identities, all that has been destroyed. How, by what? By ज्ञानम्/knowledge.
And the one who is together i.e. आत्मवन्तं – the one who is very integrated, not much fragmentation.
So, you work to be integrated- in the sense that what you’re thinking, what you’re feeling, what you’re saying, they are not three personalities. You may not have personality disorder, but we are like this. We might be thinking that we want to strangle someone, but all the sweetest words are coming out of the mouth, and then you’re feeling something quite different.
So, we’re not talking about appropriateness in behavior- that is there, in line with धर्म, but one is together, together as a person. So, for that particular person, कर्म does not bind because the person has recognized the truth about oneself.
* श्लोक ४२ *
तस्मादज्ञानसम्भूतं हृत्स्थं ज्ञानासिनात्मन: ।
छित्त्वैनं संशयं योगमातिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भारत ॥ ४२॥
तस्मात् ~ Therefore,
What should you do Arjuna?
The doubts that have emerged, that had been borne from अज्ञानम्/अविद्या | अविद्या is ignorance of who you are. So, because of अज्ञानम्, I think that whatever I’m associated with, that must be me. So, the one who was knocked on the stage in the garb of a beggar, and has temporary amnesia, and wakes up in the hospital, and asks the fundamental questions- where am I? who am I? Then looks around and recognizes that I’m dressed in tatters, so I must be a beggar.
So, I look around and see that I have this costume of a human being, and so think that I must be a human being. So therefore, then a human being is incomplete, so I have to strive, and do a lot so that I am complete.
So, जीवत्वम् (the sense of being a जीव only) is because of अविद्या |
जीव is defined as- ब्रह्मसन् (although being ब्रह्मन्), जीवम् इति उच्यते/मन्यते- says/thinks that I am this limited body-mind.
So, संशयं छित्त्व ~ destroying all possible doubt that is born of अविद्या |
So, all kinds of doubts, e.g. related to the nature of desire- I must not have desire, desire creates suffering. And I must not get involved with life, etc. So, all these weird ideas we have which is all stemming from अविद्या i.e. the ignorance of oneself.
So, what should you do Arjuna?
योगम् आतिष्ठ उत्तिष्ठ ~ you please take to कर्म योग, take to ज्ञान योग, and get up.
Of course, He’s referring to get up and fight.
But here, get up in the sense of- wake up to the reality of who you are.
And if that’s not very clear, then spiritualize your life by making कर्म into कर्म योग | Learn to see that all that is here is ईश्वर | Then, of course, you will be blessed.
So, don’t take away this thing- that I shouldn’t have doubts. Please have doubts, but resolve the doubts. And that’s what भगवान् is saying- that you slay this संशय/doubt.
Doubt can also be in the form of vagueness, or an error that you repeatedly make.
So, you slay this संशय/doubt, with knowledge again and again.
And then, you just get up.
ॐ तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु
ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादे
ज्ञानकर्मसंन्यासयोगो नाम चतुर्थोऽध्यायः ॥ ४॥
So, the fourth chapter, the name of which was ज्ञान-कर्म-संन्यास-योग: | The topic of संन्यास (completely giving up) कर्म through ज्ञानम् of the आत्मा i.e. the one who is अकर्ता- never the doer. How did we know this? Through the संवाद/dialogue between भगवान् श्री कृष्ण and Arjuna.
And what was the dialogue about? Where do you get the best pizza? No. It was about ब्रह्मविद्या and योगशास्त्र – so the knowledge of the reality, and how should I live my life?
But is this a figment of somebody’s imagination? No, no- श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता, so this dialogue is happening in the भगवद्-गीता | And what the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता is talking about is really the essence of the उपनिषद् which is revealed knowledge by भगवान् |
So, with that- ॐ तत् सत् ~ ॐ is the only reality.
And, so we close the fourth chapter.
ॐ
CLASS NOTES
ॐ
सदाशिव समारम्भाम् शंकराचार्य मध्यमाम् ।
अस्मद् आचार्य पर्यन्ताम् वंदे गुरु परम्पराम् ॥
ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पूर्णमुदच्यते ।
पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
This is similar to how a child may jokingly tell a story~ once upon a time, the end.
So, we start with the prayer~ सदाशिव समारम्भाम्,
and then the prayer that we generally say at the end~ पूर्णमदः, we say at the beginning.
Because the शान्तिपाठ of this उपनिषद् is पूर्णमदः |
So, we see how we can get conditioned- if people were coming for an offline class, they would put their books back in the bag, because when they hear पूर्णमदः, they think that class is over. No, actually the class is just beginning.
So, पूर्णमदः is the शान्तिपाठ- we will say it at the beginning, and we will say it at the end also.
It is also similar to the conditioning that people get whenever ब्रह्मार्पणम् is chanted. One thinks that ब्रह्मार्पणम् means now food, as it is often said as the prayer before meals.
Now ईशा उपनिषद्, like many उपनिषद्-s, the first word is ईशा-वास्यम् | And therefore the उपनिषद् is called as ईशावास्य उपनिषद्, also referred to as ईशा उपनिषद् |
The उपनिषद् is positionally the last part of the वेद | It is not like the bibliography at the end which you can ignore. You have to qualify for the last part.
And we have looked at the definition of the word उपनिषद् | We translate it very simply as Self- knowledge. The whole word उपनिषद् comprises of 3 smaller words-
(i) उप – Close, nearby.
What is near to you? Near to you~ One just came back from the शाङ्कर मठम् for the रामनवमी पूजा | For a person who lives in Bengaluru, शाङ्कर मठम् is near~ उप | But, for somebody who lives in Matunga, like a lot of students, it is relatively nearer for them- it’s just really a hop, skip and jump.
So, उप/near is a relative word.
Then, what are we talking about? We’re talking about That which is the nearest to you.
In fact, it is so near it is you. So, what about it?
(ii) नि is another प्रत्यय meaning निश्चयात्मिक ज्ञानम् |
So, well-ascertained knowledge of That which is the nearest, That which is you.
(iii) षद् –
So, what will this knowledge do for me? What’s in it for me? What will I get?
I get that which ‘wears out’. Wears out my shoes? No. It wears out all that is अनर्थ in my life- all that causes me sorrow and puts me on the cycle of becoming and becoming, the endless cycle that is अनर्थ | So, it just wears out, and विशरणे also i.e. it disintegrates.
So that knowledge, निश्चयात्मिक ज्ञानम्, which is about you, which removes all that is not you, that is उपनिषद् |
There are many उपनिषद्-s, 10 of them were commented upon by भगवान् आदि शङ्कराचार्य |
And each of these उपनिषद्-s is all revealed knowledge by different ऋषि-s.
And out of these 10 उपनिषद्-s that भगवान् आदि शङ्कराचार्य commented on, ईशा is one of them.
So, generally when the sequence is asked- which were the उपनिषद्-s that भगवान् आदि शङ्कराचार्य commented on? So, people will rattle off the 10- ईशा, केन, कठ, प्रश्न, मुण्ड, माण्डूक्य, तैत्तिरीय, ऐतरेय, छान्दोग्य, बृहदारण्यक तथा |
In this class we have already done- कठ उपनिषद्, केन उपनिषद् |
मुण्डक उपनिषद् some have done.
And तैत्तिरीय उपनिषद् was just concluded.
छान्दोग्य उपनिषद् (6th & 7th chapters) some have done in camps.
So, in some places ईशावास्य उपनिषद् is taught as the first उपनिषद्, and it’s not necessarily because of the order. Some people do it, but we generally won’t do it. Why? Because it has some मंत्र-s which can be a bit confusing.
The first मंत्र is the famous one- ईशा वास्यम् इदं सर्वं |
But, there are some other मंत्र-s which you cannot take the literal meaning of. So, a lot of Sanskrit words, especially in the वेद-s, they have a वैदिक् meaning.
So, this thinking that if I know Sanskrit I will figure out the वेद- No, you can’t. You can enjoy कालिदास, रामायण, महाभारत as these don’t need to be taught by a Teacher unless there are doubts or contradictions, then yes, you can always consult.
So, all those texts i.e. काव्य you can delight in and enjoy on your own also.
But उपनिषद् has to be learnt from a Teacher.
Now, ईशा उपनिषद् belongs to the यजुर्वेद and we refer to it as शुक्लयजुर्वेद |
So, we spend some time on the शान्ति मंत्र |
It’s a very beautiful शान्ति मंत्र, and a very unusual one because in this मंत्र, you are not praying for something. It is similar to अहं वृक्षस्य रेरिवा, which is a declaration of the Truth by Trishanku. This is also- you are just expressing a reality.
It is not like- आप्यायन्तु ममाङ्गानि, where one prays that my वाक् & चक्षु should be okay, that for all my pursuits, the body-mind should be okay.
So, you’re not really praying for that in this शान्तिपाठ | So this is a very, very beautiful opening prayer.
And to understand it better, we are going to be using three pronouns and you have to be well versed with these Sanskrit pronouns.
(i) अहम् which means I. But there is no अहम् in this मंत्र |
There is only अदः and इदं |
(ii) अदः means That. Similar to how we have ‘तत्’ शब्द |
(iii) इदं means This.
पूर्णम् is a word that is there a lot in the मंत्र |
What is this पूर्णम्? पूर्णम् is a word for completeness, fullness, wholeness (not like hole in the bucket).
ॐ is a word for ईश्वर | ॐ is a word for both सगुण & निर्गुण ब्रह्मन् | And most मंत्र-s begin with ॐ |
पूर्णम् अदः – अदः (That) is पूर्णम् |
पूर्णम् इदं – इदं (This) is पूर्णम् |
Now what is That? What is this अदः?
Generally, we use ‘that’/अदः for something that is far away.
That something which is remote in time & space.
So, ‘that tree’, ‘that gate’ refer to those things that are far away from you. Or in ‘that time’ is used when you’re talking about the past. For instance- in ‘that time’, I was like this.
So ‘that’/अदः refers to something far away from you, something remote.
So, अदः is पूर्णम् |
What is अदः referring to? Generally, whenever we use a pronoun, we have to qualify it earlier by a noun.
Suppose you say- ‘Rama’ went to the forest. Then you can continue by saying- ‘He’ ate fruits & roots. You can’t begin saying- ‘He’ ate fruits & roots. Then, one will ask- Who is this he? We don’t know, as you have not spelt it out.
But this पूर्णम् (fullness), actually it has been spelt out.
अदः पूर्णम् – That is पूर्णम् |
So, our focus is now on That/अदः |
But, उपनिषद्’s focus is on पूर्णम् is That |
So, what you think is remote from you i.e. ईश्वर, Oneself, That is fullness.
Fullness means that there is no lack. There is nothing that can be added, nothing that can be taken away.
This will be further explained later.
So okay, fine. You spoke about- पूर्णम् is That/अदः, and पूर्णम् is this/इदं.
But, where am I/अहम् in this whole equation? You forgot me? How could you do this? How could you ignore me?
Well, इदं is This. What is ‘This’?
‘This’ means something that is close to me in time and space.
For instance- I am attending ‘this’ class.
So, body & mind are इदं |
E.g. इदं शरीरं कौन्तेय ~ १३.२, श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता
So, इदं you will see everywhere. इदं refers to the जगत् |
जगत् or in other words, That which is an object of your awareness.
And it is also not so remote- It’s here, it’s now, it’s इदम् |
So, all that is दृश्यम् i.e. all that is known, including the sights and sounds in front of me, different experiences, body, mind is इदं/this. Some things that are not yet known, i.e. all that we can see is इदं/this.
Then, it’s also possible that what was अदः became इदं |
For instance, you fancied a particular job, you never thought you were going to get it, it was very remote, or a particular opportunity that seemed very far away. And then now you’ve got a very senior position in the company. So, it became इदं for you. What was अदः became इदं for you because of time and space, again object of your awareness, of your experience.
So then when अदः becomes इदं; That becomes This,
then the remoteness, the quality of it being far away from you, is now destroyed. So, it is no longer so far away.
Earlier, ईश्वर was very far away, and now- not far away at all. Why? Because you have spent some time in inquiry, and now ईश्वर is a very intimate experience/understanding for you.
Now, let’s look at पूर्णम् | पूर्णम् as fullness, as limitlessness, can it have boundaries?
Because what पूर्णम् is referring to is consciousness, is ब्रह्मन् |
Then where am I in the picture?
I’m coming back to me, I’ve not forgotten myself, I. Where is I? Where do I fit in?
Do I fit in अदः? Do I fit in इदं?
What are you referring to as ‘I’ by the way?
If you are referring to body-mind, that is इदम् |
My thoughts, my desires, my wishes, my memory, my feelings – What is all that? It is an object of your awareness, it is इदम् |
Hmm…then I don’t know, then that means there’s nothing?
No. The शास्त्र reveals that you are the limitless.
So actually, you have considered yourself to be far away, to be remote.
Because अदः i.e. consciousness is remote from you in your understanding.
But, अदः includes अहम् | That includes I.
Oh, thank God I got included, otherwise I was feeling very left out.
Okay, so therefore the understanding of अहम्/ ब्रह्मन्/ consciousness, if I was trying to objectify it, it won’t work- make it third person, external to me- No.
अदः includes अहम्/I.
अदः/That includes I is to be understood, because it seems remote.
Then, पूर्णम् इदं, am I included? इदं- body/mind, दृश्यम्, object of my awareness?
So, when I’m talking about I, then, am I an object? The body is an object. It can be perceived, it has some dimensions, it is changing.
What about I-the subject, is it changing?
If you say that I is the mind, then of course it is changing, mind is still the object, mind is not the subject.
The one who is aware of all this/इदं, i.e. all that is changing, is the subject.
Subject of course is a referential word.
I~ is it then subject or object?
एकं वद निश्चित्य (३.२, श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता) – tell me one thing definitely,
don’t sit on the fence, don’t say neither subject nor object, or both subject and object. No, take a stand.
How I can take a stand? अहम्/I is the only thing that is Self-evident, Self-revealing, illumining everything including my ignorance. I exist, I am Self-evident.
Yes, I use a mouth to express myself.
And we also say- I know I exist.
But you ask any amoeba also, if they were able to talk, they have a sense of themselves. If you ask the amoeba- do you exist? Of course, I exist, for generations I have existed in your stomach, and I will keep proliferating also. There is a sense- I am what I am, whatever shapeless organism, and then I can engulf some other bacteria.
So, this rudimentary understanding of ‘I am’ is there for a cockroach, a lizard, and definitely for a human being. And it is not a product of your thinking.
The baby also has this understanding- just observe a baby how in great wonder just trying to discover what my boundaries are. So then, the baby will be sucking the thumb, which is a part of the reflexes, and is so very pleasurable to the child as it reminds of the mother. So, then I am this- that’s what the baby is figuring out.
So, this इदं is different from अहम् | That which illumines, that which is awareness, which is aware of everything is अहम्, using different instruments- अंतःकरण, बाह्यकरण etc.
This अहम्, is it ever remote/faraway? Even if you go to far off lands, even by chance, let’s say 10 years down the line, you do space travel, you go अदः |
Still, I will be the one traveling, I am Self-evident. So, I am never remote.
Then, am I not available in time sometimes? I may be lost- my memory may carry me away somewhere and so on. But am I away in terms of time, or in terms of place? Never. Always here.
अहम्- Here and now.
अदः/that includes अहम् |
Because अहम्, the limitlessness that is me, is not known and seems remote, therefore included.
So, पूर्णम् अदः, पूर्णम् इदं |
So, That is पूर्णम्/consciousness/fullness. That referring to ईश्वर, that referring to I.
And इदं पूर्णम् | इदं is this जगत्, all that is changing, all the effects, all the way that is also पूर्णम् |
Now, I think this statement might be a little defective. Why?
Because अदः does not include इदम् | That does not include This. This does not include That.
But the word पूर्णम् is there flashing. So, we have to shift our attention to पूर्णम् |
If you are looking at पूर्णम्, from the standpoint of That, or from the standpoint of This, then it seems like one excludes the other.
But if you look at these statements from the standpoint of पूर्णम्,
then पूर्णम् can swallow That and This, and everything else.
So, this पूर्णम्- that is completeness, that is limitlessness, that doesn’t have any boundaries, that is always present, that is never changing, that is you, that is also the nature of ईश्वर |
So, for it to be पूर्णम्, if you’re just looking grammatically, it cannot have a boundary, it cannot have an internal-external, it cannot have near and far away.
शास्त्र reveals what is पूर्णम् is ब्रह्मन्/ आनन्द/ fullness.
So पूर्णम् is ब्रह्मन् |
All that is here is पूर्णम् |
Then what?
CLASS NOTES
And then what?
Because, this is not like this. It sounds all nice, but my experience is that I feel incomplete, and that has been the experience for most of my life. So, in trying to compete with my peers in school because the teacher generally praises the one who is doing well academically, to competing in sports, then college, work-life, etc. I tried to find ways that will make me feel complete.
Even as a वेदान्त student, I will struggle with this- I have not learnt other उपनिषद्-s, I don’t know enough Sanskrit, I don’t know enough chanting etc.
So, we find ways to feel incomplete. Mark my words- we find ways to feel incomplete. Actually, we can’t help it. Why? Because of अविद्या, the standing theme is that I am incomplete. How? Because I erroneously think that this body-mind is really what I am. There is this strong identity.
Now we’re slowly going to start having offline events, not everything online.
Let’s say that somebody is asked to come to the stage. Most of us will adjust ourselves~ self- conscious, you feel like that. And suppose we ask in a class also- any volunteers? It is not easy to volunteer. Why should I? Let me give others a chance, I’m very generous. Or, I don’t know what people will say. I don’t want anyone to laugh. I don’t want anyone to think less of me.
And, we’re talking of in a वेदान्त class, where we’re talking of पूर्णम्-consciousness etc.
So, there are different ways in which the entrenched notion that I am body-mind comes up.
Or some identity is challenged. So, the experience of limitation, all beings have, and actually that’s fine. But we take experience as reality. That’s where the problem is. You can have 10,000 experiences, what’s wrong with it? And have some more~ 20,000 experiences. Because it does not change the reality. But for us, experience is the reality. It is अविचार सिद्ध: |
This is my प्रतिज्ञा/proposition/hypothesis, which is concluded without great experimentation,
but just by the process of living, and looking at how society, i.e. different people, interact with each other, and I think that what I experience is real. And in those experiences, in most experiences, I feel incomplete. There are a few experiences, here and there where I feel complete- I had आम्रस् today, so mango season- fantastic. Or I heard very nice मृदङ्ग- super. So, these are moments of completeness.
So how to make sense of this शान्तिपाठ? Because it seems like what उपनिषद् is saying is one thing, and my experience is quite another.
Because, when we look at the form itself~ the body, mind and so on, there is limitation. For instance, if you are here, you can’t be there. And there are lots of things that we don’t know, that we want to know. So, परिच्छेद/limitation is experienced by us often.
But, पूर्णम् does not have any limitation- neither in terms of time, or place, or knowledge. So, पूर्णम् is only referring to that which is free from duality i.e. अद्वैत | द्वैत is duality ~ two. अद्वैत(non-dual) is पूर्णम् |
Then, one clever Math student will say that if it’s one, it can be divided. So, that’s why we have to add one other line stating- one without a second. Because we have studied fractions in school, and we can divide that one into many- one by two, one by three. For instance, you split the serving when you go to a restaurant- one by two. E.g. you can split Chai one by two. So, everything can be divided, we experience it.
But here पूर्णम् is one without a second, cannot be divided.
All परिच्छेद/limitation is really- me and the other.
One may say that this is not duality, it is plurality- me and then the laptop, and then the book, and then the phone, and the glass of water- so many things.
So, the शास्त्र very intelligently puts it into one category- the other, whatever it is. All of it can be put in one category- the other.
Now the more I experience difference, the more isolated I feel, the more lonely I feel, so I want to bridge the difference. And we do have moments when we do bridge the difference, moments that are happy moments.
शान्तिपाठ recognizes this difference we experience.
So, while पूर्णम् appears to be अदः/that, इदम्/this is also पूर्णम् |
So, what the शास्त्र is saying is that- you have divided this world into I, and XYZ whatever that is, but that division does not make sense. Why? Because that division is only on the basis of name and form~ नामरूप |
Really, if you look at it, like in the vast ocean, there are all kinds of waves- the waves near the shore, and then deeper waves, tsunami waves. If you talk to surfers, they have many words for the different kinds of waves & winds. So different names are there for these forms, but all of it, at all times, is only water. The surfer may say- Oh today I don’t think it is a good idea, I cannot surf the waves. The weather doesn’t seem nice, so I don’t think we can. Or, today the waves look really good, so today I will surf. So, however you choose to interact with the form, the form does it have a reality of its own? Can the surfer say- I will surf the surf which doesn’t have water? Then the surfer will go straight to the hospital.
So, the (wave)form for the surfer, does it exist on its own? No, it cannot. In fact, what is there is only water. It just appears as a form, worthy enough for me to be able to surf.
So, we look at all the forms in this world including body-mind etc. Then, does it have a reality of its own? This is the question, because I have decided by अविचार सिद्ध: that I am different from the other.
On what basis did you decide? On the basis of my experience. What is the meaning of experience? Sense data- what you feel, what you touch, what you hear, what you smell, what you taste. That’s all. Of course, it will have an emotional component to it- I love sunsets. Or, I hate sunsets, because my life is going down like the sunset, so I don’t like sunsets. So, there is a special, unique emotional take~ it’s a take on your sense data.
But any experience, if you evaluate it and you break it down- what are the building blocks of any experience? It is sense data plus your emotional response.
No, my Kundalini is rising- very good, so for that also some sensation is there. And then you will have an emotional take on it- Oh, very nice.
Or, somebody writes saying- Oh my God, my back hurts, it’s very painful because I did something once upon a time.
So, all these experiences that we have, what is the reality of it? Why this question/inquiry? Because, I cannot reconcile to feeling limited. I cannot say it’s okay~ I feel happy- that’s fine, I feel limited- that’s also okay. I cannot reconcile to it.
You can say water flows. Well, it is the nature of water to flow.
So then suppose it is my nature to feel limited. Can I reconcile with this? No chance. It is a struggle from childhood onwards.
For instance, sometimes with children you’re helping them, but the three-year-old fellow says- no, I will do it myself. Then, when the child is trying to walk, and then after some time, being the great supportive adult that you are, you are still holding the child. So, the child will leave your hand and run, enjoying that sense of independence.
So, always trying to break free. If you look at all our pursuits, what are we trying
to do? We’re trying to break free from whatever limitations we perceive. Whether I have put a limitation on myself- I don’t think I can wake up before seven o’clock. No, I have to wake up for whatever reason. So, I try to break free from that.
Or, I can only walk 10 steps because I had a fall. No, I will push myself a little more.
Or, I can only focus in a class for a certain time, then my mind goes all over. So, I make a little effort.
So, we tend to make effort, we like to keep pushing the limits of the body and mind, because this form is a limited form and we feel kind of trapped in it.
If we were truly limited, there is no way you can feel trapped. There would be no reason.
Why do you want to fly from one place to another? Stay put. No, I want to go there, I want to travel, I want to meet people etc.
So, I am not okay. In a lot of our pursuits, we are trying to break free. So, this Queen song, ‘I want to break free’ is iconic as it taps into the universal theme, as everyone wants to break free. And it’s not just about a teenager, because people thought that only teenagers of that time loved that song. But the teenagers now are in their 40s and 50s. They will also go to a rock concert and sing loudly- I want to break free. And you can ask an 85-year-old also~ I want to break free.
Some people will say- Oh, I want to break free from this life.
So, this limitation is not acceptable to us, because it doesn’t feel like our nature. It is not our स्वरुप, and so we struggle against it.
पूर्णात् पूर्णम् उदच्यते ।
Now, a relationship is being described-
पूर्णात् ~ from पूर्णम्,
पूर्णम् उदच्यते ।
What is this?
Logically it does not make any sense. From पूर्णम्, पूर्णम् has only come.
So, a little modification must have happened? No, no modification whatsoever.
There has been no intrinsic change in पूर्णम् |
पूर्णम् – that is consciousness, that is you, that is ईश्वर, appears in different ways. These are names & forms, they don’t have their own reality.
पूर्णम् उदच्यते – उदच्यते means ‘comes forth’.
So certain things that are known or knowable i.e. effect/कार्यम् |
So far, we have seen-
पूर्णम् is That, पूर्णम् is This, and from that पूर्णम् comes पूर्णम् |
So, completeness all the way.
So then if you’re saying that पूर्णम् came from पूर्णम्,
then that means that one is the cause, and the other is the effect.
Suppose you say- the lovely gold necklace came from this lump of gold.
Did gold intrinsically undergo change? No, some nice designing has been done and it appears very beautiful. You can now wear it, you cannot wear a lump of gold. The lump of gold does not have व्यवहारिक सत्यम् |
But this effect/कार्यम् i.e. the necklace- of course you can wear it.
So, that is also पूर्णम् |
But it underwent a modification?
So, the body-mind is a modification. So, the पञ्चमहाभूत-s, we have seen in तैत्तिरीय – it seems to have undergone modification.
What has undergone modification? Only that which can be perceived with your senses.
Can ‘is’-ness/consciousness ever undergo modification?
Consciousness sometimes seems remote. So, let’s use the word ‘is’-ness.
So, this is a pencil, video battery, phone. So, your focus will be on the form.
When one is asked- what do you see? One can see pencil, and whatever other object you can observe in the room. But also, there is light. It’s very rare for one to say- oh you know there is light. But in that light, all of this is seen.
So, that light could be a good metaphor for ‘is’-ness ~ that which always is.
So, whether it is a pencil, or a video battery, or spectacles, or this human-form, ‘is’-ness is never displaced. Always is. Never displaced. Forms get displaced. And the truth of this form, if you really do a reduction in terms of what it is made up of~ molecules, atoms etc. What is the defining particle of any object? We will call it formless existence.
So, this is-ness, can it be modified? No. It cannot be displaced, it cannot be modified. Then, maybe we can add something to it ~ पूर्णम् आदाय |
You can add to it, maybe you can take away – you can attempt.
Even if you attempt- पूर्णम् एव अवशिष्यते | All that is left behind as you is पूर्णम्- it is you, it is चैतन्यम् |
So then are there 2 पूर्णम्-s? One is formless पूर्णम्, and the other is different forms? No.
Because- पूर्णस्य पूर्णम् आदाय पूर्णम् एव अवशिष्यते |
There is only one पूर्णम्, and whatever change it might have undergone is really an appearance.
So, it’s very much like saying- स्वर्णात्, स्वर्णम् | स्वर्ण is gold. So, from स्वर्ण came स्वर्ण i.e. from formless gold came some form. Really speaking gold never underwent any change.
So, पूर्णम्- that is completeness, that is fullness, that is you, never really underwent any change. It as though has a form, as though you can interact with the world, as though you can do a lot of things.
Let’s say we will try to enhance and embellish पूर्णम् |
Is that possible? पूर्णम् आदाय | No, you can’t. Because to embellish, add, or enhance, you need something other than पूर्णम्, but all that is here is पूर्णम्/’is’-ness.
Then, what will you add, and what will you take away from it? Not possible.
So, when we say that all these names and forms i.e. इदम् is पूर्णम्, what we are being encouraged to do is what we thought was अपूर्णम्, to actually look upon it as पूर्णम्-ब्रह्मन् |
Transactionally, we are not asking you to make everything a melting pot. Everything is पूर्णम्, so let all of us jump into a ball of fire, so that all of us will be one. No.
So, we don’t need to have this experiential, and it is never possible also. We don’t have to reduce all forms experientially into one. All that is required is for us to see that what we are referring to as experience depends on something else- which is you, which is consciousness. The experience is some sort of name, some sort of form you have given it, and you are projecting onto the experience your own स्वरूप |
So, if there are moments of आनन्द, don’t dismiss it. We tend to do that sometimes in the name of वैरग्य | Oh, I want real आनन्द, I want absolute आनन्द, this आनन्द from eating mango is very short-lived, how many mangoes I will eat? So, it is very limited.
Singing a song- very limited आनन्द | No, whatever आनन्द manifests, it is only your स्वरूप only. Sometimes manifest, sometimes it doesn’t. It’s okay.
पूर्णम् एव अवशिष्यते –
‘Is’-ness is all that is. ‘Is’-ness means fullness.
So, what is your true nature, is the only thing that is. Everything else will go into इदं or अदः |
What I originally thought to be अहम्, actually turned out to be इदम् |
Yes- So I am so and so, I have this profession, I have all these achievements, or I don’t have any achievements, I feel lousy about myself, I am proud about myself, whatever it is whichever extreme you’re swinging to. All that got attached with ‘I’/अहम् actually is इदम् |
But इदम् is also पूर्णम् |
The inquiry was required for me to see what अहम् truly is, step by step.
So, श्रुति as प्रमाण does not require you to stop having experiences, because sometimes people can misunderstand.
So, you say- okay, I have an unpleasant thought, पूर्णम् आदाय, पूर्णम् एव अवशिष्यते | So, even if I have an unpleasant thought, I am still पूर्णम् |
Or, I have a very elevated thought~ रामनवमी and Rama appears in blessing. Still I am पूर्णम्, I continue to be पूर्णम् |
So, the reconciling of our experience to reality is what is required by us and the inquiry has to be persistent, firm, and gentle. It should be done with love. One should not dismiss, as then you are just cutting yourself, and this is not helpful at all.
One should be consistent with the inquiry.
So, this experience that I’m having, what is the reality of this experience? Me. Because, I-the experiencer is very much there. Experiences come and go.
What is the स्वरूप of the experiencer? पूर्णम्, all the way.
So, through this शान्तिपाठ, what we are seeing is that the divisions that we make i.e. subject & object, they are not valid. Experientially they are valid, but from the standpoint of reality, they are not valid at all.
The difference we make between जीव and परमात्मा-
Suppose you say अदः is ईश्वर, and इदं is जीव | This is not valid. Why? Because both are पूर्णम् |
Then, what seems to be the कार्य,
पूर्णात् पूर्णम् उदच्यते (पूर्णम् comes about from पूर्णम्),
it seems like they have a cause-effect relationship.
So, पूर्णम् is ब्रह्मन्, and from that ब्रह्मन् came this जगत् |
This जगत् also is पूर्णम् |
Oh…but so much global warming, everywhere the temperature is increasing…How are we going to handle it? Whatever we are handling, at the moment fretting and fuming- all that is पूर्णम् |
No, it cannot be पूर्णम्, we have to switch on the AC. Please, you can continue doing that, or you can wear your woolens depending on where you are in the world.
What is पूर्णम्? Not the form. There can be no form that is पूर्णम्, from the standpoint of the form. But every form has ‘is’-ness which cannot be taken away, which cannot be displaced.
But because of the पञ्चमहाभूत, it appears as something. But, every form is पूर्णम् |
So, you can remember the open eye meditation that we have done. You look around- it is very easy to do when you are going for a walk~ birds are chirping, how beautiful, so nice.
Then, daughter-in-law is chirping – No, I wish she would just shut up, you know. She’s chirping a little bit too much. But she is also पूर्णम् | The bird is पूर्णम्, chirping daughter/mother-in-law etc. is also पूर्णम् | Transactionally, one may find it a little difficult to get along, but we have some working arrangement, but all the way पूर्णम् |
So, the form is not in opposition to me. I have to see that again and again.
For that, कर्म योग is very important. Because, then we can minimize our reactions- रागद्वेष, buildup, reaction after reaction to what is.
So, one becomes more in line with व्यवहारिक सत्यम् i.e. transactional reality. Then there’s not so much reaction. We are more open, we are available. We are receptive to what reality is, which is you- पूर्णम् |
पूर्णस्य पूर्णम् आदाय पूर्णम् एव अवशिष्यते | So nothing can take away from the truth of who you are, from the standpoint of your possessions, personality, qualities, age.
Age- so my youth has been robbed, now I am in middle-age. So that will apply, but the truth of who you are, the reality of who you are, that nobody can take away from you. And nobody can enhance you either.
Because all that is here is you, is पूर्णम् |
ॐ
CLASS NOTES
Last class we had looked at the पूर्णमदः मंत्र which is the शान्तिपाठ of this उपनिषद् | It is a very beautiful and profound मंत्र | If this मंत्र is understood, we don’t need to proceed
with the rest of the उपनिषद् | But, of course we will proceed slowly, slowly.
So, the first मंत्र of ईशावास्य उपनिषद् is an often quoted मंत्र | Many people know only this मंत्र and it’s very popular-
* मंत्र १ *
ईशा वास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किं च जगत्यां जगत् ।
तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्य स्विद्धनम् ॥ १ ॥
The first मंत्र is really the teaching of the उपनिषद्, and the rest of the 17 मंत्र-s (because there are a total of 18 मंत्र-s), they are an elaboration of this first मंत्र |
So, a part of मंत्र १ and a part of मंत्र २ refer to the lifestyle that one can adopt if you are seeking this knowledge.
Then what is the knowledge?
The उपनिषद् is asking us to change our दृष्टि i.e. to change how we look at the world, and there’s enough reasoning given for that.
ईशा वास्यम् इदं सर्वम् |
One should note this ‘इदं सर्वम्’, as it is a phrase repeated everywhere, for instance we will see it in the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता |
इदं ~ refers almost always to the world, or ‘This’ i.e. what you are experiencing around you, everything you are experiencing around you.
So, the question is before we really look at the उपनिषद्- what is our दृष्टि of ‘इदं सर्वम्?
Because although we may not have come up with a philosophy of life and we may not have come up with a framework, but each of us have some thoughts about what life is about, what our day is about. So, if life seems a little too big, then what is one’s day about? What is my ‘इदं सर्वम्’ about i.e. what is this ‘all this’?
For a lot of us, all this i.e. ‘इदं सर्वम्’ may be a list of our to-do tasks. So, I have to move from one task to another, then another. And then there is great joy in ticking off your task.
So, ‘इदं सर्वम्’ may be a sense of accomplishment by fulfilling my to-do tasks.
Or, ‘इदं सर्वम्’ may be my world divided according to रागद्वेष – the things I like, the people I like, the things I like to do, the things I don’t like to do, the kind of people I don’t like, etcetera.
And then, with my own रागद्वेष-s, life is okay. But, what might be my द्वेष, might be someone else’s राग | For instance, now a lot of people are going on vacation because a lot of restrictions have eased up. So now there are the big decisions about where to go, and what to do on the holiday. So, supposed you’re going with another person, then your राग may be that I just want to go to a resort and relax. Whereas, this is the other person’s द्वेष and this person thinks- What do you mean, you don’t have a house? You can’t be spending all this money going flying from one location to another and just crashing out in some other bed. What kind of a holiday is that? We have to have a full detailed itinerary from 6am in the morning to 10pm in the night. We have to make the maximum use of our time. So, one’s द्वेष can be someone else’s राग |
Then, ‘इदं सर्वम्’ becomes all about managing our relationships. That’s what often preoccupies most of us. So, then there is the struggle of having harmony in relationships. So, some days it’s okay, some days it’s not, and then there are misunderstandings. So, if you’re too quiet- people think that something is wrong, then if you’re too talkative then people want you to shut up. So, then what shall we do?
So, this ‘इदं सर्वम्’, for a lot of people it will be about experiences.
Or, ‘इदं सर्वम्’ may be about कर्म | So, my कर्म, पुण्य, पाप etc.- situations & experiences I have to deal with.
So, depending on our personalities, we have all these different views of what the day is about, what life is about. So, this idea of what the day is about is इदं सर्वम् |
Then, what is the उपनिषद् saying?
ईशा वास्यम् –
ईशा is परमात्मा | सर्वस्य परमात्मा according to भगवान् आदि शङ्कराचार्य | He also beautifully adds- प्रत्यग्-आत्मा | So, one should not think that प्रत्यग्-आत्मा means अदः i.e. remote. No.
प्रत्यक् means innermost, indweller.
So, सर्वस्य परमात्मा / सर्वस्य प्रत्यग्-आत्मा – the indweller of all beings.
ईशा वास्यम् –
सर्वस्य परमात्मा – ईशा/परमात्मा/पारमेश्वर,
वास्यम् means cover.
So, one has to cover whatever दृष्टि one has of इदं सर्वम् with ईशा |
This is the teaching.
This इदं सर्वम् ~ is it just my little home, managing groceries, vendors etc.?
No.
जगत्, जगत् याम् – all that is this जगत्/world, and all that moves on this earth. So, this includes animate and inanimate things.
इदं सर्वम् जगत् जगत् याम् ईशा वास्यम् |
So, in and through all my experiences, all the forms that are there, e.g. at work one is banging off some emails to some people, meeting some people, you are avoiding some people, and then relatives have to be met suddenly Also so many people are calling now because it’s almost coming back to pre-pandemic times. So now there is so much interaction, and we are not used to so much interaction after 2 years. So, so much suddenly.
So, this जगत् जगत् याम्, one should see it as ईशा/ईश्वर, or the स्वरूप of ईश्वर i.e. प्रत्यग्-आत्मा, so ईशा वास्यम् |
But, the different names and forms, one has to deal with differently.
So, if one has to figure out what to make for food at home- whether one has to instruct a cook, or one is making oneself, nowadays everyone is on some diet, so there are so many dietary restrictions/preferences that people have. So different names and forms in the household are being managed differently according to dietary preference.
And then even at work, someone wants an early morning meeting, whereas another wants a late evening meeting. So, you are trying to manage all expectations i.e. सर्वम् इदं |
So, this जगत् that is there and the people that are there on this जगत्, they invariably cause stress- either they cause stress, or I take on stress, or both.
सर्वम् इदं is the कर्ता/doer and भोक्ता |
So, in this interaction of the कर्ता- trying to manage everybody’s expectations and keeping everyone happy. Who has given you this great responsibility?
So, fear is there. What will happen? What I want should happen. What I don’t want should definitely not happen.
And then, when things are good, it is all great, then when things are not so good e.g. loss of income or some diagnosis of a health issue, so then, a lot of reactions are there.
Then, when we look at the world, i.e. our experiences, what do I feel? When we think about all our roles, our responsibilities, things that have to be managed, etc. The general feeling is what? Feeling overwhelmed is often the general feeling.
And this same orientation, we can bring to वेदान्त also. The same orientation that we hold in response to the world we bring to वेदान्त also. E.g. so many texts, Sanskrit, chanting. Then, with some Teachers, there will be homework also. So, so much stress.
So, we feel that we are being rewarded, or being punished and this is our सर्वम् इदं |
But, उपनिषद् is saying- No. This सर्वम् इदं जगत् that causes so much reaction in you as soon as you wake up. This जगत् is ईशा |
But, how to see this जगत् as ईशा?
All the नामरूप (names & forms) – things around me, people in my life etc., they are always changing.
And our definition of reality is that which is never changing. This is प्रत्यग्-आत्मा, it is me.
So, ईशा is नित्य | Everything else is अनित्य | The जगत् is अनित्य i.e. changing.
There is नित्य that pervades the अनित्य |
So, form is changing but what is not changing? We always lose sight of what is any substance made up of- which is actually existence, it is formless existence.
E.g. A pencil is made of wood, which would have come from part of a tree. So, what is a pencil? Suppose you attempt to define it. We generally will define it with some function- that which helps you to write. Really, it’s the lead and not the wood that helps you to write.
But, this is just the function. How do you really define the pencil?
Then you’ll say- okay, wooden particle. Is that what makes up the pencil? Or, you may say an assemblage of wood & lead in a particular shape and form. But, what is the defining particle? If you keep breaking it down, in our understanding we will say molecules, atoms. Then what shape does the atom have? You will be forced to say formless.
So, the defining reality of this pencil is formless. We cannot say formless wood. Because if we are using a term like wood, it has to have some form. Then, what is it? The defining reality of each and every object is formless existence. Existence- that which always is.
If you ask the quantum physics people, they will say- what are you talking about, there is nothing that is solid in this world. We are all swimming in energy. You are energy, and everything is energy. And actually what you think is solid, is actually not. So, everything (atoms, molecules etc.) is moving, and there’s only space.
So, then all these objects that are moving, and even the ones that seem stationary, they are changing all the time, they are अनित्य | Our relationships, although we wish for a happily ever after, we project our own nature i.e. नित्य unto it. Even the refrigerator, we project our nature of नित्य unto it, thinking that it should have longevity- long ago the refrigerators used to last 30-40 years, nowadays there is no point in discussing warranty/guarantee of any product you buy, as after a few years it is gone. So, shelf-life is disappointing.
Everything is changing, relationships are ever changing. Somedays are good, sometimes drifting apart. But, in all of this ईशा is, and ईशा is नित्य |
So, ईशा is one without a second, cannot be divided into fractions.
But, जगत् is many forms, and many names. Even our देवता-s also are so many, but they are really one being only i.e. ईशा | But, people who are external to this understanding may think that there are so many देवता-s, I don’t know who to pray to.
The names and forms, did they come about on their own?
No. They are कार्य(effect).
तस्माद्वा एतस्मादात्मन आकाशः सम्भूतः।
आकाशाद्वायुः। वायोरग्निः। अग्नेरापः।
अद्भ्यः पृथिवी। पृथिव्या ओषधयः।
ओषधीभ्योऽन्नम्। अन्नात्पुरुषः॥३॥ ~तैत्तिरीय उपनिषद्
So, all the पञ्चमहाभूत have come from सत्यं ज्ञानं अनन्तं ब्रह्म, that is ईशा |
So, even this pencil- hydrocarbons, atoms, molecules etc., all that you see, and then look at it as just formless existence; it is a कार्य(effect). But what is the cause? We will say wood related to पृथिवी related to पञ्चमहाभूत |
But, what is the कारणम् of पञ्चमहाभूत? Oh, that is सत्यं ज्ञानं अनन्तं ब्रह्म i.e. ईशा |
So then, are we really dealing with 2 separate distinct objects- कार्यम् & कारणम्? They feel like it, but actually not.
Because wherever the कार्यम्/effect is, e.g. where the pencil is, there ब्रह्म is. Any object you take, let’s say a wastepaper basket, it is पञ्चमहाभूत from सत्यं ज्ञानं अनन्तं ब्रह्म | So there is no blasphemy in saying that the object, whatever it is, is ब्रह्मन् |
So then where the pencil is, there कारणम् is.
You cannot say that कारणम् is sitting in one corner, and कार्यम् is doing its own thing. They are not determined by different laws of nature.
E.g. because of gravity, we are able to hold a pencil and write, otherwise everything will be floating around. There are laws that help us to function. So, what about those laws? The intelligence of those laws is सत्यं ज्ञानं अनन्तं ब्रह्म | And the material पञ्चमहाभूत that is the pencil is also सत्यं ज्ञानं अनन्तं ब्रह्म |
So, this जगत् याम्, and all that is on this जगत् that is कार्यम् /effect, cannot exist without the कारणम्/cause. As where कार्यम् /effect is, there कारणम्/cause is.
So, only कारणम् is. There is no independent कार्यम् |
E.g. You try to sell some gold and see what happens. You may have some sentimental value for your gold jewelry, but the goldsmith will not have any sentimental value. Every 2 years you can have the gold melted and change the design of your jewelry to have a new, different piece to be worn.
And, though you say that you paid so much to get the intricate design, the goldsmith pays attention only to the value of the gold itself. So, what I am seeing in the sentimental value of that beautiful temple jewelry that I bought from Tamil Nadu~ very beautiful, very intricate, that which is my सर्वम् इदं दृष्टि, because I have sentimental value for this jewelry. But the jeweler only has कारणम् दृष्टि | He only sees the gold, he has nothing to do with my sentimental value or with the intricate design.
So, like that we resist our different experiences because we lose sight of the कारणम् in the experience. So, some unpleasant experience- I made such a feast for our New Year celebration and nobody appreciated it. Or, I work so hard, and nobody cares. Ultimately, everybody is very selfish. So, like that we say different things, depending on the experience.
Each and every experience, can we look at it as नामरूप? Because the tendency is that when we say नामरूप(name & form), we think of objects. So, we say yes of course, I totally understand- clay & pot, gold & ornaments, water & wave – yes, सत्यम्-मिथ्या is very clear.
Okay, then what about your experiences of life? Well, actually, life has been tough, I have had a very tough life. But is that not नामरूप? No but I was there, and I went through all these very difficult situations and I’ve managed to deal with it; and it’s okay, I have now प्रसाद बुद्धि:, and I am trying to approach things with कर्म योग attitude. So, it’s okay, I realize that I have to use प्रसाद बुद्धि:, then I’m okay.
So, I have converted the teaching into ‘I have to’ but you don’t have to do anything. But still…
So, what is this body-mind? Because it’s a part of the जगत्, नामरूप means this body-mind. So, this body-mind is also कार्यम् | That’s why we are able to return to the elements- whether you are being immersed in the Ganga, or भू समाधि – they will bury you somewhere, or they will burn you. It is all biodegradable, composed of the पञ्चमहाभूत |
So, my experience is it नामरूप? And then if it is नामरूप, that means that it is changing, that means that it is कार्यम् | That means that कारणम् is very much there which is ईशा |
So, my experience means this body, this mind, my reaction to whatever it is- I like, I don’t like, whatever it is. That reaction which is in the form of a subtle thought- it may be a feeling, it may be a cognition, some response is there. Is that thought a form, or not? Because it’s moving. You know your thoughts- sometimes memory is there, sometimes imagination is there.
So, nowadays children make excuses to watch YouTube, e.g. watching this YouTube video, we will draw. No, you please use your imagination- look around and get inspired.
So, imagination means that your thoughts are moving, and you are getting new ideas. So, the form is so subtle, but it is a form nevertheless ~ it’s moving.
So, that’s how we learn anything, that’s the glory of the mind.
So, thoughts keep moving, and I am the one who objectifies all thoughts.
So, when we come to you the experiencer/भोक्ता, even your thought, whatever it is- great, elevating, exalted thought or, even the horrible thought.
Even in that thought/form, you called it horrible or exalting i.e. नाम |
Who is there? ईशा | That is the vision.
So, ईशा has always been present. प्रत्यग्-आत्मा ~ I am ईशा ~ सर्वस्य आत्मा ~ सर्व-भूतानाम् ~ the आत्मा of all beings.
So ईशा is in and through every experience. BUT, you know इदम् सर्वम् – but my life etc. Yes, whatever is your life, whatever age you are in life, whatever stage you are in life.
That जगत्, जगत् याम्, इदम् सर्वम्, ईशा वास्यम् |
Again and again, you see around, and you look at your own life and see the presence of ईशा |
But, why I’m not able to see? Because of अविद्या | Because this नामरूप, I have taken to be ईशा |
So, I think that this is real, so anything that happens to it- my God, I cannot tolerate. And then how I feel significant because I take this body-mind i.e. नामरूप to be absolute सत्यम् | Then, I have to prove myself to the world. I am कर्ता, and a very accomplished कर्ता at that. So, I am always improving and trying to work harder, and I look for feedback.
One of the students that took the course on स्वधर्म was a very accomplished physician. And he has a wonderful story of how he is managing his workplace and serving patients. And the धार्मिक् base that he has managed to establish in his setup is really wonderful. And always trying to do better, to see what is better for the patients etc.
So, this कर्तृत्वम् that is there, whom does it belong to? Does it belong to नामरूप? Does it belong to आत्मा?
कर्तृत्वम् is based on what? Suppose you were like amoeba, and of course in the larger scheme of things we are like this only, though we like to think that we have a great sense of importance.
So, let’s just say- without the body and mind, can you have कर्तृत्वम् i.e. a sense of doership? No. You need to have some medium, and it happens to be body-mind in human form.
And then even the experiences, is it happening to आत्मा, or is it happening to body-mind?
So, one experience of body-mind/नामरूप interacting with another body-mind/ नामरूप ~ they are changing, so I think that I am changing.
I means what? नामरूप is changing – this is जगत् |
This कर्ता identity that is there, and of course with कर्ता identity comes भोक्ता identity. And for all of us, भोक्ता identity is really strong i.e. the experiencer.
So, can I see that my identity as कर्ता is all the way ईशा?
CLASS NOTES
So, the capacities that I have been given, what I do with my body-mind are नामरूप | So, the नामरूप that creates another नामरूप – whether you make a mess of your room, or you create a wonderful project, so there is one more नामरूप- all the time नामरूप, कार्यम्, अनित्य, but all the way is ईशा |
So, is this सत्यम्?
But, the कर्ता-भोक्ता identity is very strong. So, all day we are switching between कर्ता and भोक्ता |
E.g. You were going to take a flight last weekend, but you could not take the flight because the queues were so long. So, then you said- Oh, I don’t think I will make it, and so you call to postpone the flight. So, initially with great enthusiasm, bags were packed. But what did the भोक्ता experience? Disappointment.
So, all the time this happens. E.g. I was very elated since I went to गङ्गा-जी. With great enthusiasm, I wanted to have a dip. But then, when I look around, there’s one big gang nearby for पूर्णिमा. So, I still go, but I have conditioned my mind that when I am there, I want the place to be quiet and I will do some chanting. But instead there are people gossiping. And this listening to gossip cannot be helped because it’s not like you can close the ears. So, भोक्ता was hoping for a nice experience, but this is gone.
So, in this कर्ता-भोक्ता, what is it that is not changing ever? It is ईशा | But, कर्ता-भोक्ता/ अहंकार/ notional identity is very strong.
So, then a lot of things belong to me. And even the outcome of my actions belongs to me. So, when the outcome doesn’t go well, then of course there is suffering.
I want to control everything. We are all control freaks, right? It is either overtly expressed or we have learnt to be diplomatic about it. You want things to be in a particular way, you want people around you to be in a particular way, etc.
So, this प्रत्यग्-आत्मा that I am that is ईशा, but I cannot have this दृष्टि of सर्वम् इदं ईशा | Why? Because, कर्ता-भोक्ता is there standing almost as though in opposition. So then, what shall we do? So, कर्ता-भोक्ता we have to review.
And for that, you have two options. What are your options? Either you take संन्यास ~
तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्य स्विद्धनम् | – 2nd line, मंत्र १
Or the second verse that is coming- that you do कर्म, and assuming that you have a good optimum lifespan of 100 years, all you do is कर्म, basically bringing in कर्म योग, which is the other lifestyle.
So now,
तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा
So, त्यक्तेन – you do त्याग |
So, this is referring to the संन्यास lifestyle. So, you have to do त्याग | Of what?
Keeping aside the संन्यास lifestyle for a moment, the लक्षण of संन्यास is ज्ञानम् irrespective of your lifestyle. Why ज्ञानम्? Because, all the things that I was holding on to, particularly the notion of being कर्ता and भोक्ता, that त्याग is to be done.
A lot of people consider त्याग in terms of physical objects. That is also important. So, a lot of त्याग we do with giving up as we grow out of our shoes, our jeans, or whatever we used to use a few years ago. You don’t care for it much, you’ve grown out of it. Or sometimes it may happen with some relationships also- your best friend in school without whom you will not do anything, now you don’t know where that best friend is. So, this kind of change keeps happening.
Then, the अहंकार is holding on to a lot of notions, which also translates to acquiring possessions- this is mine, I feel significant because all of this is mine~ सर्वम् इदं ममकार अहंकार | This is my जगत् okay.
So now naturally there is anxiety because I cannot trust what भगवान् श्री कृष्ण says- ‘योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम्’ | Though Lord Krshna said it that time, I don’t know given how difficult situations are, if I can trust. So, I will take care Lord Krshna, don’t worry. So योगक्षेम is acquiring and maintaining what I have acquired. And everybody’s अहंकार is like this.
Even for the साधु holding on to the कमण्डलु and to whatever small personal possessions, this is important. E.g. How will I manage otherwise? My bicycle got stolen away, so how will I go to Kailash Ashram now? Ten kilometers? I have to start walking at four o’clock to reach there by six o’clock etc.
So, for this अहंकार, ultimately त्याग in the form of ज्ञानम् is to see that this अहंकार i.e. this idea of who I am was just a notion- that is त्याग, that is real त्याग |
That’s why दानम् is encouraged. There is a podcast on this- ‘giving before giving up’.
It’s very important to give दानम् | Our culture talks about it- यज्ञ, दान, तप: | Because in giving, you are extending your अहंकार- it’s not just about me and my family, I am reaching out to X Y Z and I’m extending my care to that person in whatever way, then my sense of अहम् is expanding.
This अहंकार can expand to include the whole world, then of course it is ईशा only.
But, this me and the other which creates division and separation and so on, I mitigate that by giving. And then I realize that without this, I am fine. Or I give X amount, and life is good, and I’m happy that the other is happy etc.
So, giving is a prerequisite to giving up, because giving up/त्याग may be with some objects here and there. But in the context of the संन्यास lifestyle, that all the things that I was dependent on emotionally, I now say that I don’t need this, or I can manage without this.
Why is the word emotional dependence used? Because, as long as you live, you will be physically dependent. There is no life form, which doesn’t have some dependence. Why? Because you are made of पञ्चमहाभूत, so you need food, water, air to survive.
So, when we are talking about independence, it’s only emotional independence, as physical dependence is there for all forms.
So, then the एषणा that is there, i.e. the deep desires that are there for most people, the second part of the मंत्र is saying मा गृधः कस्य स्विद्धनम् ~ do not seek the other’s wealth.
So, either-
(i) Do not seek wealth for the sake of enhancing oneself, or
(ii) Whose wealth is it anyway? This is a rhetorical question.
So, you do त्याग all the way- the least minimum for शरीरयात्रा as part of the संन्यास lifestyle, and the त्याग is really recognizing the reality and not holding to notions of कर्तृत्वम् & भोक्तृत्वम् which seem to define one.
That’s why we get offended so easily. Why do we get offended? Whatever be the compliments or brickbats, because it is attacking अहंकार, and अहंकार is सत्यम् to me.
Or if I can see that अहंकार is all the way नामरूप, and my experiences are नामरूप, my relationships are नामरूप |
Oh my god, you reduced my great love story to नामरूप- How could you be so insensitive? This is not being insensitive; only talking about the reality of the relationship. We are not denying your great relationship and this great beautiful नामरूप that is there, but what is presently in and through is ईशा all the way.
So, when you see अहंकार pervaded by ईशा, then what happens is that there is a natural surrender. So, what I thought was I, and what I thought was my, is now shaken.
So, then I see- whatever is there is given to me, it is not mine. So, this is in terms of the त्याग |
Of course, in a संन्यास lifestyle, people will say- oh, I gave up the world, I gave up my career- and those are ways of describing. But, it’s a choice, depending on where the person is. And
the giving up of a lot of these different things- career relationship etc., is all for the sake of ज्ञानम्, for ज्ञान निष्ठा |
But the good news is that, in the second मंत्र, which we will see next time, which is referring to-
कुर्वन्नेवेह कर्माणि – you have to keep doing कर्म, and it brings in कर्म योग बुद्धि: |
So, then ज्ञानम् is not negotiable. Whatever be the lifestyle, depending on your प्रारब्ध of this lifetime, the lifestyle could be anything. So, we have seen that भगवान् श्री कृष्ण had a unique lifestyle, and so did Arjuna. They were both गृहस्थ-s. भगवान् वेदव्यास, other great ऋषि-s, King Janaka were all गृहस्थ-s, and they were never denied knowledge.
ज्ञानम् is the first line of the मंत्र- ईशा वास्यम् इदं सर्वम् | This understanding is not negotiable. The lifestyle can be different. And here भगवान् शङ्कराचार्य gives an example- we rub the chandan stick so that we make a paste. The wet paste stays on the chandan stick, and after some time it starts to smell. But then again you rub it, and then again the fragrance of sandalwood chandan will come about. In the same way, whatever you might find unpleasant, or whatever moves around which you think is worth rejecting/ abandoning, the moment you just look at it, do something with it, then you see that all the way it is ईशा |
So, the way to go about त्याग which is non-negotiable, is ज्ञानम् |
त्याग of subtler things is more difficult. त्याग of big objects one can do, it’s not such a big deal. But त्याग of my opinions, of who I think I really am, and how dare you offend me like this, etc., that is very difficult. So many arguments, so many fights, so many relationships break up because of one thought. Somebody thought something of you which is not okay with you. It really boils down to this only.
So, all the time अहंकार is getting affected, and अहंकार is जगत्, and जगत् is ईशा |
बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद् beautifully clubs the एषणा that is there into three-
(i) पुत्रेषणा – Deep desire to have a child.
(ii) वित्तेषणा –
You cannot stop at just having a child, then वित्तेषणा will come along. वित्तम् is money/ wealth.
You can’t say that I’m learning वेदान्त, so you please cut down all your needs. The child will say but I am not learning वेदान्त, so what is all this back to basics? If we live a very simple lifestyle, then the child will feel very deprived. And like most parents, you will say no it’s okay, I will suffer but I want to give the best to my child. So वित्तेषणा will be there.
So, there is some objectivity that वित्तम् is a means to an end.
But, we seek to enhance ourselves through the money we have and the display of money through the things we use, the things we buy and so on.
For instance, this can happen in corporate boot camps, or it can happen in आश्रम-s also. We are told to experiment- today, you are not given any money, and you are dropped in one particular place, maybe 10 kilometers away from the आश्रम | And you are told to come back only in the night. You have no money nor phone, and obviously you don’t have an ATM card. There, as you start thinking about this, anxiety will start that there is no money. How will I manage without money? So, then you have to depend on the goodwill of people. So, then some people will cheat and put money in their socks or something.
So how will I manage without money? And here we’re just talking about basics. Then, what shall we say about वित्तेषणा?
So, to have a good lifestyle, because also it matters what my peers say. So, everyone went and got married in Italy and other destination weddings, but you are getting married in your balcony, what will people say? Of course, it did not matter to a certain Bollywood couple. But it can matter. These people are having a destination wedding, we must also have a destination wedding. For the sake of the world, we think- what will they say? We say- I’m not running away from this समाज, I have to take care of all these things only. So, we may hide behind different kinds of excuses.
(iii) लोकेषणा – the deep desire for a better लोक | So, it may be a desire for a better लोक here- E.g. I think that the US is the place for me as I will have a better quality of life with better roads, better electricity. So, nothing is wrong with this. Or maybe Europe or Canada is better. Or even here in Mumbai, one may say that Navi Mumbai is better as everything is so organized in terms of sectors etc.
So, with that desire for a better quality of life, people move continents. And there’s nothing wrong with that. But if that is the desire, then there are a whole host of desires that come along with it.
Then, for the संन्यासी, these desires have to be given up. That, for the sake of ज्ञानम्, I have grown out of all this. I don’t have a great desire for a better quality of life i.e. लोकेषणा is not there.
लोक can also refer to स्वर्ग | संन्यास is a formal वैदिक ritual that liberates you from all other rituals, such that you are free from doing वैदिक कर्म | So वैदिक कर्म is what helps you to get to स्वर्ग, and there there are different comforts, and you will never get old.
So whether इह/here, or अमुत्र/somewhere else, लोकेषणा is not there for the person who takes संन्यास |
So, पुत्रेषणा, वित्तेषणा and लोकेषणा are not there. Just enough for शरीरयात्रा |
So that is the lifestyle.
But even through the भिक्षा, and गङ्गा-जी, some people will treat you like a beggar. So even if you wear साधु clothes, don’t think people give you much respect, they may look at you with great suspicion especially in cities. So, that can be generally unpleasant.
So, through all of that, whether one is a संन्यासी, or one is a गृहस्थ, or ब्रह्मचारी, the lifestyle does not matter, ज्ञानम् is what is most important.
So, the त्याग for a संन्यासी is of all these three एषणा-s, which are very deep desires for most people.
And then, for those who have these desires, don’t worry about it, you can take to कर्म, and do lots of कर्म | At the same time, one should not lose sight of ज्ञानम् | That is the vision of ईशा |
So, we can reflect that all that I have is given to me, it is not mine, it was never mine ~ objects/possessions, relationships, status, intelligence, thoughts/emotions, being this person with this set of life events.
ॐ
CLASS NOTES
भगवान् श्री कृष्ण concluded Chapter 4 asking Arjuna to ज्ञानासिनात्मन: (Verse 42) ~ slay with the sword of knowledge, whatever doubts you have about yourself which is borne of अविद्या/ignorance, and take to कर्म योग |
तस्मादज्ञानसम्भूतं हृत्स्थं ज्ञानासिनात्मन: ।
छित्त्वैनं संशयं योगमातिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भारत ॥ ४२॥
And now Arjuna will have a similar question as he had in Chapter 2, and so this is how Chapter 5, संन्यास-योग: begins. संन्यास-योग: is the topic of सम्यक् न्यास | न्यास is giving up. न्यास also has other meanings, but for now this is what should be understood. And सम्यक् न्यास is completely giving up i.e. संन्यास | So we will understand what संन्यास is all about.
*श्लोक १*
अर्जुन उवाच ।
संन्यासं कर्मणां कृष्ण पुनर्योगं च शंससि ।
यच्छ्रेय एतयोरेकं तन्मे ब्रूहि सुनिश्चितम् ॥ १॥
Since भगवान् श्री कृष्ण has said- that you please destroy अविद्या/ignorance and take to कर्म, Arjuna is confused again. And so that is what Arjuna is saying –
शंससि ~ You are praising,
संन्यास AND कर्म योग |
So, what is this? You say be rooted in knowledge, slay with the sword of knowledge the ignorance, but then You say to take to कर्म, so what is this?
So,
तन्मे ~ please tell me,
सुनिश्चितम् ~ definitely, well-ascertained,
between the two i.e. कर्म योग and संन्यास,
एतयो: एकं यत् श्रेय: ~ which one is better?
भगवान् replies-
* श्लोक २ *
श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
संन्यास: कर्मयोगश्च नि:श्रेयसकरावुभौ ।
तयोस्तु कर्मसंन्यासात्कर्मयोगो विशिष्यते ॥ २॥
This is a very important teaching throughout the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता – both कर्म योग and संन्यास lead to नि:श्रेयस् / श्रेयस् | श्रेयस् we have previously seen (Chapter 2, verse 7). श्रेयस् is that which is good for everyone, that which is मोक्ष | This is seen in कठोपनिषद् where the 2 words प्रेयस् and श्रेयस् are used. प्रेयस् is short term, instant gratification i.e. आनन्द सुख which is अनित्य ~ coming & going. श्रेयस् on the other hand is my very nature, not coming and going, आत्मा the limitless. And to discover this, there is the pursuit of मोक्ष |
So here भगवान् is very clearly saying that both कर्म योग and संन्यास lead to मोक्ष | And He is going to elaborate on this.
There is a need for repetition because our patterns are entrenched. Our रागद्वेष-s i.e. what you like, what you crave for, what you long for, and what you dislike, what you want to avoid, what you want to keep away. Our whole day is full of रागद्वेष | One sees this if you look at the kinds of choices that we make. And sometimes we are not even conscious that we’re making this choice, just mechanically रागद्वेष are playing out. And one of our द्वेष-s is that we want to avoid कर्म that seems unpleasant in the short term.
And of course, a lot of us want to avoid कर्म | Left to ourselves, we would have retired a long time ago, perhaps. But then for whatever reason one has to go through the motions, and make a living, and so on.
So, there is something that we are not comfortable with, perhaps, about working professionally. Or, we’re happy working professionally, but we’re not happy with where we are working. Or we are okay with where we are working, but we don’t like the team, and we wish this team resigns. Or we are not comfortable with the fact that new people have joined, and I’m still here. My peers and colleagues came and went- they’ve gone on to more senior positions and I’m still here- So things around one’s professional कर्म | Then, there are things within the job that we really like doing, and there are some things that we just don’t like.
So, we are swinging between रागद्वेष very often. And that’s why भगवान् has to repeat this again and again- That ज्ञानम्/knowledge of the reality has nothing to do with कर्म | In fact, it has to do with understanding the erroneous notion that you are the कर्ता and that you are the भोक्ता i.e. that you are affected by all that is happening around you. It is that conclusion where we consider ‘feeling’ as reality, which is being shaken up in the inquiry.
There are some historical figures in India, like Lokmanya Tilak and a few others, who said that the भगवद्-गीता is all about कर्म योग – that this is the तात्पर्य/ main theme. And we can consider that they had a larger role to play in society as one of the freedom fighters. They wanted to mobilize people on the basis of something that is close to their heart, and they would have said something like this. There are some संन्यासी-s who might say- भगवद्-गीता is all about संन्यास |
So, there is a bit of confirmation bias which we all have; we see what we want to see.
But here भगवान् श्री कृष्ण very clearly says that both these lifestyles- कर्म योग and संन्यास lead to नि:श्रेयस् / मोक्ष |
Then, in response to Arjuna’s original question~ which of them is better-
Between कर्म संन्यास (giving up कर्म) and transforming कर्म into कर्म योग, definitely कर्म योग is better. So, कर्म योग is better than संन्यास |
But why does भगवान् say this? Especially since the chapter is called संन्यास-योग: | So if He wants to praise कर्म योग then the chapter should also be called कर्म योग again. So why संन्यास?
But, both the lifestyles- whether it is कर्म योग or संन्यास, ज्ञानम् is non-negotiable. Because, why do you want to transform कर्म into कर्म योग? Ordinarily it is not necessary, but we do it because these other priorities are very important in my life- I want धर्म, I want अर्थ, I want काम, I want wealth, I want security, I want pleasure, and I also want मोक्ष | The value of all of this is very important to me.
And if I’m just doing कर्म, I cannot help but be stressed out. Because-
How much is enough? Can we ever draw that line? Never. Am I enough on the basis of the कर्म that I do? How will I draw that line? Because no matter what I do, the constant refrain is that I’m not enough. Even if I feel enough for a moment, I just have to look at my neighbour and see- oh my neighbour is driving a better car, or looks quite happy, and I despite attending भगवद्-गीता class, I feel sad from time to time. So, there is the feeling- I am not enough, I don’t have enough.
If you expect कर्म to give it to you, it doesn’t work. So then recognizing that through all the कर्म that I’m engaged in, what I am seeking is नित्य आनन्द, That which does not have any diminishing, there is no lack and That actually happens to be myself. So that आनन्द which I seek, which is also called मोक्ष, That is what the कर्म योगी wants. And for that, I have to align myself with reality.
Reality includes aligning yourself with functional reality- recognizing धर्म as the framework of all our interactions and aligning oneself again and again. It’s like a compass- again and again you have to keep looking at the compass, because you don’t know where you’re headed. So you align yourself with धर्म again and again, ईश्वर अर्पण बुद्धि:~ offering your कर्म unto ईश्वर, and receiving the results as प्रसाद | This helps us to align with reality, we no longer resist and fight reality. Otherwise, reality stands like this big monster that I have to deal with all the time. But, with ईश्वर अर्पण बुद्धि: and प्रसाद बुद्धि:, then there is nothing that is opposing me, I’m in harmony, then I can see what the वेद tells. If I bypass this functional reality, then I am not able to see what the वेद says. I can try, but it doesn’t work.
The संन्यास lifestyle is really taking of the robes and minimizing धर्म, अर्थ, काम | Minimizing in the sense that the time and the attention and the energy that gets invested in all these other pursuits, they are kept to a least minimum. So that all your time, effort, attention is focused on knowledge, teaching, learning, etc.
For the one who takes संन्यास, if the person doesn’t yet know the truth, this is called as विविदिषा संन्यास | संन्यास which is taken by a wise person to validate the tradition is called as विद्वत् संन्यास |
So here if we’re talking about विविदिषा संन्यास i.e. the lifestyle that has been taken so that I free myself from the obligatory कर्म and duties, so that I can focus on this pursuit of मोक्ष | And of course this person has to still deal with functional reality. Wise or otherwise, one has to deal with functional reality. But the संन्यास has ritually given up roles and duties. So, anything that the person does is a bonus, as the वेद has ritually sanctioned that you don’t owe anyone any duty anymore.
Of course you still have to eat and drink, so functional reality you have to engage in, but that is kept to a least minimum.
So now, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण is saying that कर्म योग is much better. Here, we have to add one clause- कर्म योग is better than giving up कर्म (संन्यास कर्म) for the one who doesn’t have the required preparation.
So, the lifestyle can be different, but ज्ञानम् cannot be compromised upon.
Then, He explains what He is saying about this संन्यासी –
* श्लोक ३ *
ज्ञेय: स नित्यसंन्यासी यो न द्वेष्टि न काङ् क्षति ।
निर्द्वन्द्वो हि महाबाहो सुखं बन्धात्प्रमुच्यते ॥ ३॥
May you know that ~ ज्ञेय: स: ,
य: न द्वेष्टि न काङ् क्षति ~ this person who is a संन्यासी, neither has द्वेष/hatred/aversion for anything, nor आकाङ्क्ष i.e. does not long for something, doesn’t have any craving for anything.
Does this द्वेष and राग come and go? No. It is नित्य, not कदाचित्(sometimes it comes, sometimes it goes). Is it occasional? No, no, no, this is नित्य | So the person has grown so much in his or her maturity that an object or a situation does not define you, and neither are you dependent on it- that’s what happens when you have a राग or a द्वेष |
Each person would give different examples of राग / द्वेष – cheese, coffee, hikes, family, wanting things to go my way. So, our सुख gets disturbed like this. We are all very moody people. Why? Because of राग, not because of our moods. E.g. I ordered for ice-cream but because of this hot summer weather, it came as a milkshake. So, then what happens? The anticipation of the ice cream in this sweltering heat, the looking forward to it is now replaced by disappointment.
Or, everybody should be as organized as I am. This is a perennial source of stress. And one thinks-it’s so simple, why don’t people just get it? If they were just organized, and if they would declutter, life would be so simple. Why don’t people get it? So, you offer to do it for them, then they will dump all the responsibilities on you etc.
So now your mood is affected because people around you are not organized. And you are absolutely right in wanting to be organized, because you say this is धर्म | If we are not organized, how will we find things, so you make sense.
But, it becomes a binding like and therefore keeps me stressed all the time. Because I define myself or I depend on that particular condition to be fulfilled. Of course it’s a good principle- let all of us be more organized than we already are. But when we place it as a condition that must be fulfilled, then our happiness depends on it. Then, we find we are unhappy very often. We can’t help it. Because all of us have our unique रागद्वेष-s.
And so this नित्य संन्यासी is not just the one who wears the ochre robes. The disposition of a संन्यासी is that you are not defining yourself by a situation, or a condition, or a person. Because suppose I have a राग towards my family, and actually everyone has a certain dependence on the family. Now, the range of emotional dependence is quite wide. When there is extreme emotional dependence, everything revolves around the family, you can’t think without them, what would you do without them etc. i.e. extreme dependence. Then, naturally something threatens the family- financially, health-wise, or there are disagreements, then we get very deeply affected- some of us can go into depression because of that.
So, there are lots of difficulties. And भगवद्-गीता very simply presents it as actually all a problem of रागद्वेष | The intensity of your desire for that particular thing, or for that particular person, and the extreme dependence on that person or object creates राग, because you have put on that object or person an extra value that it doesn’t have. It has an objective value, we’re not denying this. But the thinking that- this is it for me, and without this my life is destroyed- that is the extra.
Following धर्म, can it be a राग? This is a good question. Following धर्म is something very natural to us. We fight when there is no धर्म, or whatever we perceive is not धर्म | So in that sense, it cannot be a राग | But when you insist that everyone must follow in the way that you envision, then it becomes a राग | Or having a sense of superiority because I am the one who follows धर्म and you don’t, then there are problems.
So, the नित्य संन्यासी is the one who has brought the disposition of कर्म योग in his or her life- not once, not twice, but 365×24/7 which means on a regular basis, and has grown out of situations and the dependence on different objects. There is वैरग्य, where you have a dispassion towards things, you don’t have a sense of dependence on things and situations. This is something that is natural to us. We are all संन्यासी-s in some way, in the sense that there are a lot of things that we have given up through the course of our life. Because we have outgrown playing with the doll or the Lego blocks. So you don’t have द्वेष- Oh, just look at those people, they are playing with Lego, how low society- No. Nor do you crave for it- Oh, there was a time I used to play with Lego blocks, and those were the days, those were the best days of my life. No- you played with those blocks, you had a good time, and you outgrew them. You don’t have द्वेष for the ones who play with Lego. Nor do you have राग that- oh, now I’m living a very disciplined life, I’m not going to play any more with LEGO blocks – this is not required.
So – oh that person was married, relationships are to be detested. So there is no reason for द्वेष | So just because you have chosen to not be in a romantic relationship, you don’t look down on people who are romantically relating. Nor do you have a secret राग- actually I really want to be involved, but nobody wants to be with me, what shall I do. So longing, longing longing, then do something about it- go meet people, etc. Oh, but you don’t know how things are these days in the time of dating apps. You never know who is a fraud and who is genuine. Then play with other options- get friends to introduce you and so on. I don’t know if that will work. You have a राग, you want to have a partner, then do something about it. Don’t just sit there. So, that राग that is there, neither are you trying to fulfill it- No if somebody is there for me, that person will come along. So, we play with all these things.
What is being emphasized is that the one who has grown to be a संन्यासी is the one who no longer emotionally depends on, nor defines oneself by an object or a situation, which means that you have grown so big that none of these things define you. That’s important just as a sign of maturity. Because whatever we choose to define us is limited. Why would you want to limit the limitless that is you?
Then we find that we outgrow it- okay, that’s great.
And then as a result of that the person is also निर्द्वन्द्व: | So doesn’t swing between the opposites, the polarities.
So no, what polarity are you talking about? I am only focused on success. Oh, well really- then you are afraid of failure. It comes along with the territory.
I am obsessed about धर्म | Everyone must follow धर्म | Oh, then I’m intolerant of people who are given to अधर्म | So, you cannot avoid.
The so-called good things of life i.e. principles, high values, you will have the opposite, it just comes along with the territory, what is also referred to as black and white thinking.
So, this नित्य संन्यासी is free from this रागद्वेष that has been referred to and,
सुखं बन्धात् प्रमुच्यते ~ effortlessly released from बन्ध |
So, बन्ध/bondage is not real. This is very important to note. We only have a sense of bondage. The sense of bondage is referring to our sense of feeling stuck, of feeling that I can’t move ahead without certain conditions going my way. So, bondage is when one depends on something or a particular situation. That means that I am not free. So, if it is asked- are you happy now? One has to think…Then one will respond- I will be happy when _______ . So whatever one fills the blank in with, that is what binds me. Because until that situation is fulfilled, I am not.
Who is preventing me from being happy? Just relax, be happy with life. But no, what do you mean, don’t you see what’s happening with Russia and Ukraine? So, it is not that this conflict is something to ignore. But, one should just introspect on what you will fill that blank space up with. I will be happy when _______ . Something will be there, that’s what’s binding you.
But one may say that all that I have said is very reasonable, that I will be happy when my son gets into a good college, what’s wrong with that? Yes, that is to happen in the course of things. But, your happiness is held hostage by a condition. And if it was not your son getting into university, it would be you going on vacation, or something else.
All the time there are conditions that we place on ourselves, and definitely on others. Simply put, that is बन्ध |
Because often when we think bondage, we think well I’m free, I live in a democratic country, I’m free to do what I want, when I want, how I want. Then, how about being happy? I don’t know…maybe someday? There is a Hindi song that says~ I will be happy एक दिन (ek din). And when the एक दिन (Ek din) part of the song comes along, the words are elongated, as we don’t know when that one fine day will come along. But the lyrics are upbeat, so one feels hopeful that maybe not now, but one fine day I will be successful. So, this very बन्ध, the नित्य संन्यासी is free from. How? Because the person brought in कर्म योग into one’s life.
* श्लोक ४ *
साङ्ख्ययोगौ पृथग्बाला: प्रवदन्ति न पण्डिता: ।
एकमप्यास्थित: सम्यगुभयोर्विन्दते फलम् ॥ ४॥
पृथक् बाला: – Different children i.e. the polite way of saying people who don’t know.
People who don’t know, what do they say?
साङ्ख्य/ज्ञानम् and कर्म योग, they are different.
The ones who say – प्रवदन्ति,
i.e. these पृथक् बाला: , they are न पण्डिता: i.e. they are not the wise people.
They have learnt the words, they have learnt certain things, but they don’t know that both साङ्ख्य and कर्म योग are not different.
एकम् अपि, उभयो: विन्दते फलम् – the person who follows even one of these i.e. either the person takes to संन्यास as a lifestyle, or the person takes to कर्म योग as a lifestyle.
If the person does it properly (सम्यक्) then,
विन्दते फलम् – gains the result of both.
What is the result of both? मोक्ष, which is my true nature, आत्मा as अकर्ता-अभोक्ता |
There were some parrots who were being trained by this family in the village. The family was very proud that they had these parrots in the house.
So the parrots would stay caged, and they would also roam around free. So, they had trained the parrots to speak so the parrots were able to say a few words. Then the head of the family also said that the parrots sometimes when they fly and they go into the forest, they should be taught that hunters are around and so they have to be careful. So, they made the parrots repeat- ‘The Hunter is coming. Be careful. The Hunter is coming. Be careful. The Hunter is coming. Be careful.’ The parrots learnt this very well. Then, the head of the family was quite satisfied, quite relieved. Okay if the parrots go out into the forest, they will be able to protect themselves. And as it so happened, they went out in the morning. Then in the evening there was no sign of the parrots returning home. So, the head of the family and a few others, they ventured into the forest. What do they see? There is a net that has covered and snared the parrots, and in fact the parrots are going on repeating this- ‘The Hunter is coming. Be careful. The Hunter is coming. Be careful.’
So, we may learn the words, but the meaning doesn’t sink in. So, the words were meant to free the person. In this particular case- to free the parrots. But just memorizing and repeating it to yourself without actually applying it into one’s life, this did not help the parrots.
So, पृथक् बाला: प्रवदन्ति – people will say,
Oh संन्यास is a lot more superior, कर्म योग is inferior. They make differences between the two. But they are not wise – न पण्डिता: | They argue that they are different.
But here भगवान् श्री कृष्ण is saying that the person who follows even one of these lifestyles properly gains the result- फलम् विन्दते |
And therefore, there is no need to feel less about oneself because I am following this lifestyle of कर्म योग, because you can be a संन्यासी i.e. you can be rooted in ज्ञानम्/knowledge, and who can take that away from you? No one. There’s nothing to prove to anyone.
Even wanting to prove something to someone shows signs of dependence. So it’s okay, maybe we feel we have a need to prove ourselves, so we can continue doing that with कर्म योग बुद्धि: | That’s fine, it will be taken care of.
So, as we grow in our emotional maturity, we find that we are a भक्त and situations don’t affect us too much. You are relating to ईश्वर through your कर्म, through all the situations which are seen as प्रसाद | And so the intensity of the रागद्वेष, that definitely reduces. It will not happen automatically, you have to keep at it.
And the way to do it is- yes, I have a राग, and yes I align it with धर्म, and I offer it to ईश्वर | So you stop defining yourself by conditions- by conditions of your body-mind, by conditions that are around you, by the condition of your wealth or health, or whatever it is. Yes, these are important things to be taken care of. It is all given to you- ईश्वर विभूति, and so you take care of it, but you are free. Relative freedom is very important before we can appreciate absolute freedom.
ॐ
CLASS NOTES
ईशा वास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किं च जगत्यां जगत् ।
तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्य स्विद्धनम् ॥ १ ॥
So, in this ईशावास्य उपनिषद्, ईशा वास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किं च जगत्यां जगत् ।
इदं सर्वम् is our दृष्टि i.e. everything other than ईश्वर, may that be seen; may all of this including body-mind (इदं सर्वम्), may all of this be seen as ईश्वर |
Then, the second line of the first मंत्र is referring to the संन्यास lifestyle. So, all of you who think that why is this being said, because anyway everything is ईश्वर, you’re absolutely right.
So, कस्य स्विद्धनम् ~ whose is this wealth? It’s almost a rhetorical question because all that is here is ईश्वर | Whatever is there I just happen to be a trustee- of what is there in the bank account. So the bank account’s name it will be different, it will not be ईश्वर, you are the trustee of that money, whatever that wealth is. But all that wealth has been possible because of the abundance of blessings that are available to all of us.
But still what is it that prevents us from seeing इदं सर्वम् ईशा? What is that? It is the sense of I, me, mine. अहम् where अहम् is considered as distinct and separate from ईश्वर | And therefore, everything associated with अहम्- so what is mine is also considered distinct. Then there are almost two parallel tracks- What is ‘I’ and what is ईश्वर | Really there is no two, but the sense of the experience and our conclusion based on that experience is that these are mine, this is me. And therefore, if we are the kind of people who get hurt easily, it’s not because we are oversensitive. And, some of us will carry it as a badge of honor- You know, I’m so sensitive, that’s why I get hurt, maybe I’m touchy, I don’t know. But if I get offended easily, this means this अहंकार is very fragile. This does not mean to invite criticism, insult and humiliation. No. But at the drop of a hat if I’m getting upset, then what a fragile अहंकार, so distinct from ईश्वर | And also, that one little word, one little frown, one something- gone, mood is gone- upset, upset, upset, etc, etc.
So, the wealth that we hold on to which is ours, as a result of ईश्वर दृष्टि, मा गृधः कस्य स्विद्धनम् | So do not grab, do not long for the wealth which anyway belongs to ईश्वर | Here of course, संन्यास lifestyle is being referred to.
Then in the second मंत्र, the lifestyle of कर्म योग will be discussed.
The त्याग or न्यास i.e. the giving up,
सम्यक् न्यास – completely giving up.
What is the giving up of?
If we are referring to the lifestyle then it is talking about the duties, the responsibilities that the वेद officially sanctions you – that you will not get any पापा, if you do not fulfill your responsibilities any more. Otherwise, if you’re not fulfilling your responsibilities, if you’re not doing your धर्म, then there is पापा involved. But the वेद sanctions you, the very वेद that offers the different rituals that can be done for धर्म, अर्थ, काम also tells you that you are free now, need not do.
So that is in terms of the external, but संन्यास in the meaning of the term, is something that is non-negotiable for all of us. It is not that someone is going to drag you to take संन्यास |
संन्यास is non-negotiable means ज्ञानेन एव संन्यास i.e. complete giving up of the sense of कर्तृत्वम् and भोक्तृत्वम्, giving up of the fact that I thought I was a human being, I was subject to limitation. On आत्मा विचार I see that this is not real. But for the sense of significance, I held on to this notion for dear life. So, I give that up in the light of knowledge. So that is completely giving up.
The other meaning of संन्यास is the lifestyle. So in the lifestyle, there is no acquisition of wealth and not too much effort in that direction. Because acquisition of wealth requires time, effort, attention. And therefore in the context of the संन्यास lifestyle, in the name of building things, don’t have that अध्यास on wealth. When you say- I don’t have enough, I want more, there is a practical angle to it. But when I say I want more because I will feel good about it, I will feel more elevated, I will be more enhanced. Then, very clearly there is अध्यास on that thing, or that situation, which will give me a certain value that I don’t already have. So no अध्यास on wealth, because that is a weak spot for most people. We all know how many family disputes land up in the court- the child is fighting the parents, or the brothers and sisters, very ugly disputes all over wealth.
So that is in terms of everyday living, but even in the संन्यास lifestyle, who’s going to offer the checks and balances? You are a free person, so who will do it? So maximum only a गुरु, if the गुरु is alive. Who else can tell you anything? So therefore, this is a word of caution also, that don’t have अध्यास on wealth; recognize ईश्वर दृष्टि – may it pervade your entire दृष्टि, and therefore all that you see, all that you experience, इदं सर्वम्- that indeed is ईश्वर |
Then, after talking about this निवृत्ति मार्ग,
निवृत्ति मार्ग is you are focused only on one pursuit of मोक्ष with an exclusion of other pursuits. Exclusion does not mean we do not eat and drink, of course you will, but it is the least minimum. So, least minimum effort, time and energy for धर्म, अर्थ, काम |
Imagine that the वेद frees you even from धर्म | And it is not that you have become अधार्मिक्, but धर्म has become spontaneous for you. But you are not considered useless if you are not involved in any धार्मिक् activities. Because this is one big criticism by people who claim to have a strong Hindu identity. So they say- oh, what is it that the मठ-s and the संप्रदाय-s are doing – nothing. We are suffering, because they have not done anything, etcetera, etcetera. So, obviously there’s not enough understanding, and somehow Hindu identity has got associated with historicity. So yes, the historical perspective is important. We’re not denying it. Yet, unlike Christians, for whom historical events are very important, e.g. the birth of Jesus Christ and so on, being a Hindu is not tied up with historical events. But people get confused about it. And then they say- Oh, see, what a waste, what a dropout, संन्यासी dropped out of life, doing nothing, not helping the world etc, etc., what a waste. So, there’s not enough understanding.
So, the vision has been pointed out. Now the two lifestyles.
The second lifestyle, which is प्रवृत्तिमार्ग, we have seen in the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता-
श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
लोकेऽस्मिन्द्विविधा निष्ठा पुरा प्रोक्ता मयानघ ।
ज्ञानयोगेन साङ्ख्यानां कर्मयोगेन योगिनाम् ॥ ३॥ ~ Chapter 3.
निष्ठा is a singular word, it is not निष्ठौ | This is a very important grammatical point.
The purpose of the lifestyle is really for ज्ञानम् | On the face of it, the lifestyle looks different.
With respect to the कर्म योगी lifestyle, one is all into प्रवृत्ति- going towards achieving, means and ends, deeply involved with धर्म, अर्थ, काम, and of course bringing in कर्म योग disposition into your whole life. So you’re really steeped in and involved in society, doing a lot and so on.
Then, with the संन्यास lifestyle, it seems like there is a withdrawal from society, not too involved in धर्म, अर्थ, काम, and all time, effort, attention is spent in either learning or teaching, all in the service of मोक्ष pursuit.
So indeed, if one is not going to adopt a संन्यास lifestyle, then what shall we do? Am I going to be denied by this ईशा वास्यमिदं सर्वं, this दृष्टि?
No, no, don’t worry. You have recourse to कर्म |
So, the second मंत्र-
*मंत्र २*
कुर्वन्नेवेह कर्माणि जिजीविषेच्छतं समाः ।
एवं त्वयि नान्यथेतोऽस्ति न कर्म लिप्यते नरे ॥ २ ॥
कुर्वन् एव इह – here only, because we are not talking about going to स्वर्ग yet.
So here itself,
जिजीविषेत् ~ should you wish to live,
शतम् समाः ~ 100 years.
So, you want to have a long life well, you can enjoy your life by doing,
कर्माणि ~ lots and lots of कर्म – वैदिक कर्म, लौकिक कर्म, all of that.
Can I drop out of कर्म, can I retire from कर्म? No, no, retirement is not possible.
एवं त्वयि न अन्यथ अस्ति – There is no other way to be free from कर्म |
The only way to be free from कर्म is by doing कर्म | What a contradiction, but that’s the only way it is. You do so much that you don’t define yourself by your कर्म | It’s no more about what do you do?
One of our typical questions when you meet a person- what do you do? I do this_____, and so we exchange some notes. Then we have judgments also, depending on what the other person says, doesn’t say and so on.
न कर्म न लिप्यते नरे- the कर्म does not touch this person,
Even if the person chooses to perform कर्म, and live all the way for 100 years i.e. a full life.
So, this conflict, that even Arjuna had, it seemed like a conflict between कर्म and ज्ञानम् |
But that has never been the conflict.
We don’t even realize that अविद्या is our problem. Only when you come to the शास्त्र you realize- oh, the reason why I am so inclined for this kind of कर्म, or I want to avoid, and therefore काम with deep binding desires~ रागद्वेष | Then you get it- Oh, it’s all because I don’t know who I am. That’s the diagnosis of the problem.
So, we don’t experience अविद्या, we experience the effect of अविद्या | So our problem is not that I don’t know; but I don’t want to do this कर्म | On a daily basis, certain कर्म is all very desirable, certain कर्म if I could avoid, I would avoid, I would want to get out of it.
So now with the restrictions easing up, a lot of people are meeting each other. And then let’s say you had invited one family. Now they feel obligated to invite you also home for dinner. So like that, we are a part of so many groups. So your own family group, maybe your in-laws group, maybe a friends group, and then the building complex or wherever you live kind of group. So people inviting each other, you going across etc, etc. And then invariably it so happens that some people will get upset. Either you needed to do something, you did not do properly. Or they were expecting you to invite them, it didn’t happen.
So during the pandemic, when people got married or had some heavy duty celebrations, because of restrictions on the guest list, a lot of people got offended. So that’s the thing with कर्म, that despite what you do, despite your best efforts, there will be a situation where you will feel wanting in your कर्म |
Or, you did your best. It’s a situation that is faced by a lot of parents, especially when the children are rebelling. Children can rebel either in teenage years or much later. And, after all that you have done, some will turn around, especially in a fit of anger and say- what did you do? Or that decision that you took, it was totally not appropriate. Or because you forced me into this Engineering, then I missed out on something else that I really wanted to do. Of course your intentions were fine and all that was okay. But I will never forgive you. Oh my God, your heart broke down in 1000 pieces. So much कर्म was done. You made so many sacrifices, but this is what you get to hear. So that’s the thing with कर्म- कर्म is limited and we try to seek fulfillment through कर्म, but we all know that that fulfillment is अनित्य आनन्द | It comes and goes, it’s temporary, it’s limited, it changes.
So now given that धर्म, अर्थ, काम are very important to me as a part of my life priorities, I will do कर्म, that’s what the उपनिषद् is saying. You want to be free from कर्म, but you’re not yet ready for a संन्यास lifestyle. No worries. You please keep doing lots of कर्म | And as you are doing this कर्म, recognize ईश्वर दृष्टि all the way.
So that you are able to do कर्म, this is even before ईश्वर अर्पण बुद्धि: | So for any कर्म, the eye-hand coordination- minimum required, is all given. And then of course, whatever be the कर्म, whether you are raising a child, or doing a पूजा, or typing away on an email, or working on any project, all the way everything has been given to you.
If you’re doing a यज्ञ, all the द्रव्य-s that are offered, the मंत्र-s that have to be chanted, the order in which the ritual has to be performed, when the ghee has to be poured into अग्नि, all those details are also given by ईश्वर only through the वेद | The results are all the way shaped by ईश्वर |
So, offering all your कर्म –
मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा ।
निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वर: ॥ ~ ३.३०, श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता
So, you offer all your कर्म unto me(भगवान्) with अध्यात्म चेतसा | So with a mind that is beginning to discover what is real, not real.
And, निराशी: निर्मम: भूत्वा – that this is not mine.
इदम् न मम we are asked to say.
Even if one says- No, no, I just poured one kg of ghee into the fire. Oh so much ghee, we could have made gulab jamun with it. But anyway, it’s okay, it’s a passing thought- so much ghee did we put. So the pundit will tell you to say- इदम् न मम~ this is no more mine, it is not mine.
So निराशी: is not dropping expectations, of course we have some or the other expectation, but that all the results are being shaped by ईश्वर |
And before I am even doing the कर्म, I have प्रसाद बुद्धि: – this is important.
Okay, well we will wait. प्रसाद is not coming. I have done the project, but प्रसाद is in the form of delays, some difficulty, five more steps got added to the process. So all these things keep happening.
When the प्रसाद will come, then I will have प्रसाद बुद्धि: – No.
प्रसाद बुद्धि: is the attitude of even before the प्रसाद comes. And it’s not selective that- oh, this is nice and sweet, and therefore I like, so it’s okay. Then, this is very bitter, with all the fights that we had, I wish I could forget. But that’s a part of your life, related to your कर्म, related to your choices. So this bitter fruit is available for you in the form of प्रसाद- but that I cannot have प्रसाद बुद्धि: for. It’s difficult, it’s not easy. Still, whatever be the situation, the result of your वैदिक or लौकिक कर्म- delays, disappointments, no results, or at least it seems like there is no result, or a lot of abundant blessings, all the way ईश्वर, ईशा दृष्टि |
So with that the शुद्धि that we require, the freedom from रागद्वेष is available to us, otherwise everything is offered only to the altar of रागद्वेष |
So suppose I am अर्थ: भक्त or अर्थार्थी भक्त – I want certain things and that’s why I pray and that’s it. So, it’s transactional. Then, how is my day? My day is all about whatever I like should happen, whatever I dislike, I should be able to avoid, or whoever it is I dislike I should be able to avoid.
Suppose you work in a situation where there are some new people who have joined, and maybe you are a little efficient, and you’re good at your work, so you get impatient with the others. Now they are on a really steep learning curve, but I don’t have the patience for them. So now you want to avoid them. Let the others take care of them. Let the HR take care of them. I don’t want to deal with them.
Anyway, whatever is unfolding during the day, all the way, you may not be doing पूजा, but actually you do पूजा to रागद्वेष |
So रागद्वेष पूजा is going on- I hope I’m able to avoid someone, I hope I’m able to get what I want. So this is generally what we do.
But if you’re really doing पूजा, then रागद्वेष whatever it is, we will deal with it, and because I have रागद्वेष, I offer it to ईश्वर, aligned with धर्म I offer it to ईश्वर |
So a lot of us also struggle with overthinking. I can’t stop myself from overthinking, so this overthinking problem is because we are control freaks. We want to control the outcome, but we know we cannot control the outcome, so we want to be prepared for all possible consequences, or we want to be prepared at all costs. And therefore there is furious thinking about the same thing- you don’t get bored. Same thing again and again. So that I am ever-ready, ever prepared for everything. Really, we will never be ready for everything, but still we can handle it.
So this furious involvement in कर्म brings stress along. You can’t avoid it. Why? Because you want certain results, or you are frustrated at the capacities of the different people involved. Suppose you’re working on a project, then there are different capacities so everybody’s pitching in. Maybe it’s not progressing at the pace you would like etc, etc.
So वैदिक कर्म, लौकिक कर्म, whatever it is, it will fine tune रागद्वेष | This रागद्वेष is something that really filters our world view. And it’s really insidious. Even as a वेदान्त student, we will have रागद्वेष – I will interact with such kind of people, people who chant are a little…, people who know Sanskrit are…, people who know उपनिषद्… so there also there will be some categorization and some रागद्वेष |
Or रागद्वेष related to oneself. So, I don’t like the fact that I am not able to wake up at 4am in the morning. I’m very angry about it. I’m upset about this. Why I can’t do it? The whole world is able to do, but I’m not able to do it. So, whatever be the reason there is द्वेष | Or that some people are able to express themselves better than me. So, these are passing observations, they are okay. But the build-up of reactions on these observations, resulting in some राग or द्वेष, then how best to deal with it? The only way is to focus on कर्म and not allow yourself to be defined by रागद्वेष | This is a very important learning.
In scrapbooks in college we would have written that these are a list of my favorite things. That’s okay. But when you live life like this- very distinct रागद्वेष, then we have a lot of resistance. So we do enough कर्म that we are free from कर्म | Basically free from कर्म means free from the sense of कर्तृत्वम्- I did, or I didn’t do, I should have done, why I didn’t do. If we are looking at most of our ruminations, it’s got to do with कर्म done during the day- Oh, why/how did I miss saying this in the meeting? This was so important, but how did I miss saying it. Or I somehow got so carried away I only went on and on talking then the other people they said- Oh, you didn’t allow me to make the points during the presentation etc.
So often, in the name of I will introspect at the end of the day, what is the criteria for it? In many families, people are encouraged to think about what you did during the day, so is that framework- what you did during the day? Or what you learnt during the day? What you did well, what you did not do well? So, again कर्म & कर्ता orientation.
Of course introspection is helpful. But we have to be alert as to how we reinforce the कर्ता orientation. And naturally with कर्ता orientation, भोक्ता is not very far away- Today, I had a great day. Great day is भोक्ता speaking. Or today my day was lousy- of course भोक्ता speaking. I wish I had done more- कर्ता | I wish I had not done so much- कर्ता |
So कर्ता-भोक्ता-कर्ता-भोक्ता orientation. So, given that this is the orientation, offer the sense of कर्तृत्वम्-भोक्तृत्वम् unto ईश्वर, ईश्वर दृष्ट्या |
CLASS NOTES
*मंत्र ३*
असुर्या नाम ते लोका अन्धेन तमसावृताः ।तांस्ते प्रेत्याभिगच्छन्ति ये के चात्महनो जनाः ॥ ३ ॥
So there are about five verses- verses three to eight which are talking about the nature of the आत्मा and also to a great extent, the निवृत्ति lifestyle or संन्यास lifestyle.
असुर्या: लोका: – असु is इन्द्रियाणि/sense organs. So असुर्या: are the ones who revel in sense pleasures. Enjoying is one thing, but revel is where one only wants to listen to good music, and smell sweet fragrances, and eat very fine food, all the time obsessed with that~ असुर |So it’s very funny as we realize that we are असुर-s in many ways, or maybe we used to be.In popular culture what is emphasized? Pleasure. Wealth is highlighted. So now that Akshaya Tritiya is coming, ads in the newspaper and magazine are flooded with ‘buy’- buy something, buy gold, etc, etc. And there’s always a nice hook~ Akshaya Tritiya, you buy something auspicious, something auspicious will happen. Or some pleasure is highlighted. On popular media, where is धर्म highlighted? What will anyone gain by saying- oh please donate to this cause etc. In fact you will have to pay for that ad or newspaper space to say please contribute, please donate, etc, etc. So काम & अर्थ seem to be the driving force in popular culture. And असुर is also like this.
So in this obsession with कर्म- given that you want to live a really long life, then what? What shall you do? Well, please recognize that by doing all this, so much कर्म, you will go to स्वर्ग but still,असुर्या लोका: – that even if you go to these different लोक-s because of the पुण्य you have gained, still,अन्धेन तमसावृताः – you are blinded by तमस् or rather अविद्या/ignorance. That covers your vision.
But what’s wrong with doing good things? Well, even if you are, you are just going from मृत्यु to मृत्यु ~ from one lifetime to another to another to another. And this is what is apparently shocking about this मंत्र- that ते i.e. all these people who do this, go from one लोक to another, even if they’re going to स्वर्ग, what are they going to स्वर्ग for? It’s like you go abroad, either for a vacation, or you are going to work, because where you are, you find that there are not enough opportunities. So you move for more अर्थ, more काम, better lifestyle. Same thing applies to स्वर्ग also. You go there, you’re not going to age, so you can eat and drink and definitely make merry, and you’re not going to put on weight. Wow, what a place. And nobody’s going to stop you, no late night problems. You can just have a very, very good time. Enjoy all kinds of music and dance. So it’s all the way party-time. Who would not like such a place? Very clean, no mosquitoes, no bugs, no Corona, no masking etc etc. So wow, what a lovely place.
So even if the rest of the वेद talks about going to स्वर्ग, actually these people they are आत्म-हन:, ये जनाः – these people, they are as though slayers of the आत्मा |How can anyone slay the आत्मा? आत्मा is eternal. No, no. They slay the आत्मा in the sense that they refuse to do any आत्मा विचार | They don’t care for this. What kind of a pursuit is that? You know, you just have a good time. Well, what is this? What’s wrong with you? On a weekend you attend some class? What do you do, you listen? Then you see some vision or whatever. And otherwise you could be doing some very interesting things over the weekend. What are you escaping from? What’s wrong with you? So maybe there are people in our lives who still say this, or maybe they have been silenced, or they used to say this. They can’t figure out what are you doing all this आत्मा विचार and वेदान्त | This is for when you are 80+, not now. You are giving up precious hours of your life every weekend, whatever one or two hours for this? It’s okay, I will help you, what big secret sorrow you have? This आत्मा विचार don’t bother about it. This is not the time for it. You just have fun.
In the name of पुण्य people will go to स्वर्ग | Anxiety- I will secure my place in स्वर्ग by doing all these rituals/कर्म, or I do lots of दानम् etc. Nothing wrong with it. But that very वेद which has taught us rituals, also talks about आत्मा विचार, that is the greatest पुण्य actually. So, ज्ञानम् is the way ahead. What is the meaning of life? Who is the one that is going from one lifetime to another? Some thinking. The prompt could be anything. It could be the loss of a person, or some angst or curiosity. It could be any prompt that we all get in life.
But these people who go to स्वर्ग and are having a good lifestyle, they are आत्महन-s, as they have ignored..In other words the fact that I am that आत्मा, but is that going to give me more money, more pleasure? Even if I know I’m the आत्मा, it has no transactional value and so it is useless. So, आत्मा विचार is very easy to dismiss when one is pleasure-centered, or wealth-centered. So with all the effort that they have made for कर्म, they are not interested in आत्मा विचार |
When Swami Visharadananda was asked- What would be the kind of साधन-s that you would suggest to your students, earlier? So He said that I used to suggest some things, but later on I found that the only साधन is आत्मा विचार, that is the greatest पुण्य | This is very true. Initially, because it’s good for the mind to settle down, some साधन-s and all are okay~ मंत्र साधन and all that, but again and again you do विचार on the nature of the आत्मा, that itself is purifying. That itself gives you शुद्धि, it gives you नैश्चल्यम्(steadiness). We are not denying the importance of other साधन-s, and everybody in terms of their personality is different. So for some people martial arts works, for some people पूजा, जप, दानम् | All these are important, they work. But ultimately, with all the पुण्य that one has, with the wealth that one has, because wealth really buys us time, and time is the only resource that we cannot gain. You can only free up time with the money that you have, so you outsource- you get people to do X Y Zed for you. But no matter how intelligent, or even whatever prayers you do, you’re not going to get the lost time right. Once gone, gone, that’s it over.
So to be able to use the limited time that one has on this earth, even if you go to स्वर्ग लोक,
ते तं भुक्त्वा स्वर्गलोकं विशालं
क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति ।
एवं त्रयीधर्ममनुप्रपन्ना
गतागतं कामकामा लभन्ते ॥ ९.२१, श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता
So, once theपुण्य is over, then back, and hopefully back to the earth where you can pick up the thread. So this श्लोक recalls an incident in the ashram- People would really compete initially to sit in the first or the second row, so that Pujya Swamiji is looking directly at them and teaching. And then the person who was sitting in the first row had to go away for a few days for some work. So he went and then he gave that responsibility of doing the video recording to one of the batchmates. And the batchmate was very happy that Pujya Swamiji was sitting right there in front of him and teaching, so this is स्वर्ग | Then a few days later, that person who actually sits on that first row arrived and so this batchmate says- क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति । So my पुण्य is over of sitting here in this first row.
So your पुण्य is over of being in स्वर्ग- now back. There also is the pursuit of धर्म, अर्थ, काम | Actually more of अर्थ and काम | Because if one is inclined to धर्म, or is very involved in धार्मिक् activities, then sooner or later one will question- Why do good things happen to bad people, and bad things happen to good people, sooner or later you will question- What is this law of कर्म etc. So, it will take you to ईश्वर विचार | But if all the attention is focused on अर्थ & काम, and the same thing applies with wanting to go to स्वर्ग, then all the way it is आत्महन: |
आत्म-हन:~ you just ignore anything to do with the आत्मा, you just shut your ears. And why? Because- तमसावृताः अन्धेन ~ this darkness that is there in the form of अविद्या, it covers your vision. So of course, अविद्या is अनादि – we are born with अविद्या | But to stay with अविद्या, to stay ignorant is a greater mistake- We can’t do anything, this is our working capital, we are born with अविद्या, okay fine. But then what about it? People have so many opportunities to learn, to be exposed to the Vedic vision, to recognize what the whole purpose of life is all about. But really they are killers of the आत्मा in the sense that they just totally ignore anything to do with the आत्मा |So these are common जनाः and so प्रेत्य- they go from birth to birth or death to death. And they are happy with कर्म |
Maybe some of us now also, not recognizing that more कर्म will not solve the problem of संसार- the sense of becoming, or the struggle of I am not enough. You can do as much कर्म as you want. Bonus got declared, you got $20,000, you’re very happy, unexpected in pandemic time, and you’re just about to call home to share this great news. Then you hear your colleague saying- oh, I got $25,000. What? No, no, definitely not deserving. I did all the work, you got more. My $20,000 is like zero for me now. So, it just takes a few moments to disturb our peace of mind, because our focus is on अनित्य results. And then we say- oh, I have to deal with my stress. I have so much stress at work. But what for, so that I can work more. Right? No, no, I’m so stressed out with family, so many things to take care of. So this one is not well, then that one is in the hospital and then so many invitations I have to respond to, and the house is leaking, so that’s another thing to look at, and then who’s going to come in this hot summer so I’m chasing all the plumbers, electricians, they’re taking their own time etc. etc. So much to be done. Then, where is the leisure for आत्मा विचार? Because moving from one कर्म to another either in the realm of काम or अर्थ, trying to manage/juggle all the balls in the air, and then say- oh I am अकर्ता, I am अभोक्ता | It requires some time, some leisure. So that’s not available.Unless we make the time for it.
And that little नैश्चल्यम् that might be there, a certain steadiness that comes from कर्म योग बुद्धि:, that comes from some साधना; so with this शुद्धि and नैश्चल्यम्, then a little space is there, like the window opens up a little allowing one stream of light in this darkness, so some विचार is possible. But what is the विचार about? It is the nature of the आत्मा |
In our normal interactions there have been instances in the past where we have been ignored in interactions. E.g. you walk into a party and maybe somebody ignores you. Now, for many people this is very upsetting. Why? Because when you are ignored it means you don’t exist. You know, your presence is not considered, it is diminished. In fact, it is obliterated. For a lot of us, before we began to recognize ईश्वर in our lives, we have ignored ईश्वर | Everything is possible because of ईश्वर only, but it’s like the elephant in the room. What elephant? No, no, I only did everything. And I am the one who is struggling. You know I am the one who is affected~ भोक्ता, and I’m also the one who is struggling. But for the sake of significance, how I hold on to कर्ता-भोक्ता and ignore ईश्वर | Ignore means- you don’t exist for me, whether I made the active effort to ignore, or you don’t feature in my grand scheme of things. So for these people, even though on the face of it, they are very noble, they are performing lots of rituals, they have contributed a lot of gold to theगोपुरम् in the temple- my god for that person to contribute so much then the person would have made huge money. Or the person has said that for world peace we will perform different होम-s. Or anything that is grand that is done. Our role models are those people.
If you look at popular culture, who are the role models? So the influencers who are famous for the sake of being famous, they have something to contribute for sure. Not denying that. But whoever gets called a celebrity, or whoever we look up to for different things, it’s all धर्म-अर्थ based. Even the newspapers will highlight the one who has more धर्म, more अर्थ | In fact there are lists for it- Forbes list and so on. Is there a list for the one who does maximum दानम्? So some social pressure is there- so you please contribute, Warren Buffett initiated, so we must contribute etc, etc.
So it’s no wonder that the obsession with काम & अर्थ is so much that it continues to स्वर्ग, and also one ignores That which illumines everything. Because if only one knew, then all the wealth is yours anyway. The world is in you, you are not in the world. But that is how it is. And so the उपनिषद् is almost striking a word of caution, that in all your कर्म, don’t get carried away with धर्म, अर्थ and ignore आत्मा विचार |
When it comes to spending time on वेदान्त, or suppose one is told you please do one माला of this मंत्र, then
some negotiation begins- Can I do twenty-four times? Can I do three times? I don’t have the time. Would you say this to your boss? Would you say- today I can’t do 12 hours, can I work for 11 hours instead? You will die but those words will not come out of the mouth. Because how can I negotiate on this अर्थ pursuit? How can I negotiate on काम? So all those excuses we have- I am busy, everyone is busy, of course. But the way we negotiate for things to do with साधना or for the विचार related to वेदान्त, it is good to juxtapose that with how we negotiate our time and attention for अर्थ and काम |
So you have to stand in the queue to deposit in the bank, 2 hours it will take. You will grumble but will stand. Then there is some time needed for वेदान्त, but our standards are not the same, which is just to show how important it is even for the ones who are in the वेदान्त pursuit. How easily it gets compromised- the time and attention because you know, every time I can’t fight with my family. The family says- what is this, you’re always busy in the weekend, and what is this, it is not fair to us. Yes. So, you have to think of creative ways to make up for it or rather, have some decent understanding. Please don’t fight with your family because you are pursuing वेदान्त | But the time and attention that I give वेदान्त, आत्मा विचार, do I hide behind~ Oh, I’m so busy. I don’t have the time etc etc. I will not say the same thing in relation to work. Then is it because it is an issue of accountability to an external person? Or what will they think of me, and therefore I have to toe the line, or is it my sense of prioritization?
So it’s not only about the ones who are स्वर्ग काम, wanting to go there. But even here for the ones who are pursuing आत्मा विचार, are we killing the आत्मा ?But whatever attention, time this pursuit requires depending on the age and stage of life that I am in, do I do that and if not, there’s nothing to feel bad about. Just align, maybe make a little more time for it. Or if I’m escaping into वेदान्त from life, then please, I have to stop that. Then I have to engage more with people. So, all of us are at different levels. So we have to be honest with ourselves and decide.
All the way आत्मा विचार can definitely liberate you, but if the mind is preoccupied with काम & अर्थ, then the time and leisure that we need, we are denying ourselves that. So that’s the whole purpose. Now, we will see the nature of आत्मा, from मंत्र ४ onwards.
Q&A- Whilst the rest of the वेद will talk of the glory of going to स्वर्ग, this मंत्र particularly talks of the limitations of that aspiration, in the absence of आत्मा विचार |
ॐ
CLASS NOTES
If we ask people, even amongst वेदान्त students, what is your spiritual goal? In Gita Amrtam class we recently had the exercise of articulating one’s life priorities. And one of the dimensions is- what is your goal in spirituality? Because we’re looking at other dimensions also- intellectual, emotional, social, financial, physical etc. And what people say about their spiritual goal is actually not मोक्ष |
E.g.- A student asked- What साधना do you think I need to do? She was not very clear about why she attends the वेदान्त class, though she gets a benefit for sure. So Swaminiji replied- tell me what is your goal spiritually? And she said- Oh, I want harmony amongst all my family members.
So, that’s a goal that everyone wants, but that will come under धर्म-काम | Having harmony amongst everybody at work and family and so on, if you are doing it by hook or by crook, then it is काम | But, you say no, I align with धर्म, so then~ धर्म-काम |
I want peace of mind- a lot of people say this. Is that मोक्ष? In some ways, it is धर्म | One wants to align yourself with the ways of the mind such that it does not disturb you.
Then what else? I want to go within etc.
So, it’s a very interesting exercise and a question to ask- that what we are really aspiring for on a daily basis, or on a regular basis, if it is not मोक्ष, then there will be less motivation and even commitment to वेदान्त |
The human condition has to be very clearly discerned.
And the third मंत्र that we saw which talks about going to असुर्या लोका: – all opportunities for pleasure, for काम, for relating, for intimacy, for great music, for dance, for great experiences, that is a part of spirituality from the entire वेद standpoint~ धर्म, अर्थ, काम | But in the name of seeking pleasure i.e. काम, am I ignoring the आत्मा?
So, if my spiritual goal is relationship management, then any talk about आत्मा/ब्रह्मन् is like, can we skip this part, can we go to the more juicy part? Let’s talk about how we can communicate better, understand each other better. Suddenly, the ears perk up when there is talk about relationships. We’re not denying it- it’s very, very important and only when one is in harmony in terms of पञ्चमहायज्ञा, only then some insight happens. Insight can also happen otherwise, but you see the need for relating, staying connected, acknowledging one’s own connections and so on.
So the आत्महन:~ that as if आत्मा does not exist. Even if anything is spoken about the आत्मा- one is like okay, okay, we’ll see some time or the other, we’ll get to it. Because one is so consumed by being obsessed, either with family or with work, that’s generally our obsession. And it’s nice to hide behind duty, we do this.
At one level, it’s very good that there is a duty orientation, but in the name of duty, we tend to postpone things, we tend to deny certain aspects of our own lives. Ask a lot of the mothers, right? It’s not that things can’t be worked out, whatever it is that one wants to do. And this is not necessarily about professional work, professional or non-professional work. Ultimately, besides the mother role, one wants to have a sense of productivity. Everyone wants that, everyone wants to make a difference, whatever you decide whatever is your sphere. But we can hide behind duty, behind responsibility. And say- Oh, all this आत्मा stuff, this is not my cup of tea.
So, they are आत्महन: ~ slayers of the आत्मा |
So, then what is the आत्मा?
*मंत्र ४*
अनेजदेकं मनसो जवीयो नैनद्देवा आप्नुवन्पूर्वमर्षत् ।
तद्धावतोऽन्यानत्येति तिष्ठ—त्तस्मिन्नपो मातरिश्वा दधाति ॥ ४ ॥
In this मंत्र ४, you will find that there are some words which do not have a direct translation, especially the word अप: ~ अपो, it comes a little later, is not referring to the waters. So, there are a lot of Sanskrit enthusiasts, who say that once you know Sanskrit, you can approach the scriptures by yourself.
But, Do NOT inquire into the scriptures independently.
Even if you are a शास्त्र-ज्ञ:, even if you are a व्याकरणम्-ज्ञ: i.e. even if you know grammar very well, you please do not independently inquire, then you will make a mess of things. Why? Because a lot of the words in the वेद, also have a छन्दस्-प्रयोजनम् ~ they have a specific use, and a specific meaning as used in the वेद, though colloquially, literally, they may have a different meaning.
You know this आत्महन:, the one who was referred to in the prior मंत्र? Oh, what is the आत्मा then?
अनेजत् एकम् –
आत्मा is-
एक: ~ One.
अनेजत् ~ not moving.
It’s unmoving, yet-
मनस: जवीय: – faster than the mind.
And what else?
देवा ~ the इन्द्रियाणि/sense organs,
न आप्नुवन् पूर्वम् अर्षत् ~ they (the देवा:/sense organs) cannot overtake,
एनत् ~ This i.e. The Reality of the आत्मा |
Why? Because before the senses go to some object, आत्मा is already there.
पूर्वम् अर्षत्~ has already reached.
The उपनिषद् uses the language of paradox often, because we have a tendency to categorize everything, and so it will stun us. Because whatever is said about the आत्मा, you will fit it into some category. Much of learning takes place in that way, and that’s fine.
For all other conceptual learning, we may need to put things into categories because all learning takes place and is built upon what is known. So, to know of a coyote, i.e. the animal in the US, this animal is very new to us in India. So, coyote- is that bird, animal, insect? But I have some idea of the animal. Then, you say coyote, then you describe, then you say- Oh, it’s one of those animals. Okay, fine. So the word is unknown to me. And then you say something, and then it gets added to what is my known understanding of animals.
So, the आत्मा is faster than the mind, and it precedes the movement of the senses.
But, it is अनेजत् i.e. it is not moving.
How to understand?
In Zen, they use koans, which are very short sentences which stun you. They stun you to see the truth. They have their own methodology.
Here, are we using the language of paradox to confuse you? No, no, no, not at all. We’re using the language of paradox to show that you cannot categorize the आत्मा into any kind of object that you might be aware of, or even an object that you are not aware of. You cannot categorize it. Because the mind will push to categorize.
We can categorize objects, but to feel safe, we also categorize people as a self-protective mechanism. So this one is like this, that one is like this. Then, suppose the person behaves a little differently, you know readily you thought this person is a very nice person, then suddenly the person was very rude to you. When you give the person the benefit of doubt, saying the person was angry or hangry(hungry & angry). Maybe not. You will think of the worst possible consequence. Or say that actually this person is like this only, everything else was just an act. So, we want to fit the person into some category because if you don’t put the person in a category, then you don’t know how to deal with the person. This is how we relate. Should I be equally nice to the person, should I be withdrawn? How do I behave? I don’t know. Of course, if you rely on धर्म then you will know, but we think that our बुद्धि: is even greater than धर्म, then we try to imagine things.
So, people are put nicely into categories. Then what should we do about आत्मा? It is not moving, and at the same time, it’s faster than the mind, because of course the mind is the fastest. So, if your child asks- which is the fastest vehicle? One child asked his father- which is the best vehicle? Because he saw that all the other kids were coming in all very fancy cars. And this child was being dropped in an auto-rickshaw. But, very innocently the child asks the father- which is the best way of transport? He replies- your legs are the best way. So suddenly the child is stunned- yeah, that’s true. I can go anywhere. Some places even the car doesn’t go, but I can go.
Which is faster than your feet? Your mind. Which is faster than the mind? आत्मा |
So faster, but anyway आत्मा is not in any race. There has to be two to determine any comparative degree of faster or not.
So, when we are talking about the nature of any object, or rather the nature of the mind, we have to see the distinction between आत्मा and the mind. So here, the mind as we call it, it seems very solid, tangible- it’s not. It is दृश्यम् |
All the time we are aware of what is happening- if we pay attention, or we may be lost in something, whatever it is. So all our ideas, our excitement, our feelings, some memory of the mango milkshake. All that is दृश्यम् i.e. seen. Whatever is happening in the mind, you see.
So, I the साक्षी-दृग्, ever दृग्, I see what’s happening in the mind.
So, whatever is happening in the mind is दृश्यम्, therefore the mind is दृश्यम् | I am the दृग्, the subject.
Then, in छान्दोग्योपनिषद् Chapter 6, there is a mention of how the subtlest part of matter/food forms the mind. So the mind is still the subtlest form of matter. Because even if we say ‘a thought’, it is a subtlest form. You cannot see it with your naked eyes, but it is a form nevertheless. Different forms are there, and the form is a product of the पञ्चमहाभूत | So you may eat veg-biryani, but the subtlest part of that veg-biryani forms your mind, and it keeps nourishing it and so on and so forth.
So some carbs are important for the growth of the brain, but of course the mind is not the brain, but it serves as a medium for some of the functions.
So what is दृश्यम्, what is an object? It is भौतिकम् | It is made up of a bunch of पञ्चमहाभूत |
So the mind is-
(i) दृश्यम्
(ii) भौतिकम् – made up of पञ्चमहाभूत |
(iii) It is ever changing – विकारी all the time, and even if it’s not changing, we make it change.
Suppose you’re quiet, or suppose you are reflecting on your growth in the light of वेदान्त.
So, you feel you have some amount of समत्वम् with respect to a particular person. Then, you are now thinking more about it. But still, you know some things really disturb me about this person. And I hope and wish that when this person is around, I don’t get agitated. But thinking thinking thinking, building on it- Now I’m getting agitated. So, I cannot accept that I accept. I cannot accept that I cannot accept.
So, a part of reducing your agitation is that I accept that I’m agitated, and that it is the psychological order that is ईश्वर |
But, self-mastery calls- I have to master my mind.
Relax. That’s all that is required, don’t give extra fuel. But, no, why it is like this, it should not be like this, but they are like this… So, विकार- a lot of change.
So आत्मा is अविकारी – no change whatsoever. Mind is विकारी – changing all the time.
Then the mind has, not independently of course, the गुण-s of सत्त्व, रजस्, तमस् | So depending on the nature of one’s mind, it reflects in your behavior, your personality, etc, etc. Whereas आत्मा is निर्गुण | निर्गुण does not mean the absence of गुण | आत्मा is the basis of all गुण-s, free from गुण-s.
Because गुण is विकारी, गुण is subject to change- little more सत्त्व, little more रजस्, little more तमस् etc.
So, this mind that really moves so fast, with which we have a really deep identification, because we want to control the world. We don’t say it in so many words, but really we want to control what is happening around us.
That’s why there is this furious chatter- This is not okay. That is okay. Oh, that’s okay, fine- Oh, now I can relax. Or, now I’m in a safe place- nice. Or now I’m not in a safe place, I better be careful, I better watch what I say because this person is going to pounce on me, and then point out some faults.
So we have developed this relationship with the mind that- of course, it’s an instrument, but so identified with it, and trying to deal with the world by having a constant chatter. I cannot control the external environment, so I try to calm myself down. No, it’s okay, it’s okay, you can handle it. Or, oh my God, how could you have made such a fool of yourself? So, some chatter is going on non- stop.
So, let things be, you be.
What do you mean? How to be? What does that mean? What do I have to do? What साधना do I have to do to be?
So this is the mind. Because the mind is like- Okay, I will fix things, I will fix people, I will fix my life. You have to know when you have to stop fixing also.
Suppose you are tottering around, it’s like something or the other you are doing. But how much- What will you do? What more can you do?
So this आत्मा and the mind, seeing the clear distinction-
1. While the mind has गुण-s of सत्त्व, रजस्, तमस्; आत्मा is निर्गुण | आत्मा that is I is निर्गुण |
2. The mind has विकार/changes, आत्मा-I is अविकारी/unchanging.
3. The mind is made of पञ्चमहाभूत, I-आत्मा am the very basis of all the पञ्चमहाभूत |
4. The mind comes and goes.
So, you wake up and the alarm is ringing. You hit the snooze button, again the mind is gone. Then, the mind kicks in, you here it ringing.
आगम – अपायि ~ comes and goes in deep sleep.
Dream- comes, is there. Then, deep sleep- goes. Goes meaning that it becomes dormant.
Whereas I-आत्मा am not coming and going. There is no race between आत्मा and the mind.
5. Anyway the mind is really कार्यम् i.e. it is a product.
So, by saying that, first of all that आत्मा is एक:, it is not moving, and at the same time it is faster than the mind. It has reached even when the senses haven’t reached.
So we have a very unique model of perception. Modern science will tell us that the light has to hit the retina and then we are able to see something.
Our(वेदान्त) model of perception is that the mind goes outward, encloses the object, and that’s how you perceive something. Perception/प्रत्यक्षम् includes sight, sound/hearing, smelling, tasting, touching.
The exception to the modern theory of perception are those moments when your eyes are open, you are looking out in front, but your mind is elsewhere. And then somebody is waving out to you furiously, but you can’t perceive, you’re lost in thought. Then the person comes in front of you, shakes you up, and says- hello, what is this? Then you say- oh, sorry, I didn’t see you. But your eyes were open. Yes, your eyes are open. Your eyes are fine. But the mind was not behind the eyes. That’s why I didn’t see you, because the mind was elsewhere.
So I-आत्मा am unmoving, yet faster than everything, in the sense that all that is here is आत्मा – all pervasive आत्मा |
6. And mind is जडम्, senses are जडम्/inert, by themselves they cannot function, whether it is कर्मेन्द्रिय or ज्ञानेन्द्रिय (organs of action, organs of knowledge).
Once the Arsha Vidya Teachers were in Rishikesh, so a couple of them said – let’s go to Iskcon’s Govinda restaurant to eat. So, some said- Oh, you all please go ahead, when you reach there, we would already have reached there. So this is an आत्मा joke- wherever you think the senses are going somewhere, or you want to know something, foreground is that knowledge, but actually आत्मा has already reached there. Why? Because आत्मा is all-pervasive.
So आत्मा is not subject to any modification, ever the witness of all. And witness we use in a referential, specific context only; that non-changing witness that is always there.
So the mind, the senses, they don’t have an existence of their own.
The आत्मा is all pervading, it is you; wherever the mind wants to go, आत्मा is there. If the mind doesn’t want to go, आत्मा is still there.
So where can the mind go, where आत्मा is not there? Where can your senses go?
Elon Musk is working on Neuralink- so these will be some chips, maybe five years down the line or earlier, where we can put some chips in our brain, and we may get some additional powers. It might be good for people who are suffering from dementia, or some neurological disorders, so certain functions that they were not able to perform, maybe this can help.
So, whatever it be, wherever your senses go, आत्मा blesses- आत्मा that is you, who is always present.
न एनत् देवा:, आप्नुवन् पूर्वम् अर्षत् |
So, first of all our इन्द्रिय-s/sense organs are presided over by देवता-s.
That which illumines- that’s the beauty of the sense organs, especially ज्ञानेन्द्रिय | ज्ञानेन्द्रिय itself is such a revealing word, that the sense organs/इन्द्रिय-s, they are for ज्ञानम् | So, different sights, different sounds, different tastes. A lot of women do non-stop watching of cookery shows. This is good & creative, but how can you watch for hours and hours cookery shows? The mother says- you all enjoy good food because of me watching cookery shows. So, this is ज्ञानम् in terms of the different types of cuisines. So, then you see, and then you imagine how it will taste, then you try it out- all ज्ञानम्, ज्ञानेन्द्रिय |
So पूर्वम् अर्षत् – the इन्द्रियाणि, they cannot overtake the आत्मा | That which illumines the इन्द्रियाणि/sense organs, That is the आत्मा |
So in तत्त्वबोध, we see that the ज्ञानेन्द्रिय-s are made from सत्त्व, whereas all the कर्मेन्द्रिय/organs of action are all based on रजस्-predominant, of course the other गुण-s are also there.
It’s just fascinating how everything has come about in terms of पञ्चीकरणम् |
So, what this first line is really telling us is that आत्मा is all pervasive. There is not a place nor a time that it is not; That it is you.
And It is अप्रमेय | अप्रमेय word is used in the second chapter of the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता |
अन्तवन्त इमे देहा नित्यस्योक्ता: शरीरिण: ।
अनाशिनोऽप्रमेयस्य तस्माद्युध्यस्व भारत ॥ १८॥
आत्मा is not an object of any प्रमाण |
Oh, but you say that वेदान्त is a प्रमाण? Yes, because you the आत्मा are अप्रमेय, therefore you can wield a प्रमाण |
You are not the आत्मा because the वेद tells you. You are the आत्मा, mistaken, not quite understood.
And the वेद will just remove the error, that’s all. The वेद is actually not telling you anything new, just removing layers of ignorance.
So आत्मा is अप्रमेय, cannot be known. Cannot be known means that it is me, it is not an object. Because object means all those things will come in- विकारी, गुणत्वम्, भौतिकत्वम् etc.
तत् धावत: अन्यान् अत्येति तिष्ठ –
While remaining stationary/not moving i.e. not changing,
तत् धावत: अन्यान् अत्येति – it outruns all the ones who are running i.e. basically mind, speech, senses, which are distinct from the आत्मा |
So, this emphasizes that आत्मा is ‘faster’ than all of this, while it remains unchanging, निर्गुण and free from the पञ्चमहाभूत-s.
तस्मिन् अपो मातरिश्वा दधाति –
So, while being there,
मातरिश्वा referring to वायु | मातरि- that which sustains all life, which is वायु | So that which moves freely in space/आकाश |
So just like वायु sustains all life forms; which really brings in the different laws of nature.
That which sustains समष्टि, or we can refer to it as सूत्रात्मा, हिरण्यगर्भ |
हिरण्यगर्भ, simply we can say is the cosmic mind, but obviously not limited in that sense. So all aspects which include प्राण |
Our definition of सूक्ष्मशरीर includes प्राण | Sometimes we say- oh सूक्ष्मशरीर = mind, just if we’re progressing in the explanation.
But सूत्रात्मा/सूक्ष्मशरीर/subtle body is not only just your thoughts and emotions, etc., that’s one tiny part of it. The पञ्चप्राणा is very much there.
How else will the mind go, wherever it has to go.
So दधाति,
these different अप: ~ अप: is not referring to the waters, but it is referring to all different कर्म-s.
So yes मातरिश्वा/वायु दधाति supports everything, sustains all life, activities and so on.
And the further implied meaning is that कर्मणि ~ so all कर्म-s which start with the ritualistic use of water, etc. During पूजा, everything we are using water all the time. And it’s a very important aspect of वैदिक कर्म, sustaining life too. So, these laws of nature that support all life, That basis of all of these activities is indeed the आत्मा, That is me.
So in some ways, this is a little लक्षण वाक्य, not exactly महावाक्य, but sort of tending in that direction.
Why? Because व्यष्टि and समष्टि, both are spoken of.
In the first part of the मंत्र, there is a reference to दृग्-दृश्यम् in the context of the mind and the senses, that is at a व्यष्टि level.
Then, all the various activities, or what we refer to as laws of nature. So the आत्मा is the very basis of मातरिश्वा that supports all activities at a समष्टि level.
So when we look at animals, insects, reptiles, everybody has different capacities- in terms of hearing, sensing. For instance, the snake doesn’t have legs. No. But it’s so fast. The entire organ of the skin is alive, so the snake moves with the help of the skin.
So like that if you see all beings are being sustained by that आत्मा, which is the basis of the mind and the senses, and that आत्मा which is the basis of all activities, all कर्मणि of all beings.
So that is a sort of indication that the basis of both the व्यष्टि (individual) and समष्टि (all of this, the total) is indeed the आत्मा |
CLASS NOTES
Then, in some sort of repetition but not exactly, is the next मंत्र-
*मंत्र ५*
तदेजति तन्नैजति तद्दूरे तद्वन्तिके ।
तदन्तरस्य सर्वस्य तदु सर्वस्यास्य बाह्यतः ॥ ५ ॥
तत् एजति- आत्मा moves.
How do you say आत्मा, and आत्मा word is not there?
तत् शब्द is there and the topic under discussion is the आत्मा |
How you know it is the आत्मा? ~ आत्महन: (मंत्र ३).
So, on your own it will be difficult, one would say suddenly the उपनिषद् is talking about the आत्मा | Previously उपनिषद् was talking about कर्म & लोक, now suddenly आत्मा |
So, never try to understand any मंत्र or श्लोक in isolation. That is why the षट्-लिङ्ग विचार is so important. Of course, the Teacher does it for you initially, and then once you are more proficient and you’ve been exposed for a while, then you can also use षट्-लिङ्ग विचार | So that means after the भगवद्-गीता, and at least 7 or 8 उपनिषद्-s, and the ब्रह्मसूत्र-s, when you are studying on your own- then yes, you can apply षट्-लिङ्ग विचार |
So, उपक्रम-उपसंहार ~ what has gone before, what is coming towards the end, you have to pay attention to it. You cannot just look at a मंत्र in isolation. And that is why we are so grateful to भगवान् शङ्कराचार्य, because that’s what He did for us. How do we know what is there in बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद्? But, He will show one reference. Or what is there in तैत्तिरीय-उपनिषद्?
So here I can barely spell उपनिषद्, how do I make sense of the whole thing? Thanks to Him.
तत् एजति- आत्मा moves.
Then, तत् न एजति- आत्मा doesn’t move at all.
So this is saying that आत्मा is all-pervasive.
Then, it is far away. Yet it is near. Again, the language of paradox is being used.
When all that is here is I-the-आत्मा, then where will it move?
This example is a little politically incorrect. But still, suppose if there’s a really obese person sitting in the chair on a flight next to you, and half of that person is just falling on you. And you say- Please move, please adjust. But where? There’s no place to adjust, because fully one chair is not enough, then what shall we say?
So, there has to be some place to move. So, you’re saying आत्मा is obese? No. All that is here is the आत्मा, so where will it move? It doesn’t move. Because it is all-pervading, it is me.
But उपनिषद् is saying that आत्मा moves. What does that mean?
Well, from the नामरूप standpoint, you went from India to the US. So, you are the आत्मा; reflected-आत्मा-consciousness is not any less. But as though आत्मा-अनात्म is mixed up.
So yes, आत्मा is all-pervasive and therefore cannot move, does not move, yet it moves.
Oh, I will go on यात्रा | आत्मा is going from Mumbai to Kedarnath. There also the person is still आत्मा only. So no, no, I want to come back to India after 10 years abroad- still आत्मा only. This movement of नामरूप, all the way it is still आत्मा | So therefore we can account for the fact that आत्मा moves, but it is still unmoving.
Then,
दूरम् ~ आत्मा is very far away.
So for the ones who don’t understand, आत्मा is very far away.
It’s like when people fight with each other. You are probably at three feet distance from the person, but some argument is there so you start shouting. Why? Because for you that person has become very far away, you’re not able to get through to that person. Despite three feet distance, so the person can hear you whisper also, you start shouting.
Or sometimes we say that although we live in the same family, I feel distant, far away. Why? Because not understood, or harmony is not there, or whatever it is.
So how आत्मा can be दूरम् if you have already said that आत्मा is all-pervasive. How it is far away? Oh, it is far away because you have considered आत्मा as an object.
Or, when will I be happy? And we postpone our happiness, we actually deny our own happiness. I will be happy when I get मोक्ष | But you’re already मुक्त, you’re already free. Oh, but I don’t know it, you know? Why don’t you know it? No, I’m very identified. Why are you identified so much, that what is मिथ्या is taken as सत्यम्? Well, what to do, I’m so attached. Why are you so attached? It’s so nice, I don’t want to give up attachment. Nobody asked you to give up attachment, you please relate in all your roles, do it with as much love and whatever you want to bring to the table, please go ahead and do that. आत्मा is not opposed to you relating to anyone. Well, I have to think more about it. So, this is how we procrastinate.
So, दूरम् (far away), because some ideas we have that- oh if I have a lot of समत्वम्, or if I do X Y Zed only then, or if I do full time course, only then it will all become very clear to me. All that will happen is whatever is obstructing your thinking, in terms of अंतःकरण शुद्धि: that will be sorted, to a great extent.
But we often condition ourselves. We limit ourselves by our own ideas- once this happens, if and when, when and then, if this happens then that will happen.
Once I have time, I will be able to devote to वेदान्त | That will never happen. Once I retire- nope. Everything will happen simultaneously. Once I get X amount of money, it will be fine; there will be more demands, don’t think it will be any less.
So आत्मा is far away because I want it to be far away. We have some fears- they may be articulated, they may not be articulated. Suppose I know the truth, will things change for me? How will I live my life? What if I want to walk away from everything? What if- the what if game continues here also. Then what will happen, what will happen? There is no substance to your ‘what if’, but of course the mind has to be given something to do…Because I have figured out my life, I have self-mastery.
So, once I know the truth, then this will happen, that will not happen, etc. How will people treat me? People will think you’re foolish. Is that okay with you?
So, you will only think that you were foolish- What, that’s all? How I took everything to be so real? How did I consider all this? How come I was suffering so much? So, forget about what others think, you will only think how foolish you were.
So, आत्मा दूरम् ~ आत्मा seems remote, just like भगवान् seems remote for those who have not discovered भगवान् | So therefore remote for the one who doesn’t understand.
And at the same time, अन्तिके |
So, it is very far away, yet it is अन्तिके i.e. it is within.
Within means- People will say~ oh आत्मा is there in everyone.
In everyone- for a start, this understanding is okay. But for instance, the heart is in everyone. So, you have again located the all-pervasive आत्मा |
अव्यक्तं व्यक्तिमापन्नं मन्यन्ते मामबुद्धय: ।
परं भावमजानन्तो ममाव्ययमनुत्तमम् ॥ ७.२४, श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता
So what is not a व्यक्ति, you have reduced भगवान् to a व्यक्ति | So, reduced आत्मा also- as localized in time and place.
So अन्तिके- that which is within, that which is closest to you, in fact it can’t be any closer; it is you.
So our level of closeness generally we consider in the form of distance or closeness/near.
But here आत्मा is neither too far away, nor is it very close. Why? Because it is me.
So what is the difference between I and I?
If I am so identified with अहंकार, then there is a distance, as though, between अहंकार and आत्मा | Because I’m not quite understanding that आत्मा is the one that pervades the अहंकार |
So~ आत्मा दूरे |
अहम् आत्मा – I am the आत्मा |
So, is it like how Ganapati-Baba has his पाश, so basically for the devotees he brings/attracts. So like that you have done something to the आत्मा, you have drawn the आत्मा close? No, no, it is you. आत्मा is me. So the question of near and close does not really arise.
तत् अन्तरस्य सर्वस्य तत् सर्वस्य बाह्यतः च आत्मा ।
So, this inside and outside is again a referential point.
Initially some people say that आत्मा is inside everyone. But this localizes आत्मा in terms of time and place.
Then what do you mean, suppose you say yes, आत्मा is indeed in everyone, then is it inside like the lungs and the heart and the kidney? आत्मा is a part of the body? No, no, it’s not. Then is it? Because if you’re saying it is in you and when we say ‘you’, ‘you’ referring to the body mind, then you have to progress in that inquiry…inside what?
So, like some sort of structure is there- then it’s not a body part, otherwise it can be amputated, and you are अनात्मा now, no आत्मा for you. Or it can develop tumor also, any part of the body can get cancer also, but this does not apply.
Then how you can say आत्मा is inside you? Oh no, no, no, it is like a property of the body. But property also- it can come, it can go, always subject to विकार, आत्मा is not like that.
No, no, like how we eat and then food gets converted into energy, then more you meditate, then you become the आत्मा – No. आत्मा is not a process, it is not a product of any process you undertake.
No, no, I will do lot of मंत्र जप and I will become the आत्मा- No, no such thing. आत्मा is not a product of any process you undertake. Because I am very much there, आत्मा is very much there.
Then is it limited by the boundary of the body? No, because as I-the आत्मा, I see what is happening to this human being called whatever name has been given by the parents or the गुरु | I see what’s happening.
Sometimes we may experience that we are almost physically a little above the person, and you’re watching and you’re saying- Who is this, it feels a little familiar. As you look at your activities, your experiences, your life situations and so on, never touched आत्मा, never touched. Of course, the mind can be touched, the body etc. can go through lots of changes etc., but never, ever touch आत्मा |
So we can mistake the understanding of I am the साक्षी of my body-mind-senses, and then say- yes, okay fine, I get it. You’re saying आत्मा is not within, okay I see all of this. Then I am आत्मा, you are आत्मा, we are all आत्मा, so many आत्मा-s ~ millions, billions, zillions of आत्मा-s.
Then what? Earlier I was struggling, अज्ञ/ignorant person. Now you gave me one new name called आत्मा | Okay, you gave me new name? What do I do with it? My struggle in life of insignificance, or the fact that I don’t want to die, I don’t want to experience limitation, I don’t want people around me to die, etc. How will that go if I’m called the आत्मा ?
No no, because body-mind is in me.
So it is बाह्यतः |
It is within, and at the same time it is also outside.
सर्वस्य अस्य बाह्यतः | This means that I am the आत्मा, the body-mind is in me. This is important. I am the witness- okay, all of us can get to that. You can get to it with some absorption, लय, music, dance, arts. You can see- okay, I am the witness.
The body and mind- my body and mind, other bodies etc., all of it is in me-the-आत्मा | So, you totally shift. That is आत्मा-बाह्य |
This doesn’t mean that आत्मा is outside me so I am अनात्मा – No.
So आत्मा is अन्तिके and बाह्य – how it can be both?
You can either say I am sitting in this room, you cannot say the room is in me. If you say like this, people will think you’re crazy. ‘Room is in me’ means what? No, no, it’s possible to say both with respect to the आत्मा |
If you’re talking about pot space- The space is in the pot. But where is the pot? The pot is in space. So, both are possible.
Then, with respect to the आत्मा, what?
When we say आत्मा अन्तिके, you see everyone as sacred, everyone as divine.
बाह्य ~ this body-mind is in me. So this नामरूप(name and form), I am the one that illumines this. So this is really, truly out of body experience- That body-mind is in me, All body-minds are in me.
Can I see that? I-the-आत्मा-consciousness-चैतन्यम्, always present-सत्यम्, never any lack, never any boundary. I-आत्मा am the limitless, everything is in me. All that is here is me. Everything means नामरूप |
So how can you say everything, you said आत्मा is one. But no, everything is with reference to नामरूप(name and form). So all नामरूप is in me. All my lifetimes.
So you see how quickly standpoints are shifted.
So I say ‘my’. The moment I said ‘my’, then I shifted to body-mind. There cannot be any ‘my’ for I-आत्मा |
Why? Because if saying- you are mine, there has to be two~ you are my dog, or you are the love of my life. Whatever it is, there have to be two people.
Then, who is whose? This is also one बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद् मंत्र |
So, the point is that- stay with this. The body-mind is in me.
Because what is it that gives us a sense of boundary? It is the sensation of the skin. The skin is not saying you are this much only. Luckily, we have this blessing of the skin all over the body- It protects all, otherwise your blood & everything will be spilling out. So just imagine what a protective function it plays besides many other things- besides sweating, keeping the body temperature optimal, and all of that. And besides that, the joy of touch. So, so many beautiful functions the skin plays.
But the skin is not declaring to you every day – You are this much only, you are this much only. Don’t think you are all expansive आत्मा, you are this only – No.
This is the mind. On the basis of the sensations I am experiencing, the mind has concluded that- oh you are separate from me.
Oh, then we will burn away the skin. No, no, we don’t need to do all that. We don’t have to break the wood, to say touch wood, we don’t have to do that. We can only see that it is protective, but it does not declare I am separate from you. So I-the-आत्मा can accommodate all नामरूप, all names and forms, including this body-mind, whatever has been given to me, in trust.
So as a trustee of this body and mind, whatever needs to be done I do with it, and that’s it. So whatever it is, it is all okay.
So then where is birth and where is death? Because as आत्मा, then all names-forms are in me.
Whose birth are you talking about, whose death? So something happens- some date of birth happens, some manifestation happens depending on कर्म | Then, that much प्रारब्ध over. Then, lots of कर्म still left. So, one more manifestation. So, all names and forms, all our lifetimes, I am the आत्मा in whom all these lifetimes have come and gone. And hopefully, it may not come again. But even if it comes it’s okay. It’s all just नामरूप | I am not touched by नामरूप | I illumine all नामरूप |
ॐ
What have people written as their spiritual goal?
– I want to have a clear understanding of my true nature. So at this point in time in order to achieve that, I work on अंतःकरणशुद्धि | So I approach all the different activities in my life with कर्म योग बुद्धि:, while also pursuing the study of वेदान्त |
– I need more time to inquire about myself and learn about वेदान्त/ भगवद्-गीता | And moreover Swaminiji’s podcast has been very helpful, as one thing has become very clear i.e. until I can do my studies on वेदान्त, I need to perform धर्म- my duty towards family, my parents and everyone. So that is my spiritual goal for now.
– To have more emotional maturity and grow in that aspect. As well as not get too carried away with my senses. And make new boundaries for me, as well as people around me~ outwards & inwards. And also bring in a little more balance in all my roles; not being in one role too much, so being able to balance that out. As well as taking out more time for self reflection and self contemplation. And also giving more thought towards what I’m reading, to be able to revisit these again, and in so doing hopefully grow more.
– To have reduced wants, and to have a mindset of an acceptance of all the events as ईश्वर प्रसादम् | And to have समत्वम् and कौशलम् as a lifestyle, and not just on hindsight or else I still end up being very reactive, and then in hindsight I feel like this is how I could have handled it better. So I really want to reach a state where there is equilibrium in acceptance of all the circumstances. How I intend on achieving it is by being a more ardent student of वेदान्त and by ensuring that I dive into this more deeply than what I am doing currently.
So, it is important to have clarity about the nature of the spiritual goal and also where I am at. There should be honesty, one is not deluding oneself, and that is most important.
There are the two lifestyles of कर्मयोग and साङ्ख्ययोग (lifestyle of a संन्यासी). And because of popular media and conditioning, we may think and believe wrongly that I am less because I am following the कर्मयोग lifestyle i.e. I am not able to have the maturity that is required. Then, from time to time I have this romantic fantasy called संन्यास | Or, sometimes I may think- Oh, I’m so glad I never went in that direction, because it’s possible that I may have been disillusioned by some of the संन्यासी-s that I have met. And so this कर्मयोग lifestyle works for me. So either way, we may have a view/certain position.
What is भगवान् श्री कृष्ण saying? And this is an important verse for anyone to refute the belief that कर्मयोग is less-
* श्लोक ५ *
यत्साङ्ख्यै: प्राप्यते स्थानं तद्योगैरपि गम्यते ।
एकं साङ्ख्यं च योगं च य: पश्यति स पश्यति ॥ ५॥
य: पश्यति – the one who sees,
साङ्ख्यम् & योगम् – साङ्ख्य referring to संन्यास and योग referring to कर्मयोग |
साङ्ख्यं च योगं च एकं – they are one.
With respect to what? With respect to स्थानं प्राप्यते |
So, the goal for a कर्मयोगी, and the goal for a संन्यासी is एकं/one |
Earlier you will remember that भगवान् said(श्लोक ४) that people who think that they are different, they are बाला:, they are childlike i.e. the prattling of an infantile mind. So, they don’t know, but they say that it’s different.
So that which is attained by साङ्ख्य/संन्यासी is that which is प्राप्तस्य प्राप्ति: i.e. it is a प्राप्ति (gain) of what is प्राप्तस्य (already gained). You are accomplishing what is already accomplished. But it is ‘gained’ little faster only because time, effort, energy spent in this pursuit exclusively is greater, perhaps, than for a कर्मयोगी |
But the same goal, तत् योगै: अपि गम्यते ~ so by कर्मयोग also, the same goal is attained.
What is the goal?
स्थानम् – generally, literally translated means place, but स्थानं can also refer to the goal/परमम्/पदम्, so different words are used.
So this same thing is reached by कर्मयोगी-s also. So when we use the word कर्मयोग, we mean it as-
(i) a lifestyle where we are pursuing धर्म, अर्थ, काम along with मोक्ष |
(ii) The second usage of कर्मयोग is in the context of the disposition i.e. what we bring to every कर्म that we do. So we transform our कर्म into कर्मयोग by the attitude of ईश्वर अर्पण बुद्धि: and प्रसाद बुद्धि: i.e. offering all our actions to ईश्वर, and being cheerful and graceful and gracious about receiving our कर्म |
(iii) The third usage of कर्मयोग is in the context of the purpose being अंतःकरणशुद्धि | अंतःकरणशुद्धि is not a goal in and of itself~ that I have emotional maturity, that I am free of रागद्वेष | And so what about it? Fine, you’re emotionally mature, so what? I am still a कर्ता, I am still a doer. I’ve learnt to manage my life well- I have कौशलम् & समत्वम्, so what about it?
समत्वम् is in terms of being a better भोका | So, earlier I had भोक्तृत्वम्~ I am the experiencer. Now, that भोक्तृत्वम् has been transformed into प्रसाद बुद्धि: i.e. I am being gracious, learning to accept. But who is the one who is doing this? You will say it is a भक्त/devotee- fine. Does a devotee experience प्रसाद? Yes. What does that make the devotee? भोका/experiencer. So still limited.
Therefore the goal of अंतःकरणशुद्धि is only preparation for मोक्ष |
अंतःकरणशुद्धि is not an end in itself. If it is an end in itself, there are two struggles that will happen-
1) If I am not a sufficient भक्त, I will whip myself black and blue, thinking- I don’t have freedom from रागद्वेष | I am still buffeted by the winds of what I must have, and what I should not have in my life, and the struggle/battle in my mind is just too much.
But when you see that all that is here is given, even the psychological order that is there, the influencing factors that have played a role in my life, it is all ईश्वर | Then the resistance reduces. Still, I am a भोका/experiencer.
So the शुद्धि is such that I am so free from रागद्वेष that when the गुरु is teaching the शास्त्र, my mind goes along with the words and I am able to say- yes, अहम् ब्रह्म अस्मि, yes that’s true.
Because understand that- when we listen, we are reacting often. Very rarely we are able to just listen without any sense of threat. Because sometimes you’re like- okay, I have to defend myself, or if I perceive some attack, then again we close up. So the heart is opening-closing, opening-closing. And often it’s closed only. And then I’m saying- no, no, this is not right, or it should not be said, or I want to hear more of this. So reaction, lots of reaction.
So in other parts of life, as I reduce the reactivity, by ईश्वर अर्पण बुद्धि: and प्रसाद बुद्धि:, then that same mind is available to me and वेदान्त | So, don’t think something radical is going to happen in वेदान्त class but it is not going to happen in the rest of your life. But of course, in वेदान्त class, you have the advantage that you don’t have to really do much. You just have to listen. Oh, but this just listen, is not just listen, it’s very difficult to listen without reactivity, to listen with surrender; That what is being wielded is the शास्त्र, I go along with it.
So you can see the kind of maturity that is required to listen to the शास्त्र | Because at a very subtle level we are reacting, and at a gross level definitely.
2)Then the कर्तृत्वम्- earlier I was a कर्ता ~ struggle struggle struggle. Because I’m always evaluating myself- did I do enough? Did I not do enough etc., all the time. Now that कर्तृत्वम्, that sense of doership is replaced by ईश्वर अर्पण बुद्धि: – that whatever is given to me, I make the most of it. A lot changes when you make this shift. Because you see~ body is given to me, mind is given to me, senses are given to me, so I make the most of what is possible. Then the anxiety, the stress, the constant hindsight thinking- should I have done, should I not have done; the furious mental activity reduces. But still ईश्वर अर्पण बुद्धि: means that still little कर्तृत्वम् is there. So that कर्तृत्वम् I am able to see that- that also is sustained by me the आत्मा |
So the lifestyle of a कर्मयोगी is to be able to have अंतःकरणशुद्धि, but the goal is very clear- it is मोक्ष | मोक्ष is the ultimate goal, it may not be my immediate goal, and that’s fine. But ultimate goal it is, so when there is little time, leisure etc. I pursue. So I am pursuing मोक्ष alongside other things.
And for such a person, anyway it is प्राप्तस्य प्राप्ति:, the goal is already reached- you are already the आत्मा, अकर्ता-अभोक्ता |
So, both the संन्यासी and the कर्मयोगी will definitely attain मोक्ष | This must be clear for everyone. And this is the verse you want to go back to. Because you will come across readings and translations, because remember we have FOMO (fear of missing out), so we will read this, we will read that, then somebody will say something, and then you say- oh, maybe I don’t have the maturity, etcetera, etcetera. No.
So right now, bringing up my child is very, very important. Yes, it is काम, but काम is a valid pursuit. And I do it as धार्मिक-ly as possible. And that is what will give me the maturity, because in being a भक्ता, you are worshipping at the altar of धर्म. That’s your worship- that every कर्म is offered to धर्म which is a manifestation of ईश्वर |
So you may not be doing a पूजा every moment, but through your कर्म, symbolically you are doing as in a typical puja- offering your flowers, waving the incense, and lighting the lamp.
So look at it- your life is blessed.
And the goal of मोक्ष is really recognizing that you were never away from yourself, you were always the आत्मा, just not recognized.
Then य: पश्यति स पश्यति – the one who sees that both कर्म योग and संन्यास are एकम् |
The lifestyles are geared towards one goal only, which is मोक्ष |
य: पश्यति स पश्यति – that is the person who really sees.
Otherwise you are just indicating your राग for one lifestyle.
Then-
* श्लोक ६ *
संन्यासस्तु महाबाहो दु:खमाप्तुमयोगत: ।
योगयुक्तो मुनिर्ब्रह्म नचिरेणाधिगच्छति ॥ ६॥
Still, it feels like कर्म is a burden for most of us, or some types of कर्म feel like a burden~ I don’t feel like doing, I don’t want to do, I wish I didn’t have to do etc., etc. So whether it is taking tough decisions on medical aspects for aging parents- I wish I didn’t have to do it, I wish someone would do it for me. Or decisions about which college/school the child needs to go to, how to bring up the child. And of course decisions at work, etcetera, etcetera. They feel like a burden, not all the time, sometimes. But surely संन्यास is easier…
But, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण sounds a word of caution. What is that? संन्यास is very difficult.
संन्यास: तु दु:खम् आप्तुम् अयोगत: – संन्यास will give you दु:ख/sorrow. If you ever choose this lifestyle, अयोगत: i.e. without having a life that is immersed in कर्म योग, it will only cause you दु:ख/sorrow.
Because ritually you have been absolved of all duties and responsibilities. The वेद that tells you how to live your life in the context of धर्म, अर्थ, काम, also says now you are free. You are not going to incur पापा if you don’t perform your responsibility. So one thinks- Wow, so this is great, I can choose whether I want to do certain things, or if I don’t, पापा doesn’t affect me. Therefore no suffering for me. No problem. Sounds wonderful.
But, do I have the maturity for संन्यास? In many ways, these two years of the pandemic have given us a glimpse of one aspect of what a संन्यास lifestyle might be like, because one’s activities were restricted. Of course, it was an external imposition because of the pandemic, but activities were restricted, engagement was restricted. Of course, at home depending on the numbers of people in your family, the activity may have just shot up, so that’s possible also. Still, you know the great dream we have- I will do nothing, I will be by myself, solitude here I come. Not everyone takes to it nicely. We all know how distracted we are. Because we can’t be with ourselves.
Now things have changed in terms of the customer care people calling us, but there used to be a time, maybe 10 years ago, and maybe even now it applies, that the wait is long, so they will say- you have to wait for one minute, somebody’s going to attend to you shortly etc. And they will play music, because they know that we can’t be with ourselves.
Or once upon a time when there used to be telephone booths, you would see all the doodles in the telephone booth. People enter the telephone booth and obviously nobody goes into it to draw, but distraction and fidgetiness is so much, there is so much buildup of energy and you have to do something so you draw.
Or like even now in this mistaken notion of multitasking, to just stay with something, even when just watching a movie- we are eating, we are drinking, we are talking – so maybe we are multitasking. That’s okay. But that बुद्धि: that I have to make the most of my time, and I have limited time on earth, so I have to do do do etc. What can I do? Maybe I can have two or three windows open when I’m even listening to वेदान्त class, maybe I can get notifications. So for certain things I do multitasking because it’s all routine, mechanical and I can manage two tasks, perhaps. But I’m talking about the orientation that then filters into all areas of life. That unless I’m multitasking, I’m wasting time. Look at what our modern living has done to us, we have become slaves.
So संन्यास, what do you have to do? Morning, afternoon, evening with the शास्त्र and that’s it.
So same thing? There is no innovation? ब्रह्मन् is the same, I am ब्रह्म that’s it. So you are reading, you are talking, you are discussing, you are teaching, all the way same.
So when we have retreats, after the third day, people start to get a little restless. This is an observation. Then we will introduce a different activity. Or if it’s in a place like Rishikesh, then we will say- okay, why don’t you go to this place, and of course there are some beautiful places to see also. So one is advised to do this different activity, for a change. Because the intensity is actually just an exclusive pursuit. But it may get too intense- my God, it’s too much to handle.
So this is संन्यास life- there is no scope for achievement. So if today I just did जप, okay great. But what did you achieve? So, if you are the kind of person who asks that question- what did you achieve, are you closer to your goal? Always evaluating, evaluating, then you can imagine you will go crazy in this lifestyle. Everything is relaxed.
Maybe one is not teaching either. There are a lot of संन्यासी-s who don’t teach. On the banks of Ganga they do some जप, some तपस and that’s it. Nothing more. What more is there to achieve in this life? Nothing. So we can see that just hearing all this makes us feel a little awkward.
What do you mean there is nothing to achieve? Look at world poverty, look at what is happening in Ukraine, etcetera, etcetera.
So a complete harmony that is born of कर्म योग | If I am immersed in that, only then I am suitable for a संन्यास lifestyle. Because ritually I have given up responsibilities. And therefore you’re not even earning for a living. So you have to be dependent on society for whatever they provide, if they provide that is.
So I have always lived a strong independent life. But now? In some ways, I am at the mercy of whatever society wants to provide for me. Not easy.
We define ourselves by how productive we are, right? What do you do? I do this ________. That same orientation comes as a वेदान्त student also. What are the texts that you have done? How many years you’ve been studying? It’s still about the pursuit- what you have done. And so to have a lifestyle where there is not even scope for increasing your maturity.
Some tasks can be given, but generally a संन्यासी is an independent person. So unless there is a setup like in Ramakrishna Mission or even Sivananda ashram, where a lot of संन्यासी-s have different designations, they have different positions in these well organized setups. So there you will be given something to do, whatever सेव is there in the ashram. So that much scope is there that you can work through your रागद्वेष-s. But scope is very limited. Your opportunities for learning, and for growing in the context of अंतःकरणशुद्धि are limited because there is decreased interaction with society.
You can’t go partying, and you can learn a lot when you go dancing. You’re not going to work as such. You’re not earning for a living. You’re not struggling with what’s my relationship with my parents, my relationship with money, my relationship with my body-mind, my relationship with children, my relationship with the fact that I didn’t make the most of certain opportunities. So all that is a part of अंतःकरणशुद्धि that comes with the कर्म योग lifestyle.
So if at all people have any romantic ideas of संन्यास, then भगवान् श्री कृष्ण is saying- please, it’s very difficult to accomplish without कर्म योग | So a lot of immersion in a कर्म योग lifestyle is required.
Whereas, the one who is योगयुक्त: i.e. the one who is immersed in this कर्म योग, that person is a मुनि |
So, मुनि ~ मनन शील: | मननम्- being able to think through different perspectives, raising doubts, answering them, holding a particular topic in your mind. That is a कर्म योगी |
Because with all that’s going on in one’s life, and there’s a lot that’s going on, there is enough time and leisure to think about the big questions of life, to do the inquiry that is required, to not be satisfied with false ends.
So that’s the problem with logic. We think we’re very logical- so the ‘what if’ game we play~ what if I make a presentation and everybody laughs at my face? I have not answered this question. The question itself is a false end. Okay, people laughed. So, do people have the freedom to laugh? Yes, but they should not laugh at me. So, what if they laugh at you? Are you still going to have your coffee and tea? Are you still going to live? Are you still going to go about doing your routine, whatever is a part of your lifestyle? Yes. Are you still going to go to work? Yes. Are you still going to interact with those colleagues? Yes. Are you still going to have happy moments in life? Definitely, yes. So, it’s a false end that we make a conclusion about. Actually, there is no need for this overwhelm.
Immersion in कर्म योग means that there is no disenchantment with life. That you see life as a blessing. Earlier you saw life as a burden- Oh my God, new day, same old, when is this going to end? When am I going to get some relief etc., etc.
So, you have converted the burden into a blessing. Not by positive thinking, but by being a भक्त | Why you are a भक्त? Because you recognize the connection that was always there. Earlier you just ignored it, that’s all.
So you are living a busy life, मोक्ष is an important goal, along with other things, and you are capable of doing विचार/ inquiry. It’s not like you start thinking about something, then there is a notification on your phone, then you go with the phone. So if you are not committed to one thing, you will be distracted by everything, mark my words. If you are not committed to one thing, whatever that one thing is at that time, you will be distracted by everything. And we complain of distraction, but we don’t question whether we are really committed to what we are doing. Because it’s so easy to get distracted if you’re not committed. It applies in a committed relationship also as you can be distracted by whoever else is passing by. Or you fantasize- oh, it might be a little nicer to be with that person, compared to this nagging person next to me, etcetera.
So the capacity to reason, we are not talking about some rocket science logic, just the time and the leisure to think about one’s life, to think about what I really am in the light of the शास्त्र |
And so continuing on from verse #5, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण in verse #6 says-
न चिरेण अधिगच्छति ~ so this person who is immersed in a कर्म योग lifestyle, gains ब्रह्म quickly. So there’s a double negative- it does not take the person too long to gain ब्रह्मन् i.e. to see the Truth.
* श्लोक ७ *
योगयुक्तो विशुद्धात्मा विजितात्मा जितेन्द्रिय: ।
सर्वभूतात्मभूतात्मा कुर्वन्नपि न लिप्यते ॥ ७॥
This word योगयुक्त: is used very often in the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता | So the one who is together, the one who is committed to this life of कर्मयोग |
What about such a person? The person is विशुद्धात्मा | The word आत्मा is used differently here. आत्मा is anyway शुद्ध:, so what is the meaning of विशुद्धात्मा? So here आत्मा is referring to the mind. So the one who has a mind that is relatively free from रागद्वेष |
So our goal need not be that I should not have रागद्वेष | Our goal can be that I will not come under the spell of रागद्वेष | Because रागद्वेष, or what we like or dislike, they’re very unique to our personalities. Therefore, I make धर्म my altar instead of रागद्वेष | So रागद्वेष, I could have many, it doesn’t matter, but I align myself to धर्म |
So I have a राग for my child, and I am very dependent on my child. Then what shall we do? No मोक्ष for me? No, definitely मोक्ष for you. Why? Because you are aligning your कर्म to धर्म | And from the time the umbilical cord is cut, you are learning to let go of so much, e.g. your own ideas of parenting. Even if you were a parenting specialist, everything you have to throw out of the window because some things work with some children and some things don’t work. Maybe it’s a combination of different things.
So, so much maturity happened as a parent, as a partner. It makes you योगयुक्त: | So, there is purification of the mind. Relatively one is free from रागद्वेष and therefore विशुद्धात्मा |
Since रागद्वेष don’t have a hold over me, विजितात्मा जितेन्द्रिय: | So there is a certain mastery over the sense organs. How much mastery is good enough? Are you able to pursue all your pursuits? Like when you’re at work, can you focus and get the job done? This may mean collaborating with people, making some improvisations etc., more or less are you able to focus? Great, you have so much mastery. If you have mastery in one area of your life, what does that say about you? You are a master of that area. You can use the available resources, you can be creative, you can collaborate, you can seek support, and you can further your goals professionally. How are you able to do that? Because you are using your willpower and won’t power. What you have to do, you are using certain will. And also using will with respect to what you have to avoid, e.g. a lot of scrolling on social media. Unless you’re a digital social media expert, then that’s your job and that’s really what you need to do.
Or maybe you are spending so much time on the phone, calling your parents in India, 7-10 times a day. Are you okay? What is happening? Are you wearing a mask? So some children who live abroad, they drive their parents crazy, and the parents come and complain about this perfect role reversal. So what to do? Obviously 40-50 year old children are concerned about their 75-80 year old parents. But still, she can’t focus on work because all this furious thinking is going on. Of course when some medical emergency is there, then that’s important.
So if you are a master in one area of your life, then what are the supportive factors that are contributing to you being a master? You have to recognize that, yes, the external framework is very helpful. Yes, the money you get or gets credited to the bank is super helpful. Okay, so I can recognize that- that yes, for me the external framework of accountability is a big driving factor. It’s good to be honest with oneself. So then, since I don’t have so much motivation in another area of my life, maybe that principle of accountability, I could shift. I could have what is called an accountability buddy, etc., who doesn’t nag me. But, you tell the person- you have to remind me. Or I will tell you how I’m working on this particular habit, etc, etc.
So what is being highlighted is that- if I have mastery in one area, then I am furthering goals in a particular area of my life- it could be financial, it could be physical, in terms of my discipline regarding health and exercise, or whatever it is. So, I can translate/cross-pollinate i.e. apply the same attitude, the same determination, the same skill set that I have there, to another area of my life. It’s doable. We do it all the time. But there will be one area of my life where I struggle. And it’s possibly because I am not committed to that goal ~ spiritual goal, financial goal etc.
Financial goal is not articulated in terms of having peace of mind. Financial goal means you please put numbers to your goal. That this is what I need to have, or investing, or saving. Those are all activities related to my financial goal. That accounting for inflation, and cost of living, this is what I need to have, if and when I retire or whatever plans, at that particular age.
So the कर्मयोगी has worked on one’s self mastery and has also recognized that the relationship of cause and effect between how I apply certain skills to one area, to the other area, all of it is pervaded by भगवान्, I always have support. If you try to do this on your own, you will struggle. But recognizing that yes, I’m struggling with this area of my life. Yes, I’m reactive. Yes, I just fly off the handle, etc, etc. But I always have help. This is जितेन्द्रिय: | Self Mastery involves a recognition of ईश्वर in your life.
Because of the word ‘self’, one may think that only the individual is involved. No, what you call as an individual is pervaded by भगवान् anyway.
So this person who is a जितेन्द्रिय:, the vision is clear.
In Hindi, भूत means ghost. So one would wonder- this सर्वभूत:, what is this? In Sanskrit, भूत means living beings.
सर्वभूत: – all living beings, from all देवता-s to a blade of grass.
So, we are considering not only the ones who are living on this earth, but all beings across dimensions, galaxies.
सर्वभूतात्मभूतात्मा – For those people who are learning Sanskrit this is a बहुव्रीहि समास i.e. a compound.
This compound सर्वभूतात्मभूतात्मा refers to a person who knows that the आत्मा that pervades सर्वभूत: is one; that I am that आत्मा that pervades everyone.
So, the vision is clear for this कर्मयोगी |
And given this vision,
कुर्वन्नपि न लिप्यते – despite doing a lot of कर्म, is not affected by the कर्म |
Why? Because भोक्तृत्वम् and कर्तृत्वम् has been seen as मिथ्या, has been seen as not a defining aspect of you as a person. If you have any doubt, then think about what happens in deep sleep; neither are you the कर्ता, nor the भोक्ता, you are neither the doer nor the experiencer. But still there is no drop in self esteem. So for a few hours I am living every day, and I’m not doing anything, I’m not experiencing anything. In fact, I long to go into deep sleep. So, I am not defined by my sense of doer-ship or experiencer-ship. So deep sleep gives us a window of exploration- oh there is such a period in my day, every day, that I am not the कर्ता, I am not the भोक्ता and it’s great.
Then verse 8 & 9 further elaborates that कर्म is not opposed to ज्ञानम् | You can do lots of कर्म, less कर्म, but you can be unaffected by it-
* श्लोक ८ & ९ *
नैव किञ्चित्करोमीति युक्तो मन्येत तत्त्ववित् ।
पश्यञ्शृण्वन्स्पृशञ्जिघ्रन्नश्नन्गच्छन्स्वपञ्श्वसन् ॥ ८॥
प्रलपन्विसृजन्गृह्ण्न्नुन्मिषन्निमिषन्नपि ।
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेषु वर्तन्त इति धारयन् ॥ ९॥
So this is a difficult श्लोक to pronounce.
This युक्त: i.e. the one who is together, the one who is integrated, the one who is not too fragmented.
You’re thinking something, you’re feeling something, you know something else. We take some time to be integrated. What is meant by this is- the things that we know, often we don’t act upon it. So I may know of ways to focus, I may know of all the habits that are good for me, that I have tried, but I don’t want to do that. And I look for the grass that is greener on the other side.
E.g. can you give me some साधना for _____? But the साधना that you got, did you do that? Ahh, I did little bit.
So, what we already know, are we acting on it? Because then what happens is, if we are not acting on a lot of what we know, in terms of what works for us in our life, then we are creating a split. What I know is different, what I feel is different, what I do is totally different.
So, it’s very simple, but it takes a lot of determination to be consistent. All of us struggle with consistency, in some area of life. But again and again, you bring yourself back on track and make the effort, without complaining, without looking down on yourself, without looking for an escape from monotony.
Oh no, let’s come up with something better. You know that better shiny new object is always waiting, calling out to you. So without giving into all that, the simple things that we know, how can I bring that into my life? That is being युक्त: | Otherwise I am creating too many splits.
Because we are addicted to information, I want more information. So, the same orientation comes to वेदान्त also, e.g. I want to learn उपनिषद् also. But hey, भगवद्-गीता, is it fully assimilated? People have to go through 2,3,4 rounds to fully assimilate the भगवद्-गीता, it’s not a joke. But, oh no I want something. First, assimilate what you have already.
And so here we struggle with ourselves. First of all I have to recognize the struggle that I have. I am looking for a way to dodge. I don’t want to take responsibility for doing this, for integration, युक्त:, योग |
So this is a continuation of the कर्मयोगी | The one who is together, who knows the truth of what has been pointed out about आत्मा pervading all beings. And what we call all beings, is only from the standpoint of नामरूप i.e. name and form only.
So it’s like space that pervades everything, e.g. galaxies etc. Space is in and through the galaxies, and the galaxies are accommodated in space. So I the आत्मा, am in and through all the beings, and I-आत्मा accommodate this name and form, and all other names and forms.
So ‘आत्मा is in me’ is not being said. आत्मा is not being localized- आत्मा is in my heart. So, what about your kidneys? No, that is अनात्मा | What about your knees? No, no, that is further down, so आत्मा is very far away.
So no, आत्मा accommodates space, limitless, so all names and forms are in me, I am the आत्मा |
With respect to the पञ्चमहाभूत, if I am referring to this mind-body,
– there is space outside, there is space inside,
– there is moisture/humidity outside, there is water in this body,
– पृथिवी/food we consume from outside, and this body is dense पृथिवी/matter,
– वायु is there outside, and प्राण inside,
– अग्नि ~ then when you go to a really cold place, your body is working furiously to keep your body temperature warm; and if you go to a really hot place, furiously there is so much sweating just to maintain your body temperature.
So outside is all पञ्चमहाभूत, and inside or whatever we call this mind-body is पञ्चमहाभूत, so where is the difference? There is no difference between समष्टि(total) and व्यष्टि(individual).
No, but I feel different. So there we started again. I feel different… but the skin did not declare you are separate, skin only protected you. But conditioning is there- I am separate from the other, therefore I need to connect etc…
So the one who recognizes that I am that आत्मा that pervades all beings, that pervades the पञ्चमहाभूत, inside-outside, in fact there is no inside or outside. Inside and outside, are only referential standpoints.
For such a person, न एव किञ्चित् करोमि – I don’t do anything.
To do something, you need limbs, and you need to get from place A to place B. Now when all that is here is you, what will you do? How can you do?
So whether you are doing the simplest of actions, not some great exalted साधना | And the simple actions that everyone does-
– पश्यन् ~ seeing,
– शृण्वन् ~ hearing,
– स्पृशन् ~ touching,
– जिघ्रन् ~ smelling,
– अश्नन् ~ eating,
– गच्छन् ~ walking,
– स्वपन् ~ sleeping,
– श्वसन् ~ breathing,
– प्रलपन् ~ talking.
So, whatever you are doing, you may be doing all these activities, but you are really not doing anything.
Then,
विसृजन् ~ releasing,
गृह्ण्न् ~ grasping
उन्मिषन् (open eyes), निमिषन् (close eyes)~ blinking
So, whether you are a कर्मयोगी or a संन्यासी, all these कर्म-s we are doing on a regular basis.
And with these kinds of कर्म, what is happening?
The various इन्द्रियाणि i.e. the various sense organs~ कर्मेन्द्रिय (organs of action) and ज्ञानेन्द्रिय (organs of knowledge). What do they do? They interact with different sense objects. That’s प्रकृति, that’s the material cause pervaded by the intelligent cause, so when something is interacting with something. Because of प्रकृति, you are interacting with your partner and people at work and so on, so lots of कर्म happening, very busy time of the year.
So whether it is a busy time of the year, or not so busy, you are not affected by कर्म |
Oh but the venture you started did not work. Oh, okay. The venture may not work, but I work. The venture does not define me. So we really have to dwell on this- that कर्मफल, the outcome of an action, what we might consider as success or failure, is an event in time, it does not define me. We have to dwell on this. Because we do define ourselves by some key events that have happened in our lives, and however that event worked out. So it could be the job, it could be the relationship, it could be the academic accolade, so whatever, something will be there. And that’s good to describe oneself. Not define. There is a difference. What you are defined by is something that is intrinsic to you. No matter what happens, this is how you are. Description can change- now you are with Company A, then you are with Company B. Or you too have joined the great resignation. So, whatever it is, it’s just an event.
So,
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेषु वर्तन्त – sense organs are interacting with the world.
But the person knows very clearly,
इति धारयन् – fully understood, grasped, assimilated,
What does the person understand? That, I don’t do anything.
So though व्यवहारिक-ly/functionally one does, I know that I am the आत्मा, which was never the कर्ता, never the भोक्ता | The nature of the आत्मा is clear.
Then what did the कर्म, who did the कर्म?
So this name & form that is interacting with other names and forms, some play/drama is going on. And I make a drama of the existing drama, and I enjoy it.
So sometimes more activity, sometimes less activity, either way I am free.
We want to be free from कर्म because कर्म affects us.
So by replacing our कर्तृत्वम् with ईश्वर अर्पण बुद्धि:, I take the sting off of कर्म |
By replacing my भोक्तृत्वम्, my sense of experiencing~ good bad ugly, with प्रसाद बुद्धि:, a greater sense of acceptance, or an acceptance of the resistance that I have etc. is there. Then what? Then the sting of- ‘it affects me’, and ‘why me’ etc., that also eases.
Then reality becomes more clear to me. A lot of the work in वेदान्त is really the lifestyle of कर्मयोग | Otherwise, the Truth is very, very simple.
The work is not something that you signed up for- I wanted सच्चिदानन्द, so what is all this अंतःकरणशुद्धि ?
So I didn’t know that I had to work so hard on this. Well, that’s what it is. It’s easy, it may be difficult also. But anyway the good news is that I am the आत्मा | So, कर्म I may struggle a little bit with, and then in time, it’s a breeze.
ॐ
Situations and people that we feel closely connected to-
– Swaminiji, गुरुपरम्परा, शास्त्र-study, वेदान्त, spiritual growth, Self
– देवता-s, ऋषि-s
– people who have a similar pursuit
– family~ husband/wife, children, parents, siblings
– money, income
– career
– learning
– friends
– ईश्वर
– environment; living in a sustainable way
– music
– places
– house
– duties
– health~ working towards improving one’s health, and taking care of one’s body
– values~ धर्म
What is connection?
– That which is important to me.
– There is involvement/attachment in that particular area.
– I spend time & effort to sustain the involvement.
– There is a sense of seamlessness/effortlessness.
– I am emotionally involved i.e. it preoccupies my mind & energy.
So also, it can bring disturbance if I experience disconnection.
– Similarity/oneness, e.g. I feel connected to nature (plants/trees) as I understand that they are also made of the same पञ्चमहाभूत-s as me, so I see similarity; though I express चैतन्य more than they do.
– Cause & effect ~ the effect of being impelled to do something; a cause that brings the inclination to do something, e.g. to take care of my parents. It may not be the natural order, but there is some cause causing the inclination/effect.
– When you are connected with your heart to something.
You are devoted so there is no limit, one will do everything.
You don’t see any difference between oneself and the object of connection, because one’s heart is so much in it. In that devotion, there is no difference.
– It is fulfillment. It is to fulfill that part~ person, situation, event, which I feel is not complete.
Time & effort is a by-product of connection.
One thinks that that person, object, situation completes one. Through that connection, one is seeking oneness.
– Connection is a means/ साधना for fulfillment.
– Recognition of the oneness of all names & forms as a manifestation of चैतन्य | The interconnectedness/interdependence of all beings. The underlying reality is that oneness which is all-pervading, नित्यम्, शुद्धम् |
– The sense of gratitude makes you connected to everybody- parents, friends, गुरु | Because they have given you something that gives you inner pleasure, there is connection/gratitude.
E.g. At work, one’s sense of gratitude of being paid keeps one connected, even if one dislikes the boss,
or parents have given birth to you and taken care of you, so there is connection/gratitude.
Also, e.g. when one is connected with nature, at that moment neither am I giving to nature, nor is nature giving. There is only the pleasure of seeing and recognizing that God has created everything- blowing winds, showering clouds, flowering & fruit-giving trees. So at that time gratitude is expressed, and that is how one is connected.
Also through this exercise, one insight was on the changing nature and impermanence of our connections.
One can recognize that one cannot depend on any connection upon seeing the changing nature of the connection, as the connection will change according to whatever is happening.
What one feels most connected to changes with time, e.g. in the exercise, the thickness of the line drawn to a given connection changes with time.
In the last two मंत्र-s (४ & ५), we have looked at the nature of the आत्मा that is I, and the words that were used were as though contradictory.
Now in मंत्र ६ & ७, the सर्वात्मा भाव, or rather the ज्ञानफल is being mentioned.
It’s very similar to a familiar श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता verse.
* मंत्र ६ *
यस्तु सर्वाणि भूतान्यात्मन्येवानुपश्यति ।
सर्वभूतेषु चात्मानं ततो न विजुगुप्सते ॥ ६॥
अनुपश्यति – the wise person sees.
Here, ‘sees’ is not just पश्यति | भगवान् आदि शङ्कराचार्य explains अनु-पश्यति~ शास्त्र आचार्य उपदेशात् |
So because of the शास्त्र and the teachings within the शास्त्र that are rendered by the गुरु,
आत्मनि एव सर्वाणि भूतानि |
So, the आत्मा that was defined in the last two मंत्र-s,
all beings- सर्वाणि भूतानि |
This ‘सर्वाणि भूतानि’ is always explained as ब्रह्म-स्तम्ब-पर्यन्तम् |
So ‘ब्रह्म’ means from ब्रह्म-जी onwards. So ब्रह्म-जी is still a function and a manifestation.
‘स्तम्ब-पर्यन्तम्’ ~ to a blade of grass.
So, the wise person sees that all the way, all beings are in the आत्मा |
Then further, सर्वभूतेषु आत्मानम् – आत्मा is present in all the beings.
So, again, just in case we tried to localize the आत्मा, and say that- oh, in all the beings आत्मा is present, then how about outside of the beings?
Oh, well- सर्वाणि भूतानि आत्मनि एव |
So I-the आत्मा include all names and forms.
And what is the result of that?
न विजुगुप्सते – there is no hatred for anyone. The person does not hate.
One will not hate a stranger. If we look back into our own lives, if at all we have hated anyone or had an intense dislike towards someone, it is because at some point in time we really liked that person. Or we expected some validation, some approval, some respect from that person, but it didn’t come. And then that person became an object of me not being pleased with the situation, and then I projected dislike onto that person.
So here all beings, referring to all names and forms, they are present in the आत्मा |
It’s similar to this verse from श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता-
सर्वभूतस्थमात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि ।
ईक्षते योगयुक्तात्मा सर्वत्र समदर्शन: ॥ – ६.२९
So this language of apparent contradiction is being used.
कारणम्-कार्यम् is being referred to here.
See, is there a need to really talk about आत्मा and सर्वभूता: ?
There is.
Because our connection- strong connection, mild connection, or disconnection, is to all the beings. And our experience very often is our reality.
So what is inherent in this connection? That सर्वभूतानि (all beings), they are नामरूप |
Oh, you have reduced my connection to नामरूप ? It has not been reduced, that’s what it is.
And that नामरूप is a कार्यम्, it is an effect.
So all the beings have come from आत्मा |
In this context, आत्मा becomes the कारणम् | Everything else is कार्यम् |
Then what is this great connection between सर्वभूतानि and आत्मा ?
We will say- oh, it is cause-effect. Cause-effect means cause and effect.
So, gold and ornaments have an equal status of reality. There are two things and they are connected.
Then if we look at only the ornaments~ only the जगत्, only all the भूत-s,
where the कार्यम्(effect) is, there the cause is.
Is the cause sitting independently of the effect? Never.
सर्वभूतानि-आत्मा – where the नामरूप/कार्यम्/effect is, the cause is.
In fact the कार्यम्/the ornaments/all the भूतानि-s, they cannot exist without कारणम् i.e. the आत्मा |
So really, are we talking about a cause and effect relationship? Because when you inquire into the cause-effect relationship, the effect falls apart. The effect falls apart means it resolves in the cause.
Ornaments resolve in gold. In fact, there is nothing really called ornament from the standpoint of gold.
There is nothing really substantial about all these moving bodies of matter/energy/modification, or whatever you may call them.
What are all these bodies of matter? – is the आत्मा i.e. कारणम् |
So from the standpoint of the आत्मा, there are no भूतानि-s whatsoever.
The भूत-s(beings) can manifest, they need not manifest, some continue to remain unmanifest.
Gold continues to be gold, whether it is made into a necklace, or a bangle, or it is a biscuit.
And if it gets made/manifested into many, many, many forms, still it’s fine. Gold remains as gold.
आत्मा continues to be what it is, what I am.
So all the beings, सर्वाणि भूतानि आत्मनि,
without the आत्मा, all the beings have no substantiality.
Then, where are they? Where are all the beings?
We say in the आत्मा, or आत्मा is the आधार of everything.
So the entire जगत् is कार्यम्/product/effect, आत्मा is कारणम् – I.
Even for स्वप्न, even for my dream, I am the कारणम् for it, whatever the intelligence and material that is there.
And we have to look at it both ways.
आत्मा that pervades all the beings, and आत्मा that accommodates all the beings, that is me.
So the disconnection that I experience, as well as the connection that I experience with people, what is that related to? I have to inquire into this.
So the exercise we did before also highlights for me the contributing factors to the connections that I have.
It’s all laws of कर्म | And of course it’s the play of प्रकृति | The गुण-s are there, so we feel more connected to certain activities, to certain people, to certain objects.
Again, at different phases of life, we have been differently connected, differently involved with all of these things.
So my connections with things, situations, people, does it exclude the rest of the जगत् ? Hypothetically, suppose I had more connections i.e. I felt more connected with a few more things, would the peace and happiness I experience, would that be more?
Because as mentioned previously, with connection/involvement, there is also certain upset that comes along. If there are moments of disconnection, despite my best effort, time, energy, there is not enough harmony.
So, for अनुपश्यति i.e. the one who sees,
that I am present as आत्मा in all beings and all beings are in me,
the question of hatred does not arise.
There is no one to hate actually.
ॐ
This fifth chapter of संन्यास-योग: is a further elaboration on Chapter Four where the nature of the आत्मा is unfolded and we understand that ज्ञानेन कर्म संन्यास |
So, कर्म is really not a problem, although it feels like a problem for a lot of us- to do, or not to do, or to do differently continues to be a perennial question. But that’s going to be the struggle as long as I identify myself as the कर्ता/doer.
So this identity as a doer, is what the विचार is into. Actually, it is आत्मा विचार |
But this doer who seeks to be significant, who seeks to have the need for approval met, who wants to achieve X-Y-Zed in life, this doer believes that by doing कर्म, different kinds of कर्म~ वैदिक कर्म (enjoined by the वेदस्), लौकिक कर्म, any kind of other exalted karma, that I will be okay, that my sense of inadequacy will go away. And that’s why we are furiously thinking about how to refine our कर्म | And then if you have a self-critic who is very much there for most people particularly वेदान्त students, so you will convert all knowledge into criticism of oneself. So that’s not helpful at all.
So recognizing the nature of the आत्मा, while doing कर्म also, one is free from कर्तृत्वम् | Free from कर्तृत्वम् means that one was always free from कर्तृत्वम् | It is not that you evolve with your साधना, that after doing a lot, then you finally retire. Then somebody will say only fools retire, what retirement? There is no retirement for me, I’m always involved in something or the other.
So generally how we look at कर्म~ Oh, at the end of the day, now relax, it’s been so hectic, so hectic. End of career, retirement, a reduction in कर्म | So our orientation is that a reduction in कर्म may be a reduction in कर्तृत्वम् (sense of doer-ship). But here again and again भगवान् emphasizes that कर्म is not opposed to ज्ञानम् | What is opposed to ज्ञानम् is the sense of कर्तृत्वम् that is born of अविद्या | If the sense of कर्तृत्वम् was real, then let us not struggle against it, let us reconcile with it. Okay, I have to do, it’s okay, I will struggle with my inadequacy, I will work on my self-esteem, all those things we can do, for lifetime to lifetime to lifetime, we can do. But कर्तृत्वम् is a temporary, temporal identity that is based on taking oneself as the body-mind-sense-complex only.
And so we get a glimpse of the fact that I am not the कर्ता because of the experience of deep sleep. I’m absolutely fine. No problem. A lot of us think we are indispensable. You really want to know how indispensable you are? You put your finger in a bucket of water and take it out. That’s how indispensable we are.
But without me nothing will happen etcetera, etcetera. Really, things may suffer a little bit here and there, but nothing much.
So, continuing with the theme of आत्मा being अकर्ता (never the doer), He speaks about what comes with कर्तृत्वम्-भोक्तृत्वम्, which is पुण्य & पाप, and that one is not affected by it. So he’s giving an example also, so that we are able to assimilate it better.
* श्लोक १० *
ब्रह्मण्याधाय कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा करोति य: ।
लिप्यते न स पापेन पद्मपत्रमिवाम्भसा ॥ १०॥
ब्रह्मणि आधाय कर्माणि – all कर्म-s that are offered unto ब्रह्मन्,
How?
सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा – giving up your सङ्ग i.e. रागद्वेष |
य: करोति – the one who,
gives up सङ्गं, and offers कर्म unto ब्रह्मन्,
न लिप्यते – is not affected.
But, first of all, I have very limited things and now you are asking me to offer, what shall I offer?
Also, I will offer something to someone who doesn’t have it.
So let’s say I have extra clothes, and maybe I want to dispose of it, because new ones have to come in. Or, I say- Oh, somebody will benefit, so I will give it away. So then that person doesn’t have the clothes that the person needs, and I offer it, I give it away. So, because of somebody else’s lack I make an offering.
Now what is the offering to be made unto ब्रह्मन्? Has ब्रह्मन्/ईश्वर asked me- Give me your wealth, surrender unto me, all that you have you please give me. No. Then what is the surrender we are talking about? What is this offering that we are talking about? Why to offer? What to offer?
When we do कर्म, we generally will offer it unto the altar of रागद्वेष | I want this outcome, whatever be the outcome. Therefore I am doing the कर्म | Fine. Thankfully at least you are clear about what you want, and that itself is quite something. Very good. Go for it.
Then, I rub against the order. Because suppose the result is not according to what I want.
Then I am frustrated. Then I go into a spiral of why this happened to me, why it did not happen to me. Why am I being denied despite all my effort, despite me being such a good person? Etcetera, etcetera.
So, the कर्मफल that I got in the form of a situation, a person’s reaction to me, or my own reaction to myself, I am not okay with it. I am resisting the order.
Suppose I’m looking for a partner. And then I did not get the kind of response I was hoping for. कर्मफल not up to expectation. What shall we do now? So there might be many reasons why the response did not come. One way is saying- oh what is deficient in me, what more I could have done etcetera, etcetera. Or you say, dump this person. Forget it. I am not worth this person. Something, however you deal with it. If my reaction to this situation persists for a very, very, very long time and I am repeating and regurgitating what could have happened, why it happened, why it should not have happened, etcetera, etcetera, then, on the face of it, I’m not happy with the result.
But the laws of कर्म that shape the result, that is what I am really resisting. Why? Because everything should be according to what I want. And there are 7 billion of us at least on this earth, and therefore, our matrix of कर्म interconnects and very often it might be in opposition.
For example- the child wants to play, but the mother wants the child to do homework. Look at the wonderful clash that happens on a day to day basis in some households. I want my daughter to keep the room clean, that’s the least I can expect after all that we do for you, and when I walk into the setup, it is stinking, etc, etc. So everything I’ve tried- I’ve persuaded, I’ve cajoled, I’ve threatened and complained, everything I’ve tried but nothing works. What shall we do? Reaction, build up.
So whatever be the कर्म, सर्वाणि कर्माणि in all your roles, you focus on what you need to do and offer it to भगवान्/ब्रह्मणि/ईश्वर/ब्रह्मन् with प्रासाद बुद्धि: | Because one way of talking about giving up results is that you’re fine with whatever results come your way. Fine means that you will not be absolutely fine. More or less okay. You are not defining yourself by the outcome of a situation. You see different situations, different results, they come and go and that’s okay. That’s all laws of कर्म and laws of कर्म are really भगवान् | Or, laws of कर्म are धर्म, and for us धर्म is not a mandate that is to be imposed upon us externally. Although there could be do’s and don’ts, the voice of धर्म is in your heart. That’s why the satisfaction of doing the right thing is there for all of us, irrespective of cultures, irrespective of age and stage in life. That we naturally want to do what is right. We feel we are integrated, we are okay, when we have done what is right. Although it may not be very popular sometimes, but it’s okay.
So, the offering is a recognition that all कर्म is possible because of धर्म, and धर्म includes the ability to do the कर्म, because you’re talking about laws. E.g. in the simple action of raising your arm, in that itself there is the धर्म of the hand, with so many muscles and organs of the body involved to make this action possible. And then there is the result- I wanted to raise it only so much, so only that much it has raised. But you ask people who are undergoing physiotherapy for a frozen shoulder. The person is saying- Lift, lift, lift. But the person can’t lift. What do you mean lift? No, I just cannot.
So the offering is unto धर्म, and धर्म is ईश्वर | So every कर्म is your worship. Naturally, you’re not going to offer anything rotten. You are going to offer something which involves your कौशलम् | You try your best, no half hearted attempts.
So because you don’t have सङ्ग to your रागद्वेष, you’re not nurturing your रागद्वेष | रागद्वेष is there, and भगवान् श्री कृष्ण never says do not have रागद्वेष | He doesn’t say that you are doomed if you have रागद्वेष | There is a recognition that everyone has some or the other रागद्वेष, no problem. And so we need not judge ourselves on the basis of our रागद्वेष | We tend to do that. This is why this is being emphasized.
E.g. I still want to have a successful career, or I want to have a child, or I want to marry, or I want to remarry, or I want the promotion, or whatever it is. You have the राग | Great. Fantastic. It’s all धर्म, अर्थ, काम | Then you work for it with सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा |
सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा is not giving up attachment.
Because I wanted it, therefore I’m working for it. E.g. so much effort to get a job and despite the effort, jobs are not coming by easily these days.
So the सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा is giving up this attachment to the रागद्वेष |
Yes, the राग is there, and I work for it, I align it to धर्म and I trust that this offering of mine will be accepted. So then, so much of the resistance has dropped. Because a lot of our conflicts are because of resistance. We don’t want things to be how they are, situations to be how they are, people to be how they are. And closer home, I don’t want myself to be the way I am, I wish I was different etc. etc.
So this is the सङ्ग to रागद्वेष – This is how it should be. Why is it different? I don’t want it to be different etc., etc.
Because all the way you start with रागद्वेष; the biggest राग is that I am a कर्ता – see what all I achieved etc. etc.
So, in giving up कर्तृत्वम्, so you offer your कर्म, in other words you surrender, and therefore you are not affected by any पाप or पुण्य |
पुण्य is not specifically mentioned here, but you are not affected by पाप i.e. any kind of suffering.
Now another very beautiful metaphor is given. So the leaf of a lotus, when you try sprinkling water on it, these very beautiful translucent drops are perfectly formed. And then you can see the reflection of the surroundings in those drops if you look really closely~ very beautiful.
So the lotus continues to be in the water, in the pond, in the muck. At the same time it is untouched. The leaves are untouched.
And this is a very popular metaphor to indicate that one can be in the world but be untouched by the world. One need not go away, or one need not be so steeped in it that you drown, but you can be untouched. Untouched means not affected by whatever situations one faces because that is really पुण्य-पाप that is unfolding.
Some aches and pains- suddenly one fall, some fracture, some sprain. Or some attempt at hacking your account. Some little दु:ख/पाप, the person is not affected.
Basically the person is not affected by कर्मफल is what is being highlighted here.
So, do not convert this into saying that from now onwards, success or failure will not affect me. No. Don’t do that.
That you, however you interact and receive whatever you think is success and failure, learn to be compassionate to yourself. This is a very important lesson we all have to learn.
And actually, the good news is that we are supremely compassionate to our tongue. If accidentally, you sipped a very hot cup of coffee, or accidentally while biting into a chakli you bit your tongue. So chomp, chomp, chomp, and then you bit your tongue. What do you do?
How dare my tongue come in between, it should not have come in between. It has been moving around in my mouth for so many years, has it not learned the lessons of how it has to behave? Etc. Do you do such drama? No. You just say- oh, I better be more careful next time. That’s all. Are you going to dwell on it? Oh, you know, five years ago, my tongue came in between my teeth, and my teeth thankfully are sharp. And I was hurt. My tongue was hurt and I should not be hurt, and so much hurt was caused.
So, the mind is also part of you. Sometimes it will move in certain directions, you may not be happy with it. Maybe some course correction is required. It’s okay, relax. If you can be compassionate to your tongue, which is so brilliant in the way it works- just look at it, when you’re singing, when you’re eating, when you’re talking, when you’re breathing, or doing प्राणायाम and all that, it moves very differently at different times. It just obeys the master, and it’s not like you’re consciously thinking of how you want to move the tongue when you are sipping coffee vis-à-vis eating something really chewy. It has an intelligence of its own, it moves around, it’s fine.
And you can be so compassionate to your tongue, that same compassion we want to extend to the mind. So, try to understand the mind. The more you understand, and not saying necessarily that one has to go very deep into psychology, because modern psychology tends to be pathology based- ‘what’s wrong with you?’, that’s the orientation.
So just- okay, this is the way my mind is thinking, and I see it, and it’s okay, and I apply my mind for whatever other pursuits. That’s it, get on with it.
Oh, but I am affected. I am affected is one thing. But, I am affected because I’m affected.
This is classical, i.e. reaction to a reaction. Most of our suffering is because of a reaction to a reaction. I cannot accept that I was upset. Okay so the situation was like that, so I was upset. But why I was upset. I should not have been upset. So this has happened so many times. By now I should have been hardened and toughened, and I am upset now because I am upset.
So you can see how we can be build up reaction. In the name of self improvement, we build up reaction and ensure that we stay upset for a long, long time.
So I accept that I’m upset. I accept that I resist. Now what? Get on with life, that’s it. Then, there’s not much drama.
Now what shall we do? But I wanted some entertainment. Okay, then you watch something on TV. You don’t have to create extra drama for yourself.
*श्लोक ११*
कायेन मनसा बुद्ध्या केवलैरिन्द्रियैरपि ।
योगिन: कर्म कुर्वन्ति सङ्गं त्यक्त्वात्मशुद्धये ॥ ११॥
So these योगिन: i.e. these कर्म योगी-s, what do they do?
सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा |
सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा is spoken of here again, and again in verse 12, but in 12 it is specifically कर्मफलम् त्यक्त्वा (giving up).
So what do these योगी-s do?
योगिन: कर्म कुर्वन्ति – they perform कर्म |
How?
With their body/काया, their mind/मनसा, intellect/बुद्ध्या (these are in 3rd case Sanskrit).
And also with their sense of इन्द्रियै: अपि |
But that everyone does, so what is so special about this?
The difference is that they do सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा i.e. they give up the dependence, the obsession with results. In other words, they try to see different situations as प्रसाद |
And why are they doing all this song and dance, for what? Oh, for आत्मा शुद्धि: |
आत्मा is anyway नित्य बुध शुद्ध मुक्त स्वभाव | So आत्मा here is referring to the अंतःकरण/mind.
So, for आत्मा शुद्धि: means for अंतःकरण शुद्धि: |
Now, this अंतःकरण शुद्धि: project can seem like a lifetime project. That’s why we have to learn to be compassionate with ourselves. Because if you are in this for the long haul, then you will sooner or later beat yourself up. What, I can’t even get over this राग of chocolate, I tried so hard, I just cannot give this up. It’s okay, relax. You do what you can.
When we are looking at अंतःकरण शुद्धि:, we mean a relative freedom from our रागद्वेष |
Now if you’re going a little deeper into this, then अंतःकरण has three components together with the अहंकार, holding the functions of the अंतःकरण/mind/inner instrument.
So how can the अहंकार be शुद्ध ? शुद्ध meaning you are free from रागद्वेष-s related to your self concept~ This is how I should be perceived. This is how I must be treated. People will treat you the way that they can best treat you.
Everyone has an idea of ‘this is who I should be’. But the word ‘should’ has a very absolute quality to it. And that pressure that we create on ourselves by the word ‘should’ doesn’t allow us to breathe, doesn’t allow us to be.
Yes, ‘should’ was important in childhood for discipline and so on and so forth, but what does अहंकार शुद्धि: mean? Real शुद्धि: in that sense is only seeing that you don’t have an अहंकार | That अहंकार is understood as the आत्मा |
Until then, अहंकार stays surrendered. अहंकार is now a भक्त in relation. Always in connection with भगवान्, so ever purified.
When I see my connection with भगवान्, then I am not this suffering, isolated, alienated individual, at least one connection I have. Maybe I’m a little disconnected with other few people, in time it will come back, but at least with भगवान् I am connected. And all that is here is given to me- body, mind, senses, abilities are given, given, given. So then अहंकार stops bothering me, it’s functional- I can get things done, I do, whatever I need to do I do.
Then what about शुद्धि: of चित्तम् ? Because there are four functions of the अंतःकरण/inner instrument- चित्तम्/memory, बुद्धि:/intellect, and मन:/mind(desires, emotions, etc.). Can you have शुद्धि: in the desires and emotions? Well it’s all a part of the order- anger, frustration, rage, sadness, disgust, excitement, cheerfulness, etc. It’s all a part of the psychological order. There is some cause-effect relationship between all of it.
So whatever is there in the mind is either because of the present situation, or largely because of how I’m reacting to the past. So residue might be there, or whatever build up, I have not resolved certain issues maybe. So there is guilt about certain things, there might be anger about certain things, and so on.
Then the बुद्धि:, what is the शुद्धि:(purity) of the बुद्धि:? The बुद्धि: can be purified only by aligning oneself to functional reality at least. How will you take decisions if you don’t know if this is a mirage or what? If you’re going in the desert, this is a mirage? Yes, no, I don’t know? So you need some certainty. बुद्धि: is for decision making, whatever decision making. So you are open to facts. You are not afraid like the ostrich who buries the head in the sand. It doesn’t want to face reality. Reality is all around but no no, I don’t want to face it, I just escape. So how शुद्धि: will take place?
When we say अंतःकरण शुद्धि:, we have to dwell on what that is. That the अहंकार is free from रागद्वेष |
रागद्वेष have come from patterns, but they are all a part of the psychological order. If I resist the psychological order, I’m resisting myself, I’m resisting भगवान् | Is it helping me? No.
Then how can I purify the बुद्धि:? By aligning myself to reality. What is functional reality? It is ईश्वर विभूति(Glory) | Everywhere, all manifestations, everything. It’s all the glory of ईश्वर | So all the way then the अहंकार is not struggling-अहंकार anymore.
One may still be struggling with situations. Maybe I still need to acquire certain skills, maybe I’m upgrading my portfolio. But the अहंकार is so aligned to reality, is accepting of facts, is cheerful because of recognizing blessings all the way every day. Then अहंकार no longer is struggling. अहंकार is in harmony with what is.
We need to be in harmony with what is relatively speaking first, before you are able to appreciate the absolute reality, that is in and through all the व्यवहार |
So with whatever instruments that have been given, what do the कर्म योगी-s do? Yes, there are रागद्वेष-s.
But, they perform कर्म because they know that whatever be the outcome of the कर्म that I do, it’s not going to be enough for the unwept sorrow that is there in my heart.
What is this unwept sorrow? The sorrow of the human condition.
So I may have topical sorrow because of a situation, some event or something. So maybe that is also unwept. If it is unwept, then please cry, howl, scream, whatever you need to do you please do.
But this is the helplessness of being the human being. The limitation that despite everything it will all come to an end one day, whenever that is.
A child was writing his homework. The teacher said to write your five top wishes. The first wish the eight-year-old child writes is that I don’t want to die. Why? Because if I die, then with rebirth I may have some other mother and father, and I don’t want that, I want only this mom and dad.
So this 8-year-old is saying that I don’t want to die. Already the sense of limitation is being experienced. Of course generally the limitation is- Oh, you’re not allowing me to play, what is this? But here, I don’t want to die. I don’t want what I’m going through to come to an end.
This is the sorrow we all have.
Then the only way out is not to do positive thinking. The way out is to say- is it real? Is this human condition absolutely real? Or is it something that is a superimposition on the Truth. That’s all what the विचार is about.
So this कर्म योगी knows that whatever I do, I am not going to be satisfied. And this is a moment of great clarity. It is not a moment of resignation. It’s a moment of great clarity that whatever I do, I will never be fully satisfied with it. Because the nature of every कर्मफल limited. The nature of कर्म is limited. What will satisfy me is only that I see I am the infinite. Only the infinite can satisfy me, nothing else. And so we can really enjoy our lives because we don’t burden a limited कर्मफल with infinity.
So the फल, e.g. the apple is limited, it will last for so long, you enjoy, that’s it, over. Some more कर्मफल is there- mangoes are there, enjoy for this season, then it’s over.
So then what happens to such a person, this कर्म योगी?
*श्लोक १२*
युक्त: कर्मफलं त्यक्त्वा शान्तिमाप्नोति नैष्ठिकीम् ।
अयुक्त: कामकारेण फले सक्तो निबध्यते ॥ १२॥
So this person who is together, who is a कर्म योगी,
कर्मफलं त्यक्त्वा – The person is working for the कर्मफल knowing that for my emotional growth I need this right now, in this stage of my life. And I will learn to be okay with whatever comes. I have given my best to this situation. I’m not going to define myself by the outcome of the situation but at the same time I really want that promotion, or whatever it is.
So learn to hold paradoxes. This is very important. Because वेदान्त is presented in lots of paradoxes. Otherwise we get into categorical thinking. You can hold both, both of these seemingly apparently contradictory paradoxes. What is that?
I work, I want the result, and yet I am free from the result. I am not going to define myself by the result. It kind of seems seems contradictory, it’s not.
So you work towards the result/कर्मफल, but you know very well that you stop having a say the moment you drop the ball from your hand from six floors above. It’s no more in your hands. When the ball was in your hand, then whatever you wanted to do, then that’s fine. But let’s say you throw it with some force. It’s out of your hands literally and metaphorically. Then the laws of nature, gravity, etc. will take over. You have nothing to say, even if you want to say you can go on saying. It’s out of your hands. The laws of nature, the laws of gravity, the laws of कर्म, everything will shape it.
So that is कर्मफलं त्यक्त्वा | कर्मफलं त्यक्त्वा is NOT the ad nauseam repetition of~ work without expectations etc. No.
And by doing this कर्मफल त्यक्त्वा, there is so much relaxation, so much शान्ति |
शान्ति we translate as peace of mind, but here,
शान्तिम् आप्नोति नैष्ठिकीम् –
नैष्ठिकीम् is referring to a certain commitment that comes from a life of कर्म योग |
So the शान्ति can be relative. E.g. you went to a place, and there’s lots of greenery and there’s a nice stream and there’s beautiful sunlight. So you see it and you feel peaceful. Or you listen to some nice Japanese music- so nice, so peaceful. So, situational शान्ति, related to something.
The nature of the आत्मा is पर-शान्ति i.e. absolute शान्ति which can hold any conflict. So, not absence of conflict. आत्मा accommodates order, disorder, conflict, no-conflict.
Often the example that is given is that of the white-screen in the theater movie. The theater screen is there, and then different movies are screened on it. So different categories are there- romance, comedy, thriller, horror. So like that on the screen of your life i.e. the awareness that you are, different movies get screened. So there are certain phases- certain phases are very tragic, some are very funny, and then some are thrillers, all the time thrilling. It’s like a roller coaster ride. Though all this is going on, the screen is untouched.
Suppose there is a blazing forest fire in this movies. Then is the fire brigade called? Oh, we have to extinguish the fire. No. The screen always remains untouched.
So this is that शान्ति | That the one who is aware of all this drama, the one who is aware of how the कर्ता is moving around in the world, how the experiences are being experienced, all that whatever drama, whatever movies are being projected. That I am that पर-शान्ति, absolute शान्ति in which all this प्रकृति, the play of the गुण-s happens, and that’s fine.
So again, the कर्म योगी gains this शान्ति: because of the commitment to कर्म योग |
Not that- oh, this कर्म I like to do, so yes of course I offer it to ईश्वर; Other things- no that I don’t. So, not like that, not selective.
And then the first line of the श्लोक is contrasted with the second one which is-
if the person is अयुक्त: i.e. NOT a कर्म योगी, but a simple कर्मी,
then what is it that guides the person?
काम i.e. binding desire. So things have to be done in this way only. So when desire leads you like this, and especially binding desire, then what happens?
We are so obsessed with the outcome. We cannot sleep for nights- what’s going to happen, what’s going to happen, I hope it works out, I hope it works out etc.
So, सक्त: निबध्यते – that I am bound, I feel trapped, I feel stuck, because I am not getting the result that I want.
When something determines my mood, then I’m stuck. So we have to understand what this being bound means. That I am not able to do what needs to be done because I feel stuck because things didn’t happen in a particular way.
So on the other hand, the one who knows… And here भगवान् is not really talking so much about the one who knows the Truth, but just a commitment to a life of कर्म योग, working towards the goal of self discovery. Having some insights, one recognizes that I am like that screen that is untouched.
* श्लोक १३ *
सर्वकर्माणि मनसा संन्यस्यास्ते सुखं वशी ।
नवद्वारे पुरे देही नैव कुर्वन्न कारयन् ॥ १३॥
So what does this कर्म योगी do,
who has made a commitment to a lifetime of कर्म योग |
This कर्म योगी recognizes that I am the one who is a वशी |
वशी means- I am a master of myself; वशी means control, mastery.
So, there is this वशीकरण्, where somebody tries to control the other through मंत्र, तन्त्र, शस्त्र, अस्त्र | Therefore, सुदर्शन मंत्र is there, so may I have protection against all of this.
So this वशी, the one who is a master of oneself, is also देही |
देही word appeared in Chapter Two, right at the beginning, and is a very nice word because it means the one who has a देह, the body. So, immediately you say- ahh, that means I’m not the body.
What do you mean, the one who has the body? The body is what is there.
So, if I ask you- Where do you live? You will give me an address~ I live here, in this locality, in this city, in this country, etc.
Here- where do you live? Oh, I live in this body.
So it’s like space, this body that has been given to me. This is the new address.
So, the new address is what? It has नव द्वारे (nine gates). It is पुरे~ It’s a city.
So you’re living in this nine-gated city, and how is it living in this city?
Oh, it’s wonderful ~ with great सुखं you are living.
How come you have सुखम्? I thought the body traps you and makes you feel limited and all. No no, no. Because again,
सर्वकर्माणि मनसा संन्यस्य – that you give up all कर्म and *मनसा* only.
Otherwise, I was just waiting for this license. I don’t want to do any कर्म | That’s it. Now I’m not going to do anything, forget it. Even भगवद्-गीता gave me this endorsement. No, no, no.
Please do lots of कर्म, but just give up mentally~ मनसा |
How? Give up sense of doer-ship. That’s all.
The nine gates are the two eyes, the nostrils, mouth, two ears, and then the two apertures for evacuation i.e. the urethra and the anus. For the women, there is the vagina also, but here is referring to the man, so a nine-gated city is described, where entry-exit is there for the gates of the city. So this is the city that we all inhabit. This is where you truly live. And then when this city has served its purpose, some of you will travel~ world-traveler, lifetime-traveler. Definitely you will leave this city for good.
So this city is not a problem for you. Why? Because you are using this city well. The different aspects of this city, you have explored it, and you are using this city for the greater good, which includes your good also.
So, you need not say that I am a martyr, at the expense of my happiness I will do for others.
So सुखं वशी ~ living happily in this, because the limited body no longer binds you.
Why? Because you see that you are not defined by the body. You are the आत्मा that as though has a body. As though this body is in you.
So for now, you know it’s like if you ask space- How is it to be space? What’s happening? What’s up? Oh, well right now, I am in this room सुखं वशी, some exit-entry is there, and I do what I can in this room. That’s it, I accommodate. So this is what space will say.
What will you say as a human being? I do my कर्म, but I am not defining myself by my कर्म |
So this understanding- that you work, but you don’t get worked up is important.
Because, anxiety has started even before the day has begun. We just have to see that we cannot resist looking at the emails in the morning, and we argue to ourselves then I will be mentally prepared when I get to work. So now because a lot of it is on the phone, so scroll, scroll, scroll, thinking I’ll be mentally prepared. But already anxiety has begun. For some people, not for everyone.
So न कुर्वन् – does not do.
आत्मा does not do. आत्मा is there. That’s the local address in this lifetime, as though.
न कारयन् – आत्मा does not make you do anything.
आत्मा illumines everything.
It’s like certain people who like to drive, and who are also control freaks. Imagine if they’re sitting next to you while you’re driving, what will happen to you. They will be कारयन् i.e. they will make you do. The American will politely say ~ Do you want to go slow.
No, I don’t want to go slow- if you are an Indian responding to this question; literal question, I will give you a literal answer.
No, I meant it would be nice if you were to slow down.
So another person will say- no, no, this is how you should drive, this is what you should do.
But I don’t do anything.
So, one politician in Mumbai used to be called remote control- So get the guys in the front to actually do the work, but control from behind. So sometimes a lot of wives do this to the husband, or husbands also do sometimes. So either way~ I won’t do, but you do.
Okay, so is आत्मा like this?
न कुर्वन्, then you may think- does not do, but makes you do everything.
No, also न कारयन् | Because कर्तृत्वम् is not there at all.
So that’s again being elaborated-
* श्लोक १४ *
न कर्तृत्वं न कर्माणि लोकस्य सृजति प्रभु: ।
न कर्मफलसंयोगं स्वभावस्तु प्रवर्तते ॥ १४॥
So आत्मा just illumines.
आत्मा here is प्रभु: |
प्रभु: generally we say to भगवान् |
प्रभु: is the one who is self shining. So the one who has प्रभ( shine), प्रभवान्, which is the आत्मा |
न सृजति – does not create,
कर्तृत्वम् for the body-mind/अहंकार,
nor does the आत्मा create कर्म,
nor कर्मफल संयोग |
So what actually happens is because of प्रकृति, the गुण-s, रागद्वेष,
this body-mind is moving around in the world, which again is all प्रकृति only. This is what is happening all the time, this play of गुण-s is happening.
As आत्मा, I am untouched by this.
So don’t think of this as two realities.
If we’re not clear, then we will think like this. That to deal with the difficulties of my situation, I will say आत्मा is untouched.
So, it’s not a mental management, emotional management strategy. Some of us may look upon it like that. It’s the reality. You were never touched anyway.
It’s just that the अहंकार not understanding the आत्मा, grabs on to the emotions and says that this is how I feel etc., etc.
At the same time when I’m saying all this, I am not dismissing emotions, and not dismissing the management of emotions. We have to work on that also.
And also see the मिथ्यात्वम् | That’s why you have to be able to hold the paradox because our mind will go in one of the two directions.
You will say- yeah, आत्मा is untouched, I don’t have to deal with anything; but then people have to deal with you because you create problems for a lot of people because you’re in denial.
On the other hand, if you swing towards- No, no, I have to set this right, and my anger, and my frustration, and my sadness, and all this, all the time you are obsessed with this. But really, who illumines all these emotions?
So, you have to see the distance that already exists between you and the emotions. You have to be able to see this.
And the way to do this~ who is aware of your emotions? That question is enough for you to see that you are much more than the emotions.
So as the different situations unfold, this is how we want to respond. It’s needs to be dynamic, because you are working both for self mastery, as well as for self discovery. If you mistake one for the other, then you will make a mess of your life. We don’t want that.
The कर्म योगी is constantly working towards कौशलम्, a certain competence in all of one’s roles. And that itself takes a lot of time, because we are obsessed with one role to the exclusion of other roles. To bring in balance in life, to focus on whatever 5-10 roles that are there, one has to take some time and just reflect on- what am I doing? Am I contributing? Am I receiving? Is there anything more I need to tell these people, or am I suffering in silence? And then alongside that, to then have a sense of acceptance about all this- I wish I didn’t have to play this role, or I want this role, it’s not coming to me, what shall we do.
So there’s so much that we need to work upon in the context of कौशलम् and समत्वम् |
So while that’s being worked upon, we are also exposing ourselves to the vision of the आत्मा that is me, and really speaking I am untouched by all this drama that goes on~ all the कर्म and the भोग, etc.
So, स्वभाव: प्रवर्तते – so much रजस् is there, you need to expend your energy, so you are involved in X-Y-Zed activities, so let that happen.
I-आत्मा am free from whatever is happening.
So, to hold both. Until you realize that there is no both. But for now we will say hold both of them…
ॐ
So, last class we looked at what do we feel very connected to, and the intensity of this connection.
And this was in the context of seeing आत्मा in all beings, and all beings in the आत्मा | The connection we have to all the forms needs to be alive for us. And it’s difficult to maintain a sense of connection because we often feel threatened. Our hearts close up to protect ourselves.
So again you slip back into the limitation and the identification with the limitation. So we have to see how we do this. So every time you feel disconnected, like right now as we speak, there will be someone with whom you feel disconnected, because there’s been some misunderstanding or drifting apart, or something like that. And oneness is not possible, in terms of the vision, without connection. So we should think about this.
We want to jump to- I want to see the आत्मा clearly and all of that, but do you feel connected?
Oh, but feelings are मिथ्या…So you feel disconnected? Oh feelings are मिथ्या…
Then what makes us really disconnected? I withdraw. In a situation, I sense some discomfort perhaps, and I create an invisible wall. And I say- Oh, you don’t understand me, or you don’t do this for me, etc.. So these forms of expression.
So, we should dwell on whether we allow the disconnection to continue, or we make an attempt to connect.
And here we are also talking about connecting with our own feelings, emotions, memories, issues. Some issues may be unresolved, but for a lot of people a lot of issues are already resolved.
Because understand this- when we are in the midst of a lot of greenery, or children (maybe somebody else’s, or young children), or you are going on a drive, now you’re just allowing data to come through, there is no filtering, there is no raising walls of defenses, there is no resistance to what is.
And when we say that I’m alive to what is, in other words I am talking about the fact that I am connected to what is. I am not trying to distance myself because of the fear of being hurt or judged, or evaluated, etc., etc. So, uncomfortable feelings, whatever seems uncomfortable for us. Again, I may not want to feel fear, or anger or sadness. And so I create a distance, I don’t allow myself to fully feel it. Because if you really look at it, our feelings are just information. They are some data.
For instance how we are interacting with different sense data- I see a glass of water. Or, I see I am a little sad. So the latter is also information. But we attach ourselves very closely to the emotion and think that in fact, I am the emotion.
So जुगुप्सा (hatred),
न विजुगुप्सते (मंत्र ६) was said for the wise person.
I don’t hate anyone. So there is a lot there that needs to be unpacked.
There is no द्वेष | This is not something that you can will yourself to have by saying~ from today onwards, I will have no द्वेष for anything. Because if you have राग for something, you have the द्वेष for its opposite.
I love my parents and I want them to be fine always. Most children will want that, but sooner or later we know what happens to any life form. So I don’t know how I will handle it when they are not here ~ i.e. parents, or any loved one. So now there is some sort of द्वेष towards death. There is fear. Maybe there might be anger, for instance if parents left when you were younger. So now we have these emotions to deal with. The situation has come, it has gone, and now different situations of loss trigger this sorrow that might be there in my heart. What will I do if I lose this person etc. etc. Then to protect that, I avoid situations, I avoid instances, I say no no no don’t talk about all this. Why you’re talking about death and all that?
So, whatever I’m feeling, am I connected to that?
I may be connected to it in the sense without too much reaction. Or, complaining why I’m feeling like this, I should not feel like this etc. etc.
Because that’s all our drama- in relation to whatever is the emotion. So I am connected to feeling disconnected with another person.
Really speaking I am alive to what is. So even the sensations that are happening in the body- whatever emotions, feelings, thoughts.
Because sometimes when we say that I illumine the other, we are talking in the language of duality. Yes, I illumine the other.
Hey, but what is that other? Other is only पञ्चमहाभूत | It is me only.
Some other name, some other form.
So is it possible for me to feel connected to everything without the fear of being hurt and upset. This is an important thing to dwell upon.
And I could still be aware that yes, my heart is closing now because I feel a little threatened, or I don’t want to feel something, or I’m having this tremendous rage, or whatever it is.
And so we can feel connected with everything when we allow feelings to go through us.
You are not Dvarapala waiting at the gate ~ No, no. These emotions are okay that’s not okay, I have अंतःकरण शुद्धि: etc.
So, just understanding that these are the ways of the mind, I welcome all emotions.
Now when this is said, see what’s happening in your body. Am I able to see it to be true?
Or already is discomfort happening- I welcome all emotions?
No, no, if you want to welcome, you are welcome; I don’t want to do this.
Because again, little fear will come up. I don’t know if I can handle it. I don’t want to feel it in all its intensity.
So, different reactions will come. So, let whatever has to come, let it come. I welcome everything. I do not reject anything.
Then ever connected to everything.
What a price you have to pay, it seems like, but no, not really.
So I’m ever connected to everything and even what seems distant from me.
I am connected to the fact that I feel distant- from this person or whatever it is.
So this is something to think about.
Even in our different relationships, pay attention to how you disconnect and how you connect- not necessarily talking about what you say, what you don’t say, not really focused on the content, but focus on what happens to you.
Are there conditions that are required for you to feel connected to the other person? Or do you little bit dip your toes, but a lot of it is stemming out of fear- If I say this what will happen; with some people you feel like you’re walking on eggshells, being judged or whatever it is.
Or maybe you are that kind of person- that somebody with you doesn’t feel comfortable- though they like you, they are fond of you, you’ll are relating, but somehow you just pounce on them for different reasons, out of your care, but in the way in which we interact with people, do we snap the connection with them? How do we distance people? We do that. We do that in many different ways.
It’s not that we have to be friends with the whole world. But just in terms of an overall प्रसन्नता (cheerfulness) that is born of recognizing my connection with everything.
Connection means that I will feel uncomfortable, and I’m okay with that because discomfort is information.
So we have to look at feelings as information. It is दृश्यम् |
When I say I am the दृग्, and whatever are the emotions is दृश्यम्,
Can I still feel connected to it without distance?
Because sometimes when we do दृग्-दृश्य विवेक, there is a tendency to dissociate. Then when we dissociate, there is denial.
Then suddenly one gets triggered and you wonder what hit you.
So just the freedom to allow yourself to feel anything-everything, knowing that it’s information, and one is still connected to it. It is all the order only~ ईशा वास्यमिदं सर्वम् | It’s all the order, nothing is outside the order.
So this द्वैतम् that is experienced by us when we have a disconnection,
that is not there for the wise person.
न विजुगुप्सते ~ does not hate anyone.
Why?
Because the आत्मा is seen-
य: तु सर्वाणि भूतानि आत्मनि एव अनुपश्यति । (मंत्र ६)
So just like all the beautiful scenes, they just pass through you when you are on a drive.
We can allow different emotions to pass through us, nothing is opposed to the awareness that I am. I am ever connected to all that is.
When we say I am awake to what is,
Swaminiji is presenting it in a different way today~ and saying I am connected to what is,
Because we are accounting for this व्यष्टि उपाधि |
व्यष्टि is not in opposition to समष्टि | Individual is not in opposition to the total.
And we are not papering over our discomfort. We’re not saying~ no no, it’s all okay it is all दृश्यम् |
Yes, it’s true. It is all दृश्यम्, but has that really sunk into my heart?
Do I just continue to see~ yes it is, and I don’t close myself. I don’t disconnect.
Of course this may not apply in severely difficult or challenging situations. One size does not fit all, but generally speaking.
The more I disconnect from different situations, I will struggle with वेदान्त because- what I’m saying is that the situation is सत्यम्, I have not seen the मिथ्यात्वम् of it.
And then I think~ what will happen, what will happen? And so the drama goes on.
So, continuing on from mantra six, emphasizing this oneness/ऐक्यम्-
* श्लोक ७ *
यस्मिन्सर्वाणि भूतानि आत्मैवाभूद्विजानतः ।
तत्र को मोहः कः शोक एकत्वमनुपश्यतः ॥ ७ ॥
So this is very similar to one mantra in बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद्, that-
य: तु सर्वाणि भूतानि – all the beings, everything,
is known to be,
आत्मा *एव* ~ ‘एव’ is very important ~ this alone.
When we say all the beings, everything is known, this means ब्रह्म-स्तम्ब-पर्यन्तम् – so all लोक-s, all the देवता-s, and down to a clump/blade of grass.
All the beings refers to manifest and manifest, so it could be seeds, which are due to manifest.
So, all beings are आत्मा alone, आत्मा एव |
अभूत् विजानतः ~ it has been known,
then,
तत्र को मोहः कः शोक ~ where is the chance for any kind of confusion? Or for sorrow?
Because एकत्वम् अनुपश्यतः – the person sees that all that is here, is the आत्मा, is me.
So then the question of दु:ख, शोक: doesn’t arise.
Even मोह, because मोह is really अध्यास~ that you are doing आरोप of certain values, qualities on something that is not inherent in that thing or person, but I want that to complete to me.
So the classical example that we give is of a dog who is chewing and chewing on his chew-toy and he’s actually got a cut in the mouth. He thinks that the blood that he is enjoying is from the toy that he is chewing, but what he’s enjoying is actually from his own mouth.
So I am that अनन्त:, I am that आनन्द,
and that is superimposed on whatever~ some नामरूप is there.
So there is मोह, there is disturbance, there is sorrow.
The उपनिषद् is not saying that~ don’t have. This is our tendency- that we will convert all knowledge into a ‘should’ or a ‘shouldn’t’.
E.g.- I should not have sorrow from today. What rubbish. We tend to do that. So, please don’t do that.
Why should you not have sorrow? What’s wrong with sorrow?
Why not? You know, rather than saying- Oh, what if I’m very sorrowful. So what? So what if you have sorrow? So what if you beat your chest and howl? So what about it? Go ahead.
No, I should not.
So, exactly- That resistance that comes up to the psychological order that is, creates disconnection.
This should not happen, that should not happen etc. So, we have a long list. And then we say- Oh, I’m really struggling with my emotions.
Well, half of the struggle is because of our own resistance.
So आत्मा alone; all beings are आत्मा alone.
At a व्यवहारिक level, there is connection with everything- including one’s emotions, connection with people who are different from us, connection with people who may be out to hurt us.
And it’s not to be a doormat. No. But, that you are connected to what’s going on. You’re not in denial.
You may still have to kill the person, e.g. a terrorist and so on. But you are very much connected to that.
So then the teaching of the उपनिषद्-
सत्यं ज्ञानमनन्तं ब्रह्म, यो वेद निहितं गुहायां ~ तैत्तिरीय-उपनिषद्
So all the पञ्चमहाभूत has come from this सत्यं ज्ञानमनन्तं; that kind of clinches it for us.
So all पञ्चमहाभूत only. Where will we put our emotions?
Because it’s very interesting, and it’s a point made in Swaminiji’s thesis- That while the vision is an ontological vision~ It is regarding the reality of things- the world, ईश्वर, oneself. But the ज्ञान-फलम् is expressed in psychological words.
It’s not that the vision of oneness is clear, so let’s go home. No.
ज्ञान-फलम् is always expressed~ there is no शोक: –
श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे ।
गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचन्ति पण्डिता: ॥ ~ २.११, श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता
So, in the first verse of the teaching of the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता, भगवान् tells Arjuna that you are grieving for that which does not deserve to be grieved over. Arjuna is asking for श्रेयस्, and भगवान् is talking about grief. So, what is the connection?
What is the connection between reality and emotion? Reality is in and through all emotion.
But still, we see also in the previous mantra~ न विजुगुप्सते, the person will not hate, does not hate anyone.
Now also in this mantra~ there is no शोक:, there is no मोह |
So, very often, in the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता also, ज्ञान-फलम्, or the characteristics of a wise person are expressed from an emotional standpoint.
Because that’s where we’re stuck.
So we are okay with emotions when all is well, I have peace of mind. If I feel happy, excited, cheerful, alive, then again, all is great with the world.
Maybe everything is collapsing, but still as long as I feel alive, it’s fine.
So this कारणम्-कार्यम् relationship-
All नामरूप is indeed कार्यम् | It is a product. You have to see this again and again, and again. And then in time you will see that wherever there is कार्यम्/effect, it is कारणम् |
There is actually speaking no कारण-कार्य संबन्ध | Not there.
So we may say- पञ्चमहाभूत is कार्यम्/effect, and it has come from the आत्मा |
But can the पञ्चमहाभूत exist without the आत्मा? No.
Any नाम, any form, including your thought i.e. subtlest form~ thought includes emotion, feeling, memory etc., अहंकार (I-notion) also;
So all the way आत्मा |
Even the worst memory that I may have, that I don’t want to remember it.
For instance, this week Swaminiji spoke to three people who were all sexually abused, and there is lots of emotions, there is guilt- maybe I should have done more, I didn’t do, I should have told someone, etc. etc. Then dwelling, dwelling, dwelling on that doubt about oneself then extends to guilt and doubt about other situations in life too.
And one doesn’t even realize how all these things become so unconscious. Then always doubting. Of course there are trust issues. One cannot really trust people because trust was violated at a very young age. So how to reconcile with this, because there are situations that have had a very deep impact on us.
And we’re pursuing वेदान्त | If you were doing anything else, you don’t have to deal with it, though it’s good to deal with it anyway. But more so here in वेदान्त, you can’t dodge it. Sooner or later, one has to deal with it. Deal with it in a way that it no longer disturbs. Because there is again a disconnection with what happened, or the aftermath of what happened, and so on…
So, when it comes to these very sad events, then how to see that it is a part of the psychological order~ difficult, very difficult.
How do you even explain it in the context of the law of कर्म ?
Ultimately, that’s the only way to explain it, and to be at peace with it- that I will not allow an event to define my life. And this applies even to a positive event. Of course, we are happy to define ourselves by all the accomplishments,
But here when I’m saying that I am more than the body, I am more than the mind, I am even more than the मोह, the शोक, the deep sorrow that might be there in many people’s hearts because of certain incidents, I don’t dodge the sorrow.
This is important~ cry as much as you need to, please do, and go through a process with someone you trust. Maybe it may take many, many, many meetings. That’s okay. But don’t think that the vision of वेदान्त will help you deal with it.
No.
You deal with it, then the vision of वेदान्त will be a little more clear.
Of course the residue that is there, वेदान्त takes care of everything.
But that sorrow that is there, who will deal with it?
We can go on blaming and of course it’s definitely X-Y-Zed to be blamed, especially in these kind of trauma instances.
But your life is still your own life. What you want to do in your life is still your own. Then why will you allow an event to define you, and to impact you such that you stop being alive. So some process is to be done for all of that.
So for the अनुपश्यतः, the wise person,
would have also had to deal with sorrow.
How can there be मोह and शोक? So, don’t think that there was no sorrow in the wise person’s life earlier.
Sorrow is so universal. That’s why भगवान् talks about शोक: in the भगवद्-गीता | Because He could have spoken about anger or something else but शोक lingers, is there for a long time; whatever the शोक is about.
So the शोक may be of just this child bawling because all the toys got destroyed, but there is sorrow for that child. You may say~ we will buy you another set. But the child wants this one only. Or, some crash in the stock market, or the loss of a loved one, or the loss of hair~ that also can be cause of great sorrow.
So what is our relationship with शोक:, with sorrow?
– I feel sad all the time. I am fully connected with my sadness.
– Okay. What else about it?
– That is my true nature, it has become my स्वरूप |
– Honestly it is not your true nature. You are dwelling so much on it, and building up, building up, building up. You have ensured that it is becoming your स्वभाव |
– What to do, it’s all so sad.
And you will look also for instances~ you will watch movies that are tragic. In some ways it’s good at least you’ll cry in the movie, if you’re not crying elsewhere. That’s okay. But everything is a source of sadness.
So what is being highlighted is- how do we relate to शोक:/sadness?
And without much drama, we can inquire into- is there reason to be sad?
Of course one can do this विचार only if one has more or less resolved the sadness from some traumatic incidents of the past.
So, seeing the laws of कर्म, seeing that I was not at fault, seeing that I did whatever I could given whatever age, knowledge, experience that I had at that point in time, and to also be kind to oneself. Because we can really whip ourselves~ that I should have done this, I should not have done, Why did I… etcetera, etcetera. So, you hold yourself lovingly. And to also tell yourself- I’m so sorry this happened; I wish I was there as the loving adult in your life, and that you struggled and suffered for so long; and I will always be there with you.
This inner child work is important because I am not integrated/ युक्त: | There are many, many parts in me. One part is brave, courageous. The other part is very sad. And I don’t allow this sad one to come up ever. So it needs to be integrated~ one person.
Because for the other one- yes वेदान्त is understood. But for the sad one, what वेदान्त?
The sad one is crying for love, crying for affection. And then you are telling the sad one- No, no आत्मा is असंग:| That sad one wants to give you one slap. What असंग? What are you talking? Sad one only needs to be held. शोक:, so much sadness, isolated, frozen.
So that integration is important.
Then, relative दु:ख that is there, existential sorrow that is there,
more or less it’s all resolved all thanks to कर्म योग बुद्धि: – seeing the order of ईश्वर, all is psychological order, laws of कर्म, and also recognizing the possibility that I too would have caused great sadness to someone, either in this lifetime or in previous lifetimes. There is no other way to explain why I went through this trauma. So, we can look for some reasons, but it does not explain the level of injustice that happened.
And then from the standpoint of कर्म, that I also have been the culprit, not this lifetime, in a previous lifetime perhaps.
And so now I have exhausted that पाप; I don’t want to hold or to generate पाप for myself by dwelling and suffering and not dealing with it.
Because a lot of our suffering we create- because of our reaction to reaction, we go on and on and on.
So, all these things we take care of.
Then, more and more you feel connected to ईश्वर | That ‘feeling’ is important. The truth is one is ever connected to ईश्वर,
in fact you are ईश्वर |
But when one is in the throes of sadness and all, then what connection? Nothing, I don’t feel anything.
So at least that time that you seek ईश्वर’s grace, then you will be able to laugh and say- what तत्र क: मोहः कः शोक: |
So then it feels more like a dream. That this entity went through a nightmare, and went through some instances, and some play of कर्म happened. And yes, there was a lot of sadness, a lot of other things that came along with it. It was just a dream.
I-the आत्मा is all there is. Some नामरूप went through some cracks. That’s it. So some little change, here and there, all the play of नामरूप | That’s it.
But I can see this only when some resolution has happened.
Otherwise, I might use वेदान्त to dissociate. And the necessary अधिकारित्वम् is not there. I’m not even working on it. And then I will say- Oh, I don’t feel it. I don’t feel it.
But hello, what do you feel then? Do you feel every feeling? You have to be able to feel every feeling.
We can’t be partial. It just is a package deal.
I don’t want to be angry. I don’t want to feel anger. I don’t want to feel sadness. Because when you block off one feeling, all the others also get blocked off. Then you become like a zombie. And then you say- oh, I am a meditator, I am not affected, etcetera, etcetera. You can delude oneself; all this मोहः is there.
So no dodging, no dodging.
Then there is the next मंत्र, again revealing the nature of the आत्मा |
Lots of words are there to the reveal the आत्मा from different standpoints.
In the भगवद्-गीता there are a lot of verses, e.g. अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां (१२.१३),
अद्वेष्टा ~ no द्वेष/hatred,
No शोक,
No मोह,
And even Arjuna says at the end- I don’t have this शोक-मोह etc.
So I am the आत्मा, and all that is here is me.
With all the connection-disconnection that is there, I accept what I cannot accept.
And all that is here is me.
So with कर्म योग बुद्धि:, the कौशलम् and समत्वम् that has become spontaneous in my life after much struggle, much साधना, now it is more spontaneous in my life.
Then there is more leisure to inquire into the कर्ता, into the भोक्ता, and stay with that.
That आत्मा, me, is all there is.
But if the कर्ता is struggling, struggling, struggling, then will all the struggles end now that the vision of आत्मा is there?
No. Maybe there will be more struggles, who knows?
भोक्ता has lots of struggles.
What is the truth of the कर्ता-भोक्ता?
So all नामरूप, all names, all forms, they are in me, I am in them.
Sadness also. Yes. So मोह also- yes. Everything.
So when we especially say that I am in that which seemingly is unpleasant- watch what happens to you at a visceral i.e. at a body-sensation level. Your body will rebel; I don’t know if you’re able to sense.
That you are, as the आत्मा, you are present in the trauma of all beings.
Not being macabre here but we have these ideas. E.g. childhood ideas that God is somebody with white flowing robes, and white flowing beard, all that is nice, all that is wonderful, all that is only भगवान् |
No.
So I am present in and through the trauma of all नामरूप |
The wildebeest that is struggling to get out of the jaws of a lion. I am there.
So you’re fully awake to functional reality.
So then all that is here is आत्मा,
is me only.
ॐ
* श्लोक १५ *
नादत्ते कस्यचित्पापं न चैव सुकृतं विभु: ।
अज्ञानेनावृतं ज्ञानं तेन मुह्यन्ति जन्तव: ॥ १५॥
* श्लोक १६ *
ज्ञानेन तु तदज्ञानं येषां नाशितमात्मन: ।
तेषामादित्यवज्ज्ञानं प्रकाशयति तत्परम् ॥ १६॥
The nature of the आत्मा is being unfolded, and particularly आत्मा being अकर्ता (never the doer), and अभोक्ता (not the experiencer). So that is the theme that’s going on at the moment.
And भगवान् has clarified how important कर्म योग is.
Always remember this- across the शास्त्र, whenever संन्यास is spoken of, especially in अद्वैत वेदान्त, we are only referring to ज्ञानम्/Knowledge.
Because even if you look at the lifestyle of संन्यास, what is the purpose? It is ज्ञानम् only. What is the purpose of कर्म योग? It is ज्ञानम् | So, the goal is the same.
पृथक् बाला: प्रवदन्ति (५.४) – only children, i.e. the polite way to say that people who have not done enough thinking, who don’t know enough, they will say that these two are different.
So, for those who align to the वैदिक् vision in terms of पुरुषार्थ, and also आश्रम धर्म i.e. the stages of life, so then in many areas the person aligns to that, and so from that standpoint, one can say yes I’ve lived a full life, and now I spend all my time in the pursuit of the शास्त्र, generally at the age of 60+, and one can take संन्यास | Of course you have to take permission from your partner, and sometimes from children also, but that’s only for the one who aligns to this वैदिक धर्म in terms of many things, otherwise it doesn’t really apply.
So, we may have a fascination for that संन्यास lifestyle, some fantasies may be there.
But the focus is on ज्ञानम्, anything else can be taken away from you. You don’t need any prop for ज्ञानम्, to abide in the knowledge.
And indeed if that was the case, then why are people who are गृहस्थ-s being taught this? There’s no need actually.
But विवेक that is borne out of an examination of one’s life’s experiences, it can happen to anyone.
The criteria is not even your gender. In certain orthodox circles, they will say that वेदान्त should not be taught to women, it should not be taught to people who are शूद्र-s etc.
Look at the शास्त्र, in the अधिकारित्वम् is there any mention of the gender? You could be man, woman or identify as transgender, how does it matter?
अधिकारित्वम् is विवेक, वैरग्य, षट्कसम्पत्तिः, मुमुक्षुत्वम् – all that is what matters.
You could be 20, you could be 85, age doesn’t matter.
So the nature of the आत्मा is being unfolded here.
And the कर्ता and भोक्ता are very affected by what is unfolding on a daily basis.
So we will say that also- I had a lousy day, meaning certain situations didn’t quite go according to what I wanted. So the कर्मफल was not according to what I wanted. Or, I had a fantastic day. Fantastic day means that कर्मफल was like what I wanted, or/and I did not offer any resistance to what was unfolding. So some days are like that, where you’re really in flow, not resisting anything, everything is going okay, even if some of it may not even be pleasant, but you’re absolutely fine with it. Because you have increasingly stopped defining yourself by the result of what happens.
E.g. She called me a loser; I am a loser- okay. She said I’m fat. Maybe I’m fat. So what about it? No, but why should she say that? She should not fat shame me. Or she should not age-shame me~ She called me Auntie. So for some people this can be a sensitive point. I am very young. How can she call me auntie? Or she said while introducing me- Oh, she’s just a housewife. ‘Just’, that ‘just’ has seared my heart.
So, we(i.e. the अहंकार) are so fragile. Some word here, some frown there, some memory and we just get so agitated and worked up. Then it’s all about managing being worked up. And we think~ oh we are very exalted because we are working on our self growth. Hello, but how did the whole perpetuating of suffering start? You have to pay attention to that.
So imagine the space in the pot. There is space in pot, and pot is a conscious entity.
Suppose one bangs the pot- this entity has gotten lots of knocks in life, has gone through a lot of difficulties- moved from Mumbai to the US and then struggled and struggled and struggled, and no green card, then was laid off, then back to Mumbai. Then maybe tried to marry, then that also didn’t work out.
So, the more the pot space is identified with pot i.e. with the medium, this body-mind, one is all the time managing the life of the कर्ता and the भोक्ता |
So, whatever is happening to the body-mind, e.g. the memories I have- Oh I studied at premier institutions for technology management in India, but look at my colleagues, they are all serial entrepreneurs, they not only just had one company, they have sold and they’re sitting on millions of dollars, and look at me I am still doing a white collar job. What is this? Life has been so unfair. So pot space is lamenting.
Okay, fine. I will go on holiday. Okay, I had a break. Okay, nice. Life is good. Very good. But still कर्ता-भोक्ता |
Because what is the space in the pot identified with?
Actually it is all-pervasive आत्मा |
The space in the pot is the same as the space outside. In fact, the body-mind is in space.
Oh, how do you say that? Are you aware of space? Even if you’re spaced out, are you aware of space? The answer is yes.
Some people will say- you know what, you’re coming into my space. So please, I want little space.
So this personality, this entity, however pleasant or unpleasant the life has been, what is the identity? It is कर्ता, it is भोक्ता |
I have to go here, I have to do this, I have to achieve. I have to swim, I have to plunge, I have to climb mountains, you know all this movement I have to do to just be where I am, to be okay with life.
But if this pot space shifts attention to the fact that I am that space, I am the आत्मा that pervades the body and mind, that pervades the entity of being कर्ता/doer, that pervades the identity of भोक्ता |
Because remember कर्ता-भोक्ता is a temporary identity, as it is not there in deep sleep.
Is the space in the pot affected by the shape of the pot? No.
So therefore the पाप & पुण्य, who does it belong to? कर्ता-भोक्ता; of course the experiencer.
So when you say- I had a lousy day, basically some पाप fructified and that’s why the situation was not exactly according to what you wanted. And then a pleasant day~ पुण्य fructified a little more.
The space in the pot is inside the pot, but if you ask physicists what is between these molecules and atoms it’s also only space. So there is space inside the pot, and even in and through the form.
But that space is not affected by what is being experienced by this form of pot, because it’s ever present. Space is not a property of the medium, pot. If it was a property it would be subject to coming and going. E.g. the material copper of the pot has a certain atomic weight that is subject to change if an alloy is added to it. But the space is not subject to any change.
And it’s not a part of the medium pot. Because if it’s a part it can be amputated.
So it’s not a part, it’s not a property. It’s not even a product. It’s not that I will meditate, I will chant मंत्र, then finally I will become the आत्मा | Because आत्मा is not a product of any process that you undertake as the meditator, the कर्ता-भोक्ता | Oh you say, I will give lots of दानम् – that’s good, you will get some पुण्य, that’s it. पुण्य means you get a little time and space to think about your life. You don’t have to struggle for money. Money buys you a lot of freedom. So, space is not affected. But space pervades pot all the time. There’s never a moment when space doesn’t pervade the pot. In fact, it transcends the pot. Transcends it means that it goes beyond, it’s always there. It’s all pervasive, the pot happens to be in space.
So this space example is a good one to understand that the आत्मा does not take the पाप nor पुण्य of anyone.
[ आत्मा –
1. Not a property; not subject to coming/going, not subject to change.
2. Not a part, therefore cannot be amputated.
3. Not a product of a process. ]
So विभु: referring to the आत्मा,
न आदत्ते – does not take/receive,
any kind of पाप or पुण्य |
पाप or पुण्य belongs to whom? कर्ता-भोक्ता (the doer/experiencer).
So, we may not think from the lens of पाप or पुण्य, but we definitely think from the standpoint of what is pleasant in my life and what is unpleasant. And much of our day we are trying to maximize what is pleasant, and minimize what is unpleasant. Because any पाप i.e. the result of some अधार्मिक् actions contributes to suffering for me, some sadness affecting me etc.
Who carries forward the पाप-पुण्य? It is the जीव/the individual. The स्थुलशरीर is the gross physical body. The सूक्ष्मशरीर/subtle body includes the mind. The seed for these two (स्थुलशरीर & सूक्ष्मशरीर) is the कारणशरीर |
So the जीव, until discovery of the truth, will keep traveling from lifetime to lifetime with one’s luggage. Luckily the luggage doesn’t feel heavy unless one is suffering. Everything is there in the कारणशरीर ~ all the पाप-पुण्य and then whatever is fructifying in that lifetime, and that’s what we are experiencing.
So the जीव who is आत्मा doesn’t know. There is अज्ञानम् | Not knowing what I am, therefore I conclude. And all my conclusions~ that I am this body-mind, I take it to be सत्यम्/real. This is what we call अध्यारोप |
अध्यारोप-अपवाद is a method in वेदान्त | What is it? The space in the pot mistakes the pot to be absolutely real.
So if this is absolutely real, i.e. if my body and mind were absolutely real, then nothing should affect this body and mind. Anything that affects this body and mind is in opposition, because I have not recognized that I am the pot space.
But the form which is limited, I am arguing- No, this is me, this is me. Then naturally one crack here and there in cracked pot, it affects me, it affects everyone. Then I am laminating~ but why I’m cracked. Why I am so eccentric? Why am I not normal like other people, etc. etc. Or, I am super normal. But why am I surrounded by all these eccentric creatures around me here? Why don’t they just get it? So, anyway I am affected as कर्ता-भोक्ता |
So the space is not affected by पाप-पुण्य | Who is affected? The one who takes oneself to be कर्ता-भोक्ता |
But how can I not take myself as कर्ता-भोक्ता?
कर्ता-भोक्ता functionally for some time, but that’s not your true nature. Because what your true nature is, it will not change. It will not change because it defines you.
So just like heat defines fire. Fire is not in the mood to burn. But fire has to burn, that’s what it is.
So consciousness that is you the आत्मा, that is who you really are. There is no changing there. Change is only कर्ता-भोक्ता (doer/experiencer).
So the कर्ता let’s say has done a lot of giving donations etc., helped a lot of people, has got पुण्य(i.e. a lot of pleasant situations in life), supportive people around you, more or less good health, have the time and the leisure to pursue what you want. That’s great पुण्य | Fantastic. Then what do you do with that पुण्य? That’s also an important question. What do you do with it? Watch more Netflix, because you’ve got more time? Because time once gone is gone. No matter how intelligent or brilliant you are, you can never gain it.
So this nature of the आत्मा is what is being unfolded here. And so even if you’ve had a very challenging life, know that only the body and mind has gone through some experiences. I-the आत्मा illumine all of
it.
If you are aware of it, it means it’s not you. If you are aware of the donkey, you are not the donkey. If you are aware of the thought in your mind, you illumine it, you are not that thought ~ दृग्-दृश्य विवेक |
So is वेदान्त giving me new knowledge? The answer is- No.
How can you say that? I’ve been studying वेदान्त for so long. How can you say that you’re going to gain no new knowledge in वेदान्त? I thought that I was gaining something new.
Actually the answer is no because you are already the आत्मा, ज्ञानम् | You are already shining. Shining doesn’t mean fluorescent lights; shining means that everything becomes aware in your presence.
But that ज्ञानम्/knowledge is as though covered by अज्ञानम्/ignorance.
And because of that,
जन्तव: – people (generally जन्तु refers to creatures).
So, people are confused, they are deluded.
Why? Because the consciousness, the आत्मा that I am is as though covered.
How? To better understand this the metaphor of the sun and the clouds is given.
So just like you see the clouds and you say~ oh it’s a rainy day, so cloudy, it’s so depressing to live in some of these countries because you barely see the sun. But how do you see the clouds? I can’t see anything. What do you mean you can’t see anything? Oh today there is no sun. But you can see the clouds, you can see an overcast sky. Even the clouds are seen in the light of the sun, but of course there is a thick layer of clouds and all that.
So, the अज्ञानम् that I have, that I don’t know who I am, that is also seen in the light of the आत्मा that I am.
Anything I don’t know is seen in that light.
So if I say- Do you know Swahili? No. How do you know that you don’t know? Because what you don’t know is an object of your knowing. You illumine what is not known, including the darkness.
तेषाम् आदित्यवत् ज्ञानम् प्रकाशयति तत्परम् – the sun shine shines and reveals everything that lies in its sphere of operation.
So for those who have अज्ञानम् and are pursuing मोक्ष,
that indeed is destroyed by ज्ञानम् |
Now, nobody goes around saying I have अज्ञानम्, I have ignorance of the आत्मा |
So okay, you don’t know what NFTs are, I don’t know the आत्मा, okay, one more thing I don’t know. In fact, most things I don’t know. So what?
We may not diagnose our problem as अज्ञानम् |
It takes a long time to come to the correct diagnosis because we are focused on symptom relief- I want freedom from sadness. I want freedom from sorrow. I want to have good health. I don’t want to die. I want freedom from stress. I feel lonely. I feel inadequate.
These are the symptoms. No matter what I do, it’s not enough. It’s a symptom. It’s not the problem.
The diagnosis is what? That I have taken myself to be body-mind only.
But how you came up with that diagnosis without the right tools? No, my tool was experience. Everybody treated me like body-mind, I also treated myself that way. That’s my diagnosis. Well you didn’t have the right tools for your diagnosis. And the real diagnosis is- you don’t know who you are. No, no, I know. But all that you know, is an object of your awareness. It’s actually not you.
You know body? Yes. Object of awareness, other than you. Mind- object of awareness. Your thoughts, your memories, your feelings, your emotions- everything you are aware of.
Donkey you are aware of, monkey you are aware of. If you are aware of that, it’s not you. You are much more than body-mind, monkey, donkey.
So if you’re aware of it, that’s not you, you’re much more than all of this.
Then, what to do? Then you need to be exposed to वेदान्त to understand that I am the आत्मा |
So the knowledge of the आत्मा, that this awareness because of which everything is known, which is present in and through all my experiences, all my कर्म, all my doing and so on,
it seems like it’s covered, just like it seems that clouds of ignorance as though cover the light of the sun, as though.
But all the clouds are seen in the light of the sun. Ignorance is seen in the light of the sun.
Ignorance is not absence of knowledge. This is a technical argument.
But if we define ignorance- that I don’t know who I am- as absence of knowledge, it may seem like that. But can I stay with that?
I don’t know who I am, I am not going to function in this world. No.
For a decision, and if we tend to procrastinate, then I will say- Oh, no, no, I need more information to make a decision. We dilly dally, we will consult like 10 people and then still the decision is not made because we are afraid of the consequences.
Here I don’t know who I am, but to function in the world, I have to conclude, and if I’m not clear about my identity, others will thrust what they think is my identity.
So,
अग्रहणम् ~ I don’t know, I don’t understand.
Therefore,
अन्यता ग्रहणम् takes place.
These words are from माण्डूक्य उपनिषद् |
So it’s not just ignorance~ I don’t know who I am.
It’s opposed to knowledge because I am making conclusions that are limited, and I conclude that I am limited and therefore that,
whatever conclusion borne of ignorance,
stands in opposition to the knowledge of the fact that I am the आत्मा |
So, because it is in opposition, then it can be removed.
Suppose you say ignorance is absence of knowledge. And then you say- Oh, we have to take care of it. But if it is not present, if it is truly absent, an absence of something does not affect you.
Suppose one says, Lo-dang is absent. What is that? What’s wrong with you? Talking gibberish?
If you don’t know it, it doesn’t matter.
But if I don’t know and I conclude wrongly, and then I’m dealing with the symptoms of what I’m feeling, not feeling, etc., etc. and lifetime after lifetime can go in this,
Until I pursue आत्मा विचार, inquiry into the आत्मा |
So you are already the आत्मा | Nothing you do or don’t do will take away from your true nature. You have to see that.
+ Role play between आत्मा & कर्ता-भोक्ता – these deliberate, theatrical exercises drive home the point better sometimes +
Understanding the आत्मा is not denying the experiences of the कर्ता-भोक्ता |
Yes, कर्ता-भोक्ता is going through a tough time, and I am in and through that.
Swaminiji has previously done a podcast on this – So we want to alternate between सखा भाव and साक्षी भाव |
What does this mean? That when the experiencer is going through a lot of overwhelm, then the way you talk to yourself has to be as a सखा/friend. Don’t talk about the आत्मा | No, just don’t.
At other times when you’re doing the inquiry, then- I am aware of this, I am aware of the doer, the experiencer and so on, and all that. And you see that more clearly.
So it’s like the army that is preparing for war. On the eve of war, you are not going to say- Oh, I am साक्षी | You want to slap someone, but you say I am साक्षी | If indeed you see the truth, you will not want to slap that person.
So सखा भाव because we want to function according to धर्म, and we start with being friendly to oneself. Be kind, be supportive, be encouraging because that’s what you need if you’re going through overwhelm.
And then when you are a little more settled, either you say this too shall pass, which is a great reminder of the truth, and you say I am in and through all of this. I am in and through the anger.
आत्मा is not denial of anger. आत्मा supports your anger actually, आत्मा supports your sadness, आत्मा is present in and through.
Just like the light that you see. If one is asked what do you see, you will say- Oh, I see you, and I see one plant, and a picture, and all that. But there is light which is taken for granted. You see the light and everything else is seen in the presence of that light.
And so आत्मा is not opposed to कर्ता-भोक्ता |
Otherwise we will only be looking at आत्मा as the manager of the experiencer.
So, you want to calm down, so therefore you objectify. Then what will happen is you will be dissociated, and people will think well, what’s wrong with you, you’ve become very cold, very uninvolved, unaffected, like I can’t relate to you anymore. Because you think आत्मा is separate like CCTV, watching कर्ता-भोक्ता | No.
So this आत्मा is ever revealing, self-revealing.
Then, in terms of degree of commitment, the next verse follows-
* श्लोक १७ *
तद्बुद्धयस्तदात्मानस्तन्निष्ठास्तत्परायणा: ।
गच्छन्त्यपुनरावृत्तिं ज्ञाननिर्धूतकल्मषा: ॥ १७॥
So some words are being used here to indicate the level of commitment to the मोक्ष pursuit.
The word तत् is a pronoun for That.
Who is That?
That is ब्रह्मन्, That is ईश्वर |
(i) तत् बुद्धि: – the one whose बुद्धि:/intellect is awake to ब्रह्मन् i.e. the one who has some insight, who appreciates the inquiry, may not fully understand, but recognizes that yes this inquiry is there, yes I may have got some insights, and it’s important to me. Just like earning a living is important to me. Managing my relationships is important to me. Doing good is important to me. So, just like that, this मोक्ष pursuit is also important to me. I give some time, effort, energy in all my other pursuits of धर्म, अर्थ, काम; I also give some time and attention to the मोक्ष pursuit.
(ii) तत् आत्मान: – Then, the more you find the time and leisure to appreciate this knowledge, and as it starts to flow a little bit more in your life, then that person is तत् आत्मान: |
It could be the same person who goes through different stages of commitment, or it could be referring to different people who have different levels of commitment to the मोक्ष pursuit.
तत् आत्मान: ~ That ब्रह्मन् that is spoken of is me. I have a deeper understanding of that, or I abide more in this understanding.
(iii) तत् निष्ठा: – निष्ठ is lifestyle commitment. So for the one who is committed only to this, which is a जिज्ञासु | So the one who wants to know. Yes I get on with all other things in life, but this is such an important commitment that I give it some time, some effort and attention. In fact, a lot of my pursuits revolve around मोक्ष pursuit. So, it is this जिज्ञासु, the one who wants to know, the one who has जिज्ञास, and in time that person will become तत् परायणा: |
(iv) तत् परायणा: is the the ultimate goal; referring to ब्रह्मन् only.
So for whom the truth is accomplished, in the sense the one who sees that I was already accomplished.
There is one very beautiful book called ‘Accomplishing the Accomplished’, a book on वेदान्त by one of Pujya Swamiji’s students who teaches academically, Prof. Anantanand Rambachan.
So you accomplish what is unaccomplished. Correct? I don’t have money, I work for it. I don’t have enough pleasure in my life, then I do something about it.
But this is such a weird pursuit. Because I’m already the आत्मा, but I am pursuing the आत्मा |
So, on the face of it, it’s ridiculous. But since आत्मा is not known, therefore there is an as though gain, an as though commitment, and so on.
So for this person, the truth is very clear.
And for for such a person, what happens is कल्मषा:/impurities, i.e. whatever impurities are there, they have been destroyed by ज्ञानम् |
And as a result of that,
गच्छन्ति अपुन: आवृत्तिम् – so they’re not going to come back again.
Meaning they’re not going to have the cycle of birth and death.
So what do you mean, I will die? No, you’re one with ईश्वर, you’re always here.
In the second chapter we saw that either you are going to be having lifetime after lifetime, so anyway you are here, always around. Or you are one with ईश्वर | You won’t have a form in that sense. But you’re always here.
So no cycle of birth and death. In other words, no संसार, no cycle of becoming.
Then what are these impurities/कल्मषा:?
In वेदान्त we talk about three kinds of impurities-
1. मल – means रागद्वेष | मल generally means some dirt. Something that colors one’s understanding and therefore dealings with life.
E.g. I hate people who belong to that community~ द्वेष | I love these people who belong to a particular community, I only hang around with them ~ राग |
This is referred to as मल/impurity. Why?
Because it prevents me from being in touch with functional reality.
And so one can get on the self improvement trip and say- Oh, I have to deal with my रागद्वेष | Well, the way you deal with it is to offer it to ईश्वर |
That yes, I find this particular community annoying, let’s say I want to avoid them at all costs. But I will act according to the धर्म of the situation, and all my angst I offer it to you ईश्वर, you please take.
So रागद्वेष is not determining my life, and my mood. The great mood, because we are all very moody people, so रागद्वेष is not determining by mood.
Whatever has to be done I do, and in time रागद्वेष does not define me. It does not determine my mood.
2. विक्षेप – means some sort of projection or disturbance.
Now let’s say that I have managed to neutralize a lot of रागद्वेष with कर्म योग बुद्धि: and all that, so I’m more or less okay. I have some preferences, they are not so binding any more, but I am always distracted.
Just can’t sit still. Luckily for this group, most of us are 35+, so we are not the millennial generation, for whom it’s like everything is buzzing all the time, so much distraction.
So this distraction, each will understand what level of focus one has, when you sit for जप |
Just sit for जप, you will know how you go across on world tour or across galaxies, past, present, future, all the way everywhere.
And that’s why we give a repetitive thought- just stay with the sound; you’re staying with the deity actually, staying with the मंत्र | The मंत्र is the sound form of the deity. Stay. Going here and there, everywhere, you come back, come back, come back, come back. Don’t have to be judgmental of yourself. Just come back. That’s the discipline.
So this विक्षेप is another impurity.
And for that साधु-s sit for hours and hours doing जप | Because one needs a very focused focus. Because the subject matter is like this.
Anything you are pursuing requires some focus. But here because we tend to get distracted, or we distract ourselves, because some things become uncomfortable.
It’s like on a daily basis this happens I’m sure with everyone. You have at least two important tasks to do that day. Then you are dilly-dallying to get into the right mood, or doing some other admin stuff, saying that I’ll get to that soon. Why? Because I don’t want to start feeling uncomfortable in the beginning of the day. I want to feel nice. And then when I have to rush rush rush because there’s not much time ~ so विक्षेप, disturbance/ projection.
3. अज्ञानम् – this is the biggest one, because of which I make wrong conclusions about myself.
And then I say- Oh, I am a list of my favorite things, रागद्वेष | And then I only hang out with these people, and I feel very special about myself. You know, I am a वेदान्तिन् | So this is snobbery. Don’t think very highly of yourself because you’re pursuing वेदान्त | Oh those people are द्वैत, those people are just doing प्राणायाम | Sometimes in class to point out the limitations of a method one may say that, but it’s possible that we may unconsciously pick it up. So there is no need to feel superior because you are pursuing वेदान्त | Because it becomes one more thing to struggle with. Because I feel insignificant, I say~ Oh, I’m a योगी, or I am a meditator, and I chant मंत्र-s and one feels so unique and so special; but hello- you’re still identified with body-mind.
अज्ञानम् has not gone.
So there are subtle ways in which these impurities affect us. But for these groups of people for whom it’s a commitment.
Commitment- don’t conjure fancy ideas. It is just about being consistent with something that is important to you.
And for every single person and for all संन्यासी-s also, there will be phases when you’re very involved with whatever is the pursuit, and then at times you’re just sailing, you’re just floating. Then sometimes you are like okay, not a big deal, not as involved. But the way we perceive our involvement, we have a judgment on that. And then we’ll say- Oh, I’m falling off the track, but all this is not required at all. The ship never sails in a straight line, with all the fancy GPS and whatever else. It stays on track for sure, but moves a little bit here, a little bit there.
So we want to review the kind of commitment we have to earning money and to seeking pleasure. Is that a pursuit? Yes. Are there days that you are not having fancy meals? Yes. Are there days that you are on medical leave, casual leave, privilege leave, whatever leave? Yes. Does it mean you have no commitment to earning money? No. Or you’re just cruising along, whatever in your relationships etc. Nothing fancy, nothing earth- shattering is happening. Are you still involved? Yes.
Then why when it comes to मोक्ष, why would you make that judgment? Okay, there are phases when there are lots of things happening, maybe you kind of fall off the grid, but if it is an important commitment then you’ll come back to it. You don’t have to prove anything to anyone, anyway.
So talking about degrees of commitment, it depends on what is your level of विचार |
So to the extent that you have done the correct diagnosis of the human problem, to that extent you will make time, effort, attention for this, and of course it also depends on age and stage of life.
Then, these wise people, how do they see the world?
* श्लोक १८ *
विद्याविनयसम्पन्ने ब्राह्मणे गवि हस्तिनि ।
शुनि चैव श्वपाके च पण्डिता: समदर्शिन: ॥ १८॥
So, different people are mentioned, and even animals,
and the wise person has समदर्शिन: i.e. looks at them as more or less the same, basically आत्मा is present in all of the beings, and all the beings are present in the आत्मा |
So, these पण्डिता:, i.e. the ones who have पण्डा, these wise people, they are समदर्शिन: |
With respect to whom?
With respect to a ब्राह्मण i.e. the one who is endowed with विद्या/knowledge, and along with that one more reminder is there- that knowledge and विनय/humility always go hand in hand.
A very nice compound/समास ~ विद्याविनयसम्पन्न: | So one who is endowed with that. And we see that in society also, that the truly knowledgeable people really know how much they don’t know. It is only the ones who are arrogant because of their ignorance, that one little thing, they will blow it up.
So the wise people even if they come across a ब्राह्मण, this person may be a जाति ब्राह्मण who performs rituals, who is involved in sharing knowledge, teaching etc.
So the way the wise person will treat this ब्राह्मण will be the same- same as in sees that all beings are pervaded by the आत्मा.
So the vision of a गवि/cow, or an elephant/हस्तिनि, शुनि/dog, or even श्वपाक (the one who is a dog eater, meaning the one who is not looked upon very pleasantly, that for the sake of pleasure will even eat a dog, not very exalting).
So this treatment to different animals with different गुण-s, or towards people who are like this. These are just examples.
The person sees that all of them are functioning according to their गुण-s.
So I cannot be upset~ Why the elephant is not running? It should be running. I don’t resist. This is how the elephant is, it’s okay. It is okay in its place. Or, why the dog is like this. Why should dogs be so affectionate? This is not right.
This is प्रकृति | It is a play of गुण-s. And I see that I-आत्मा pervade all of them.
And, we’re not just saying that आत्मा is IN all the beings. I could say that also, but then we tend to localize the आत्मा |
आत्मा is all-pervasive anyway. So all these beings are in the आत्मा, आत्मा is in all the beings.
But the way I treat them may be different.
So I may offer respect to the ब्राह्मण and I may hug/pat the dog. Of course you can do namaste to the dog, and to the cow, and to the elephant, but they will not gain so much. You’d rather feed them or take care of them. So you’re not going to get confused.
So, you’re not going to hug the dog and pat your partner, in the name of I want to be equal in my interaction with everybody. That’s stupidity okay.
So you engage however it is appropriate with whoever the person is, but the vision is that आत्मा is present in all the beings.
In other words, I see everyone as a manifestation of भगवान्, even if they may be inimical to me; but in time, I might be able to see that.
That’s the vision of the wise person.
Before that of course कर्म योग is an integral, non-negotiable part of our lives.
ॐ
मंत्र-s १ to ७ we have seen.
The first मंत्र- ईशा वास्यमिदं सर्वं, is the vision that may you see all that is here, इदं सर्वम्, as ईशा |
Why does that need to be said? Because for us, इदं सर्वम् are different things which are changing, which are अनित्य | इदं सर्वम् is the immediate task at hand, and especially if you are working in a project with different people, then whatever we are going through, whatever they are going through, suppose there are delays, then that becomes इदं सर्वम् |
We know how a situation- इदं/this, one of many situations in our lives, how इदं becomes सर्वम् for us.
इदं is सर्वम्, इदं is सत्यम्, and so, all that is here, all our moments, all our experiences;
all means that it does not exclude anything.
All names, all forms basically- इदं सर्वम्- ईशा |
And then to appreciate that vision, there are 2 lifestyles that are indicated.
So assuming that one wants to live for a good 100 years~ पूर्ण आयु:, the way to go is to perform कर्म |
Then, a few मंत्र-s about the nature of the आत्मा and stating the ज्ञान-फलम् | What is the result of this vision of oneness, which reflects other verses in the भगवद्-गीता as well.
So I am the आत्मा in all beings, all the beings are in me.
And as a result of this vision, there is no मोह, no शोक, no जुगुप्सा | We are free from these problems.
In the third मंत्र, there was also a mention of असुर्या लोका: | So the different लोक-s i.e. different planes of experience of comfort, pleasure and so on, those who wish to go there, those who have that kind of an aspiration, are considered आत्महन: | उपनिषद् is taking a very strong position that the pursuit of pleasure is so much that there is no inclination to inquire into the आत्मा; and this can be the philosophy for lifetimes.
So that being the case, a few more words revealing the nature of the आत्मा |
मंत्र ८ is a good reminder for त्वम् देह त्रयातीत: – you are other than देह-त्रय i.e. the three देह-s.
What Ganaka Rishi declares to Ganapati- त्वम् देह त्रयातीत:, is really the teaching.
So how may I be able to see that I am also other than the देह? So this मंत्र ८ helps us to appreciate that.
* मंत्र ८ *
स पर्यगाच्छुक्रमकायमव्रण—मस्नाविरं शुद्धमपापविद्धम् ।
कविर्मनीषी परिभूः स्वयम्भूर्याथातथ्यतो—ऽर्थान्व्यदधाच्छाश्वतीभ्यः समाभ्यः ॥ ८ ॥
So all simple words that are often used in different उपनिषद्-s to indicate the nature of the आत्मा from a particular standpoint.
Each of the standpoints is referring to a wrong conclusion we have made.
स: पर्यगात् ~ all-pervasive.
So we can appreciate space being almost all-pervasive. But आत्मा includes space.
But through the example of space, we can appreciate what all-pervasive is.
पर्यगात् ~ all-pervasive,
परि ~ all sides; परीत: ~ on all sides,
We can’t say expansive, as expansive is limited as a word. So, all-pervasive.
स: ~ He.
शुक्रम् ~ pure, bright; self-illumining.
अकायम् ~one without a body.
अव्रणम् ~ without any wounds, cannot get hurt in that sense.
अस्नाविरम् ~ without sinews i.e. connective tissues of the muscle to the bone.
So by using these words,
अव्रणम् (without wounds), अस्नाविरम् (without sinews),
basically the gross body is being negated, स्थुलशरीर |
तत्त्वबोधः- स्थूलशरीरं किम् ?
1. पञ्चीकृतपञ्चमहाभूतैः कृतं – that which is made up of the grossified five elements.
2. सत्कर्मजन्यं – because of all past good कर्म |
3. सुखदुःखादि भोग आयतनम् – the abode for the experience of सुख & दु:ख |
So if you have some pains, dengue; the constant changing of this स्थूलशरीर is because it is abiding by its own धर्म.
4. It goes through षड्विकार |
This is the definition of gross body, but we ask- Why my body is changing? Why I’m getting gray hair? I don’t want to have wrinkles. I want to have the same energy that I used to have earlier. Well, we are resisting the nature of स्थूलशरीर |
Because the nature of स्थूलशरीर is- अस्ति(is/exists), जायते(born), वर्धते(grows), विपरिणमते(changes), अपक्षीयते(declines)- body is struggling with whatever we have put in, so we manage BP, LDL, HDL, blood sugar, or if one is into extreme sports then some injury invariably will be there, विनश्यति(dies).
The nature of the body is to change. स्थूलशरीर will die sooner or later. Anyway cells are dying and being regenerated all the time.
And there will be the experience of सुख-दु:ख through the various sensations that we are experiencing in the body. E.g. You eat lots of mangoes, and now mango season is going going going gone almost. So like that सुख-दु:ख will be there.
Do I resist it? Because we do. We resist the nature of the gross body.
And for that आत्मा is अस्नाविरम् – free, there is no connective tissue, indicating that you are other than the gross body. You are other than whatever wounds, cuts, bruises, whatever that you have.
If that was also not clear, you are अकायम् | Not that you don’t have a body, of course you have a body; but you are other than.
व्यतिरिक्तः is an important word.
देह त्रय अतीत: | अतीत: means beyond. It is indicative that- you are other than i.e. व्यतिरिक्तः | It is not indicating अभाव/absence.
You are not the body. It doesn’t say- स्थूलशरीर नास्ति | It does not say that.
It says व्यतिरिक्तः ~ other than.
Of course,शरीर~ subject to change, मिथ्या, so on and so forth.
आत्मा is अकायम् | I am other than the स्थूलशरीर, the gross body.
Then, gross body means what? What is it that pervades the gross body?
सूक्ष्मशरीर |
So then to indicate that, there are a few more words in this मंत्र | So what are those words? These are शुद्धम् & अपापविद्धम् |
शुद्धम् – शुद्धम् cannot apply to the gross body, one needs to shower at least once once a day at least, maybe twice a day also.
अपापविद्धम् – untouched by पाप | This also includes पुण्य |
So you don’t get a choice.
No, you know what? I’ve done such wonderful things in this world. पाप I don’t want, पुण्य definitely I want. But it doesn’t work that way.
So सूक्ष्मशरीर व्यतिरिक्तः आत्मा ।
शुद्धम् means there is no trace of अविद्या | So then कारणशरीर is also wiped out.
Then what is सूक्ष्मशरीर?
(i) अपञ्चीकृतपञ्चमहाभूतैः कृतं – made up of the un-grossified पञ्चमहाभूत |
(ii) सत्कर्मजन्यं – borne of good actions. It’s the right combination of पुण्य-पाप, but largely पुण्य |
(iii) सुखदुःखादि भोग साधनं – the means for the experiences of सुख & दु:ख |
आदि ~ etcetera, so whatever else you want to add- शोक, मोह, जुगुप्सा, cheerfulness, excitement… So everything is included in आदि पद |
The साधन for that- the means for whatever else is the experience.
So, all the experiences are limited in that sense to the स्थूलशरीर, but the सूक्ष्मशरीर then becomes the means for all the experiences.
(iv) There are 17 parts to it-
– पञ्चप्राणा- responsible for the way the body functions, all different functions are there: प्राण, अपान, व्यान, उदान, समान |
– पञ्चकर्मेन्द्रियाणि – all the capacities of the कर्मेन्द्रियाणि to function~ the hands, the feet, the mouth, the anus which is very important for different kinds of बंध in योग प्राणायाम so it becomes an organ of action, organ of procreation/ genital organs.
– पञ्चज्ञानेन्द्रियाणि – the 5 sense organs from which we receive knowledge.
– मन: |
– बुद्धि: |
In some calculations, if you say मन:, बुद्धि:, then अहंकार has come along anyway. Sometimes अहंकार is mentioned separately.
सप्तदशाकलाभिः सह यत्तिष्ठति तत्सूक्ष्मशरीरम् | So these 17 are the सूक्ष्मशरीर, and is that which pervades the entire gross body.
But why I’m feeling सुख-दु:ख? It is the nature of the सूक्ष्मशरीर |
But then it should just be limited there, it should not go to the gross body.
The सूक्ष्मशरीर is a means, it is a साधन for the आयतनम् that is the gross body. So all these things will happen.
As long as human शरीर is there, we don’t resist the nature of human शरीर |
This is what it is.
Why I have a बुद्धि:? Why my mind goes all over the place? That’s the nature of the mind. We understand it.
And then when you see the ways of the mind, you don’t really feel victimized.
You can use the mind as a master.
So when we say शुद्धम्, शुद्धम् means that there is no अविद्या, which brings us to the कारणशरीर |
कारणशरीरं किम् ?
(i) अनिर्वाच्य
Is it सत्यम्, or is it मिथ्या?
Does it exist? Of course it exists. Does it have an independent reality of its own? No.
The definition of अनिर्वाच्य is that we cannot define, it is indefinable.
(ii) अनादि
(iii) अविद्या रूपं – the form is अविद्या only.
(iv) शरीरद्वयस्य कारणमात्रं – Why I have body-mind etc.? Because the कारणशरीर is शरीरद्वयस्य कारणम् – the cause of the gross & subtle body.
(v) सत्स्वरूप अज्ञानं – There is ignorance of one’s own nature. Which is what? Which is सत्यम् |
(vi) निर्विकल्पकरूपं – It is free from duality.
Are you defining the आत्मा or you are defining कारणशरीर? How like that?
Just like in deep sleep we don’t have a triad. Sometimes we may say deep sleeper, the state of deep sleep etc. But really, everything has become dormant. There’s no division between the one who’s sleeping and the deep sleep etc. There’s no division whatsoever.
The more you try to understand कारणशरीर, you will struggle. Why? Because it is अविद्या रूपं, निर्विकल्पक रूपं | And most importantly, it is अनिर्वाच्य – cannot be explained, it is inexplicable, that is the definition of it.
So you may try, but after some time your words will have to retreat. For what can you say.
But definitely once सत्स्वरूप ज्ञानम् is there, then it cannot be the कारणम् for द्वय शरीर | It cannot be the कारणम् for the gross and the subtle body.
So therefore we say- there is no कर्म, and then there is no rebirth etc.
So in the form of अविद्या, शरीरद्वयस्य कारणम्, but अनिर्वाच्य, अनादि and so on.
But the आत्मा that you are is शुद्धम् |
शुद्धम् means that there is no trace of अविद्या |
अपापविद्धम् – untouched by पाप |
The body-mind i.e. the person, is of course affected by the different experiences which are really पुण्य-पाप manifesting.
And so we hear of some wise people having certain medical conditions. Pujya Swamiji had diabetes for at least 25years and the accompanying health issues that arise from that condition. Ramana Maharishi had throat cancer. Even Shree Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, he too had that.
So whatever needs to happen will happen, because ultimately it’s कर्म | Something is going to manifest, some पुण्य-पाप etc.
Or our Kanchi Shankaracharya who was implicated in that murder case and then he spent so many years in jail. Imagine one of the Shankaracharya-s spending years in jail, and all the great devotees didn’t quite rally around him. So out of fear a lot of people go to गुरु-s. But now there’s no trust also, so one thinks~ maybe, you know, maybe Shankaracharya was actually involved in some murder etc. Our trust is so fragile.
Anyway so all the changes that happen, are happening at which level? Only स्थूल-सूक्ष्म शरीर |
So we don’t resist. Some changes are happening. We use स्थूल-सूक्ष्म शरीर to our advantage so that we can be the master of these instruments.
And of course कर्म योग helps us.
So then because of which, what’s happening with the mind, what’s happening with the body is not in the foreground.
With कर्म योग बुद्धि:, you are doing what you can, and you also have प्रसाद बुद्धि: – that whatever is happening, is happening and it’s okay. So combined effect, body-mind is not an issue for you.
When you go for a walk, you overhear the conversations in the park of the 75/80-year-olds. People will share- oh you have a bad stomach. I have a very good homeopath, I think you should go to this person. Why don’t you try Ayurveda? So the whole conversation is about one health problem. Of course we can talk about anything and everything.
But all of it ~ Oh, I discovered a new vegan recipe. Very good. Enjoy. Then what? Oh, I’m thinking what more other vegan recipes. How we can use this soya milk creatively.
So now बुद्धि: has been given, but all the time is focused on how to make vegan recipes.
So how we can get obsessed in the name of doing the right thing. Good health. Or it can happen with respect to पूजा-s also. Oh, this also I have to perform this पूजा, that पारायणम् also, this, that, the other.
So then where is the scope for आत्मा विचार?
भगवान् आदि शङ्कराचार्य says in भज गोविन्दम्-
बालस्तावत्क्रीडासक्तः
तरुणस्तावत्तरुणीसक्तः ।
वृद्धस्तावच्चिन्तासक्तः
परमे ब्रह्मणि कोऽपि न सक्तः ॥ ७॥
So all the तरुण are busy with तरुणी-s, and then the children/बाल: are busy with क्रीडा/play, and then the older ones are busy with चिन्ता,
then, ब्रह्मणि कोऽपि न सक्तः ~ there is no scope to think, to reflect on what is the nature of ब्रह्मन् |
Because at every stage and age of life you can easily get busy with lots of things.
Or, if one likes to be in touch with what is trending, and this is such a clever strategy by Netflix, that you see what is trending- Oh, other people know what’s happening, I also want to know. Let me see. And of course some of the series are so well-directed that they grip you, then before you know it one binge-watch has happened.
So what is trending? I have to be in the loop of what’s happening. Because other people will ask- did you see that? Did you see the series? I have to just keep saying- no, no, no, no. I feel so out of place, you know?
So, foreground- what is in my foreground?
All related to स्थूल-सूक्ष्म शरीर, and therefore no time for आत्मा विचार |
So these words, different words indicative, revealing the nature of the आत्मा from different standpoints,
help us to negate that I am the स्थूल-सूक्ष्म-कारण शरीर,
देह व्यतिरिक्त आत्मा अहम् अस्मि |
The स्थूल-शरीर is very active in the waking state.
Your पश्यन्, शृण्वन्, जिघ्रण् etc., whatever you are doing, in the waking state the स्थूल-शरीर is very active.
Then of course in the dream state, सूक्ष्म-शरीर becomes more active~ whatever you are dreaming, or having a nightmare about.
Then, both of them resolve, become dormant in the state of deep sleep. Then it’s all कारण-शरीर only. Of course प्राण is there, but all the other things, all the other functions, they have all become dormant. So in सुषुप्ति, कारण-शरीर is the only thing that’s working in that sense.
So, साक्षी-आत्मा is अवस्था-त्रय-साक्षी |
So these all three अवस्था-s,
चतुर्थम् मन्यते – I am the आत्मा, the fourth, with respect to the three, aware of all three states of experience.
आत्मा cannot be polluted.
We talk about impurities- मल, विक्षेप, अविद्या, in the context of the सूक्ष्म-शरीर |
We may talk about मल – Therefore so much शुद्धि is needed~ so much bathing, and then you had a bath but there is special शुद्धि required during पूजा |
So much शुद्धि is needed for the body and the mind.
Then, शुद्धि ~ freedom from रागद्वेष is applicable to सूक्ष्म-शरीर |
Then आत्मा; आत्मा was ever-pure.
So नित्य शुद्ध ~ नित्य शुद्ध बुध मुक्त स्वभाव |
So the आत्मा that is शुद्ध, never touched by any of this.
Because obviously it does not have limbs.
So then obviously any kind of impurity, it does not apply at all.
So आत्मा accommodates everything- all names, all forms.
निर्वाणषटकम् says मनोबुद्ध्यहङ्कार चित्तानि नाहं |
Can I say that?
If one sings this and nobody claps, then one thinks that I just sang so beautifully, but they didn’t even clap. But, what did I just sing?
मनोबुद्ध्यहङ्कार चित्तानि नाहं ~ Whatever are all these emotions, नाहं- I am not. But still I am thinking~ but how they didn’t even clap for me. So, how we go back into this देहात्म बुद्धि: |
So, it’s nice to sing and the words are very beautiful, but also see the meaning of what you sing.
Listen to what you sing, because then we say- न मे द्वेषरागौ, न मे लोभमोहौ~ I am not my राग, I am not my द्वेष, I am not my लोभ, I am not my मोह, all of that. So all indicative of the fact that I am not the सूक्ष्मशरीर; I am other than.
I objectify it, I am aware of it.
And just by me being objective, the intensity of emotion reduces. Because earlier I was so identified with it, now I’m not so therefore it’s not an issue for me.
Or the frequency of how often I would lose my temper, that also reduces, because now there is some space and then my rebounding/recoiling from the reaction i.e. the way I bounce back from whatever has upset me, that also changes.
Sometimes people mistake that~ Oh, I have to witness; that means that I will not have all these emotions- that’s not correct at all.
‘Witness’ is not an action that you perform. Although the word sounds like that. It has a verb form. But it is similar to the verb in the ‘sun shining’. Because if it is an action, then you have a choice. Then you can say~ today I will be a witness; or today is a Sunday so I will take a break, no more witnessing for me, I will just go on holiday.
No, the nature of the आत्मा-consciousness is to always shine.
So we give the example of the sun; the nature is to shine. It’s not doing a special action. If it was a special action, then it could change also.
Today I will witness more, today I will witness less, today maybe I’ll do it differently. No. So these are all subtle things- when we say witness, that’s why sometimes we add the word witness-consciousness, so that we break the orientation of witness means I’m standing apart and away and I’m watching what is happening.
You are in and through all that is happening.
So अवस्थात्रय-साक्षी, or देह-व्यतिरिक्त-आत्मा |
In गीता अमृतम् we saw also- नादत्ते कस्यचित्पापं न चैव सुकृतं विभु: (५.१५).
आत्मा does not take on the पुण्य nor पाप of anyone.
Because of one’s पुण्य, there is स्थूल-सूक्ष्म शरीर |
Then one has some opportunities, some supportive factors in one’s life, whereby one can make the most of this life, whatever time has been given for our different pursuits, including मोक्ष |
But आत्मा is not going to be exalted or elevated because of the पुण्य in your account, or because you have done a lot of दानम्, lot of chanting, lot of prayers. आत्मा has ever been शुद्ध: |
Oh, I will go for all the Kumbha Mela-s and have a dip~ more शुद्ध आत्मा | No. So that is only for सूक्ष्म शरीर, not for the आत्मा |
So all यज्ञ, दान, तपस् is for the शरीर | आत्मा is ever-eternal.
Now some words referring to भगवान् |
कवि: – the one who is the seer of the क्रान्त/past. The implication is past-present-future; so the one who is aware of this. Or the one who is the basis of all time.
In बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद्, there is one quote which says there is no other seer than this कवि: |
मनीषी/मनीष – the one who rules the mind. So referring to ईश्वर/ आत्मा |
परिभूः – the one who exists above everything else.
स्वयम्भू: –
So we say स्वयम्भू: Ganapati, referring to Ashtavinayaka in Maharashtra. So nobody sat and carved/sculpted the मूर्ति, it just appeared. And it’s all fascinating to hear some of the stories of how somebody had a dream, and then there is a series/chain of events by which the मूर्ति was found. And then in time, established in the temple.
So, स्वयम्भू:~ that which is self-existent; did not need anyone else to put it to together. By oneself, स्वयम् भाति |
The next few words are referring to the laws-
अर्थान् – is not plural of अर्थ/security/wealth, but referring to the different duties/कर्म |
यथा तथ्यत: –
So the different duties/responsibilities that have been allocated to the different देवता-s.
In तैत्तिरीय-उपनिषद् we see भीषास्माद्वातः पवते। भीषोदेति सूर्यः (Chapter 2, Section 8)-
so वायु as though operates out of fear.
What देवता-s are getting scared? We are praying to देवता-s, they are getting scared, what is this?
People who had too much exposure to पुराण-s without the right explanation have been put off because they think~ they are also scared, I am scared, they are sad, I am sad, and they are so angry that they are cursing people left, right and center, so what is the difference between me and the देवता? So, I cannot pray to such people.
So a lot of people have been put off because they didn’t get the right explanation.
So here, that भीषा, the भय that is spoken of for वायु & सूर्य:, it is a kind of a reverence.
E.g. suppose you respect or revere someone, you’re not very flippant or casual in that person’s presence. It’s not that you are putting on a mask, but you want to do the right thing, you want to do what is appropriate. That is that भीषा | So, it’s not fear as we understand it. It is reverence.
Suppose some high-ranking person like Adani or Elon Musk comes, so everyone will get up. Because of whatever is valued, therefore people will behave in these ways.
But the emphasis is on the reverence that is there for ईश्वर/भगवान् | So देवता-s who have duties/functions, they perform that according to whatever is their job description. And they are just brilliant at what they do. All the different processes/phenomena that we are surrounded by, we just see that life does so well on its own. All the climate, even the climate change, it has a pattern. And then we make predictions~ it is going to rain, or it’s going to be sunny. For millions of years this has been going on~ seeds become trees, they flower and bear fruits. We put so many things in the soil and they grow~ all different kinds of seeds- mango, eucalyptus, neem etc., it’s just phenomenal~ all the laws of nature, the forces of nature; and everything does so well.
But, we hesitate to say that life is perfect. Suppose we ask~ do you think life is perfect? Nobody will answer. One will hesitate and say~ um, maybe…Why nobody will answer? Because situations are not according to how I want. I have to put in my two-bit. My two-cents, my view is so important.
But life, i.e. all complex phenomena occur without my i.e. the जीव’s will.
All these planets, asteroids, galaxies, they are all held in orbit, revolving, rotating at phenomenal speeds. From a zygote, this big hulk has come. All forces of life are just functioning so brilliantly.
Yet I cannot say that life is perfect. I will have to add my two-bit.
No, we have only spoilt it, what to do? If X-Y-Zed had happened, life would be perfect. If my health was okay, well then it would be okay. If I was not growing so old, it would be okay. If my mother-in-law/daughter-in-law behaved properly then things would be okay.
So look at our resistance to what is.
Anyway, all these different duties that have been assigned to all the देवता-s,
शाश्वतीभ्यः |
So to these प्रजापति-s i.e. these different beings who had the function of creation, all that has been assigned, and they are functioning well.
So आत्मा is all these words we saw, and indeed आत्मा is that ever-free, ever-powerful भगवान्, who has delegated all these different duties, and which will go on~ the weather patterns, the climate change or no change. Everything will go on. Flowers will bloom. Birds will fly. Trees will grow. Whether you are there or not.
Just to be in a small patch of forest land- you see what a world, what we refer to as biodiversity.
We tend to take away life in the words that we use, for instance biodiversity doesn’t sound like we’re talking about conscious beings. But anyway, biodiversity~ so much in one patch of land- insects, plants, bacteria, and of course fungi. What a complex system. Fantastic.
So आत्मा/ईश्वर all the way is पर्यगात्/all-pervasive.
And this is a function that is being performed.
Can I say- all beings are in me. I am the आत्मा | I am देह-व्यतिरिक्त-आत्मा |
I am that ईश्वर who has that function of assigning all the देवता-s their roles.
So can I see that ?
Or some ‘but’ will come~ ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ will be added.
What is the latest ‘if’ and ‘but’? No if-s and no but-s, or is one too shy to say~ how can I say? Immediate सूक्ष्म शरीर, देह अभिमान | If I say something people will laugh. So see how identified we are. How does it matter whether I say or don’t say? देह अभिमान | Can you see?
I want to know the आत्मा, but देह अभिमान I don’t want to give up. I am scared to say- देह अभिमान |
No, no, I am not identified with the gross body. Hey, सूक्ष्म शरीर you are identified with~ with your mind.
And then we use the knowledge of the आत्मा for emotional management.
I am untouched~ How beautiful. Let’s play some music. I am like the lotus in the pond. I am untouched. Um, did I say it correctly?
So, this self-conscious, self-judging being means देह अभिमान i.e. full, complete identification.
Then we say आत्मा is देह-व्यतिरिक्त-आत्मा |
So this notion is very entrenched,
but as though~ so we can take care of it.
Then from मंत्र-s ९ onwards, there is a reference to कर्म योग, but again the उपनिषद् shocks us.
Because just like in मंत्र ३, where it was mentioned that people who seek to go to all these लोक-s, they are आत्महन:(destroyers/slayers of the आत्मा); so there’s a reference to this,
that okay you want to have this कर्म & उपासना based lifestyle, but it is only going to lead you to तम:/तमस् and अन्धम् |
* मंत्र ९ *
अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति ये अविद्यामुपासते ।
ततो भूय इव ते तमो य उ विद्यायाꣳ रताः ॥ ९॥
ईशा उपनिषद् cannot be studied on one’s own. Anyway उपनिषद् cannot be studied on one’s own, but this one particularly, because of छन्दस् प्रयोग- the way the words are used they are not literally how you will use it in Sanskrit language.
And because of a certain dismissal of कर्म & उपासना |
So we are anyway looking for excuses to dodge our कर्म, like Arjuna, and so we can just cling on to some of the मंत्र-s and say- see the उपनिषद् said that.
So those who are अविद्याम्; those who do अविद्याम् उपासते; those who meditate on i.e. do कर्म of अविद्या |
So now, who meditates on अविद्या? First of all I never knew अविद्या was my problem.
No, but here अविद्या is referring to कर्म |
It’s brilliant the way the उपनिषद् does it. All कर्म where do you think it comes from? अपूर्णता |
अपूर्णता means what?~ I am not complete means what? अविद्या-I don’t know who I am.
So, अग्रहणम् ~ I don’t know.
And therefore, अन्यता ग्रहणम् ~ I mistake myself to be whatever it is I’m associated with.
So those who meditate on, those who perform कर्म only; only is the key word,
so what happens to them?
अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति- They enter a world of blinding darkness.
So here all the seven up लोक-s/planes of experience~ different kinds of pleasure- music, dance, theater i.e. the finer things of life etc., all the way to ब्रह्म लोक, you can tango with Rambha, Urvashi and so on. You can have a very nice time. It is being referred to as अन्धं तमः |
The very वेद that is exalting all these लोक-s, स्वर्ग and so on, is now saying that these are worlds of darkness.
Why? Because you’ll be so lost in experiences. So just like this बाल/child is lost in क्रीडा/play, तरुण is lost in तरुणी, and the older one is lost in चिन्ता,
so like that, you’re just lost in having a party time~ where’s the party tonight?
Then, where is the time, where is the leisure for inquiry into आत्मा |
That’s why it is referred to as darkness, from the standpoint of आत्मा विचार |
From the standpoint of काम- Wow, fantastic. We can’t expect more, until you go to another higher लोक |
It’s like this- suppose you move to another place, definitely for better opportunities, or for a better quality of life, better roads, better infrastructure, better education, better health care. स्वर्ग is also like that.
Osho had come up with this book, and it was a big bestseller, maybe it continues to be- ‘From Sex to Superconsciousness’. And the title is such that everyone will want to read it, and perhaps has read it also. And he would promote the idea that you have to~ don’t resist, indulge, go ahead all the way, and then you are free from it. He has a point. Of course he would present it as one other extreme, and that was his presentation.
But the thing about अर्थ and काम is that if we are able to immerse ourselves in अर्थ-काम, of course with धर्म as the framework, then there is no इच्छा to go to स्वर्ग |
There will be a very natural वैरग्य | Of course subject to some विवेक, but truly you have been there, done that, so it holds no great hook for you.
So whatever travel you want to do, do it here on earth; whatever experiences you want, just go all out and enjoy it.
Then like Pujya Swamiji would say about तीर्थयात्रा-s~ at the end of it, it is all a combination of blue and green- mountains and valleys, what else is there.
So with respect to धर्म, अर्थ and काम, wherever you want to go, don’t suppress your desires. So, this is a very nice way for वैरग्य towards स्वर्ग |
Or what is referred to in ईशावास्य उपनिषद् as अन्धं तमः ~ the world of darkness.
And if that was not all, even if one says – No, no, I’m a meditator. So, even if you are devoted to that, even if you revel in meditation.
Meditation means only ध्यानम्, i.e. सगुण ब्रह्म मानस व्यापार, so mental action related to ईश्वर only, that is our definition of meditation.
All other things that we do initially is all relaxation, it’s not meditation, those are preparatory steps. People think that is meditation. You take your attention, your body’s relaxed- wow, what meditation we did. That was supposed to be relaxation, that is the natural state of the body, but we mistake relaxation for meditation. So imagine how much the body-mind is stressed.
So even if you are doing a lot of मंत्र साधना as an end in itself for सिद्धि | Because मंत्र साधना means the सिद्धि-s of that देवता, you will have powers like that देवता, you will have a vision of that देवता, देवता will bless you etc., all those things are there.
Again, that is also अन्धं तमः | It’s all उपासना also, if it is for काम | If you say this is all धर्म only, this is all मोक्ष etc. No.
Anything short of recognizing one’s true nature is तमस्/ignorance/darkness.
So this is a very direct position that ईशावास्य उपनिषद्, and all उपनिषद्-s take.
So then when we do a review of how we spend our day- hours spent in all kinds of different activities, which is all fine.
But what about आत्मा विचार ?
It is not that the more time you spend on आत्मा विचार, then you know the truth.
But in and through the different activities during the day, or separately, or whatever it is,
it is all darkness.
No no I am working in halogen light, it is all bright and sunny.
All कर्म stemming from अविद्या |
आत्मा~ अकर्ता अभोक्ता |
Because the more कर्म we do, unless आत्मा is clear, कर्ता-भोक्ता अभिमान is so strong.
So words that prompt us to reflect on our nature as आत्मा, and also from time to time, to review the amount of time, attention, energy we give to all different kinds of कर्म, and to also do some course-correction if required.
Do I need to step up something, do I need to reduce something so that I have the time, attention, and most importantly the leisure to inquire into the आत्मा, to stay, to abide in my very nature.
ॐ
So we are looking at the fifth chapter called संन्यास-योग | And we recognize that संन्यास is both a lifestyle and also referring to knowledge/ज्ञानम् |
So giving up the notion of being a कर्ता/doer and giving up the notion of being a भोक्ता/experiencer.
But that’s what I thrive on- I thrive on doing, I thrive on experiencing. Then why are you asking me to give it up? No, we’re not asking you to stop doing and experiencing life. All we are saying is that that’s not your true identity. And that there is something more, which is you the आत्मा, that illumines you as the कर्ता, that illumines you as the भोक्ता |
So when we look at this chapter, which has about 29 verses:
=> Verses 1-6 are talking about the two lifestyles~ कर्म योग & ज्ञान योग | With ज्ञान योग here in the sense of संन्यासी, and talking about how difficult it is to live that kind of a lifestyle.
=> Verses 7-12 mention the फलम्/result of कर्म योग |
=> Verses 13 to 21 is the chunk of the chapter, which is referring to ज्ञान-कर्म-संन्यास |
=> Verses 22 to 23 is a mention of वैरग्य |
=> Verses 24 to 26 talks of विदेहमुक्ति i.e. what does it mean to live a life of freedom when you are alive.
=> Verses 27 to 29 are going to introduce us to ध्यानम्/meditation.
It’s very interesting to note that in the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता, and for those who are familiar with अष्टाङ्ग योग, ध्यानम् is much, much later.
Why?
Because a lot of our conflicts are related to धर्म | And so the शास्त्र in all its wisdom and compassion says~ Hey, sort out your life first; live a more ethical life in all ways and you will find that a lot of your conflicts reduce that time itself.
But here we don’t want to follow धर्म | We are selective about following धर्म | E.g. we’re super courteous, and understanding of our colleagues at work, but we may not extend the same level of understanding to some family members. So we may struggle with our धर्म on that front. So without actually trying to perform my duty in the context of my relationship with my family, I am trying to quieten my mind. How much is it going to work? Hardly. Because you still have to deal with that annoying family member or with whoever with whom you struggle to get along with. So you can sit for hours and hours in meditation, but unless we sort out, to the extent possible our responsibility, our duty in the context of धर्म, all our ध्यानम्/meditation will not work.
So this is a primer for the sixth chapter.
All these current verses are continuing about the nature of ज्ञानम्, the result of ज्ञानम् for the wise person. So ज्ञान-कर्म-संन्यास is being spoken of from verses 13 to 21.
We have seen that the wise person is able to see the आत्मा in all beings and all beings in the आत्मा | We have looked at that quite elaborately. And some examples were given that although different beings, e.g. a cow, an elephant, a dog, a dog eater, or a ब्राह्मण are all different i.e. they have different functions so the wise person may relate to them differently, but does not lose sight of the fact that all that is there is the आत्मा |
Now, भगवान् is continuing, talking about what else knowledge brings-
* श्लोक १९ *
इहैव तैर्जित: सर्गो येषां साम्ये स्थितं मन: ।
निर्दोषं हि समं ब्रह्म तस्माद् ब्रह्मणि ते स्थिता: ॥ १९॥
The one who knows the truth, for that person,
इह एव – here itself,
सर्ग: जित: |
While living in this world, this cycle of birth and death is won over, i.e. you are no longer subject to birth and death.
Some people will say~ Oh life is so beautiful. I want to be born again and again.
Of course there are very few such people. But, most of the people will say- I don’t want to be born again. Why? Because of our experiences. We find it difficult to come to terms with a lot of our experiences. Why did this happen to me? This should not have happened to me. Why did I do what I did? Maybe I should have said more? Maybe I should have done more? So, a lot of regrets, a lot of hurt, a lot of guilt, and so on.
So, संसार is recognized as a cycle of suffering. This is not a pessimistic notion. You experience it, and then you’ll see what you will say about it. Because anyway at the end of it, it is “Ram Naam Sathya Hai”. This is what we say in Hindi, when the body is being carried to the cemetery.
So this suffering- birth, death, changes, how can we win over it? How can we be free from it?
Here itself, how?
साम्ये स्थितं मन: – by having a mind that is rooted in that which is same, that which is never changing.
What is that?
ब्रह्मन् | That is you. Not subject to any change.
So the body is changing, the mind is changing, but the one who is aware of the body and mind, that is not changing.
It’s an interesting use of words when we say- we can ‘win over’ birth and death.
Generally when we hear about winning or conquest, we have heard about conquest in terms of reaching Basecamp Mount Everest, and so on.
But you know, it’s very interesting in Eastern cultures, rarely is conquest spoken of in the context of relationship with nature.
You ask the Nepali-sherpas, the guides who come along. They don’t talk about it as a conquest- that I climbed the mountain, that I submitted the mountain. There are many places on the road where they will just pray, and they will tell all the mountaineers also from all over the world to just pray. Because you never know how the weather changes, despite all your best equipment. And that there are some mountains which are not climbed, because they are so sacred.
But we like to convert everything into a war- the war against COVID, the war against so many things, right? So then we want to establish our superiority and prove we are above everything else, so all the time struggling with insignificance. So everything is made into a conquest, what shall we do?
But this is a good conquest to have.
That I can win over the cycle of birth and death. How?
By having a mind that is rooted in ब्रह्मन् |
How to do this rooting in ब्रह्मन्?
Well actually it really depends on what you want from life.
So we know that whatever you value the most, if we are looking at the various pursuits~ suppose love and companionship is most important to you, then all you will be thinking about is how you can contribute to the person’s happiness, what can you do? What are the special gestures you can do? What others can do? What you need to avoid doing, and so on and so forth. Then, whatever occupies our mind, our mind goes in those directions.
So let’s say if you are preoccupied/obsessed with work, then you may dream about work also. Did we have the meeting in the dream, or did we have it in real life? Before you go to sleep, you’re thinking about work, when you wake you’re thinking about work, because it just occupies your mind.
And so the mind rooting in ब्रह्मन् is nothing new. If this indeed is a priority for you, your life priority, not what you’re going to do today, as in your day priority- No.
If it’s your ultimate priority, and here talking about the wise person or even a जिज्ञासु, and so it is an ultimate priority, then what?
Then the person is thinking about how I am ब्रह्मन्, what are the obstacles that stand in the way of me recognizing this? And how can I abide in it?
I abide in it. I see the meaning of what the शास्त्र is saying, and so on and so forth.
This verse is not saying that मोक्ष should be your ultimate priority. No.
So if you’re preoccupied with work, if you are thinking about your partner, your child, there’s no reason for you to feel guilty.
This verse is only drawing the commitment between what is important to you, is what you will be rooted in.
And earlier we have seen the levels of commitment, ५.१७ – तत् बुद्धि:, तत् आत्मान:, तत् निष्ठा:, तत् परायणा: |
ब्रह्मन् being निर्दोषम् i.e. not having any दोष/defect,
समम्~ always the same |
ब्राह्मी स्थिति: ~ २.७२ (last verse of Chapter 2).
So these wise people,
तस्मात्,
ब्रह्मणि ते स्थिता: |
Nothing can shake their understanding, they are rooted in ब्रह्मन् |
Rooted in ब्रह्मन् means what? They see the आत्मा in all beings, and all beings in the आत्मा |
All that is here is me-the-आत्मा, that’s it, simple.
And for them, there is no rebirth.
So what is being gained by a wise person is mentioned.
The body, the mind may need to go through some purification.
You better have a shower, especially if you’re living in a tropical climate- not once, maybe twice. Otherwise people will complain around you. So body will need that. Mind will also need that, because we collect a lot of stuff. So, it needs sweeping, needs vacuuming very often.
But आत्मा is ever शुद्ध:, निर्दोषम् – No defect, No Fault, and which is your very nature.
Then for this person, this ब्राह्मी स्थिति:,
who is स्थिति: i.e. who is established in ब्रह्मन्,
What else?
* श्लोक २० *
न प्रहृष्येत्प्रियं प्राप्य नोद्विजेत्प्राप्य चाप्रियम् ।
स्थिरबुद्धिरसम्मूढो ब्रह्मविद् ब्रह्मणि स्थित: ॥ २०॥
When the person gains प्रियम्, i.e. gains something that is an object of love, desirable,
न प्रहृष्येत् – is not elated, does not hit the ceiling.
न उद्विजेत् प्राप्य अप्रियम् – When अप्रियम् also comes along, something that you didn’t want comes along,
then does not get agitated- न उद्विजेत् |
What else?
स्थिरबुद्धि: असम्मूढ: – so because the person is well-established in ब्रह्मन्, knowledge is firm,
असम्मूढ: – who doesn’t have any confusion about ब्रह्मन् |
That person who is called ब्रह्मविद् i.e. the one who knows ब्रह्मन् |
So like that there is ब्रह्मविदानन्द ~ the one who knows ब्रह्मन्, is established.
Now, how do we look at this?
Obviously, the wise person, having lived a life of कर्म योग has learned to handle one’s expectations.
We hear the phrase- ‘work without expectations’; who does that?
If you walk, you expect that there will not be an earthquake. If you drink, you expect that the water will go down your throat. If you speak, you believe that your voice will carry, unless you’re trying to speak in a vacuum. If you ask a question, you expect that it will be answered.
So this notion of working without expectations is a wrong notion, and we must correct it. We have to drop this notion.
We have expectations. It is our इच्छा शक्ति | We have been given this शक्ति, this power to desire and want. So nothing wrong with expectations.
The question is how do I handle my expectations?
So whether I’m making a cup of tea, or raising a child, or working for a promotion, there are expectations.
If I get what I want, or if I get more than I want- Fantastic. Life is wonderful.
Where we struggle is where the expectation and the results have a mismatch. I don’t get what I want.
E.g. Everyone wants a normal child, but sometimes some children turn out to be special children. So the result is not what you expected.
And then that can cause a lot of sorrow for the entire family, and all the ones who are associated with the family.
Or the result may be totally different from what you expected. You expected to have a child, and then the child was still born. Again, cause for sorrow, anger, why me, etc.
Then we have to enquire into who is the one that shapes the results.
Clearly I haven’t created the local laws.
If I keep water on the pan and I switch on the gas-stove, so there is water in the pan and it’s boiling. The law that says that water boils at 100 degrees Celsius, I have not created. And so if I’m boiling water, can I then say- why is the water boiling in a few minutes, it should not happen.
The moment I have done the कर्म, the result is out of my hands. The laws take over completely. The water will boil at 100 degrees Celsius. Suppose you went around, did some errands then you found that there is no water, there is only this super hot pan- result is much less than you expected.
Can you then say- I will never again boil water in my life. Why? Because the result was much less than what I expected. No. We understand that laws make cause and effect possible, we attempt to understand the laws. But most importantly we see that all the laws are shaped by भगवान् |
That my expectations of any result, it is all being shaped by भगवान् – as the intelligence of the laws of cause and effect, and also the material that makes all of this possible.
So I work with expectation, and have प्रसाद बुद्धि: i.e. the thinking that all that I get is प्रसाद- it is a gift from भगवान् for whatever efforts that I have put in.
This attitude I have even before I start doing the कर्म | I will put in my best, because I offer my best कर्म to भगवान्, who is anyway shaping the laws of कर्म and I am ready to receive whatever comes. Of course I’m working for a certain result. But I also understand that there are many variables, that there are many laws. Some known to me, some unknown to me. And I will accept, try to. That is प्रसाद | That no longer poses a problem to me any more. Working, I’m happy to work.
But this work without expectations is like saying that I have a head, and sometimes I have a headache, so off with the head. It does not makes sense.
My expectations have caused a problem to me in the past. I’m not going to have expectations.
भगवान् श्री कृष्ण doesn’t say that.
Nowhere does he say work without expectations. Work. Have कौशलम् | With an understanding of धर्म, may you offer all your कर्म | And may you also see that all the results that you get i.e. कर्मफल, they are all प्रसाद | They are also received by you, knowing that it is ईश्वर प्रसाद |
So expectations are never a problem.
A lot of things don’t work out in life. So then how do we react to it? We can become bitter.
You remember the kind of enthusiasm we had as children. Everything was a source of wonder. Water coming from the tap, water coming from the sky. The petals, the flowers, the insects. The toys- you wind something then it starts. Everything is a source of wonder.
And logically, one would think that the more experiences we have, the more will be our enthusiasm, the more cheerfulness there could be.
But the way in which life unfolds, because we do not deal with our expectations, especially where the results are less than what I expected, or totally different from what I expected, we find ourselves becoming bitter, skeptical, not trusting etcetera, etcetera.
So, a life of कर्म योग makes me naturally cheerful.
Oh, but I am not cheerful? Okay, then go back to basics.
Try to understand what कौशलम् is in your context. How are you relating to the different people in your life? What is your कर्म towards them? How is your sense of acceptance related to you, your past, your relationship with your body, your relationship with money, your relationship with work, etc. etc.
Where are you, in all of this? Where is your sense of acceptance? What is effortless for you to accept? And what is it that you keep resisting, again and again? Unless the effect of resistance is understood by us, we cannot value acceptance.
E.g. I resist how my partner is, I wish my partner was not the way he or she is. Why? He/she should not be like this etc.
So, 20 years, 30 years, 40 years can pass that way.
The wise person, having lived a life of कर्म योग, recognizes that some results will be प्रियम्~ nice, desirable,
and some will be अप्रियम्,
and knowing fully well that all the results are being shaped by भगवान्, in the context of one’s own कर्म, of course,
does not experience a yo-yo of emotions.
Our great moods are related to our great expectations.
So our moods depend on someone else having the remote control. So imagine that somebody knows which buttons to press. There will be few people in your life like that. They press one button on the remote, and then you are very sad, or you are horrified, or you are laughing, you’re cheerful, you are happy. You are not in charge. All these people and situations are in charge.
So then, it is very easy to have उद्वेग/agitation.
In fact children learn this lesson very well. So generally stereotypical thinking, the father is considered angry. So the child will say- Oh, you want to see? You want to see how my father gets angry. I didn’t do my homework. Then the father’s anger will start.
Or, you want to see how my mother gets angry? I did not finish my school tiffin. My mother will start again.
So the kids just know. How has the 5-year-old, 7-year-old figured this out?
They know how fragile our moods are. And this is without some great understanding of psychology.
So what is प्रिय, what is अप्रिय to us, causes elation, depression, etc., etc.
And the one who knows ब्रह्मन्, who is established, does not rejoice,
Nor does the person resent, e.g. getting an interminable disease/illness.
Like Ramana Maharshi or Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, they did not lament that we are wise people, we have shared our wisdom with so many people, why did we get cancer? God was not kind to us despite all that we did, we led such a सात्विक् life. We did only acts of धर्म, but look at us, what is the use? Got cancer.
So it is what it is. That’s it.
Does that mean they become cold? Because that might be our worry. Oh, that means they will become like automatons, with no emotion.
So this is more or less. That’s why समत्वम् is emphasized so much.
That समत्वम्, which is a part of कर्म योग naturally glides into this समदर्शिन: – that you are more or less okay with whatever is unfolding in your life.
Because by offering your कर्म unto भगवान्, you are seeing that you are greater than your कर्म |
Generally we define ourselves by our work. What do you do? So we normally say a few things.
But now you don’t define yourself by your कर्म anymore. Yeah, I do a few things. Okay. This is where I am. This is my age and stage of life. This is what I do.
But I am always greater than कर्म, because I am in and through all the कर्म that I do.
Likewise, I am greater than all the results of different actions that have happened.
I got divorced can become a definition of me as a person. Need not be. It’s an event, some result. It is one event out of a million events in my life.
Oh, how can you say like this? Very important event.
Yes, I agree, totally agree with you. Very, very important event, like a milestone event. Understood. But, will you allow that event to define your life, or to define you? It’s not fair to you. Even if you insist on defining yourself that way.
No event can define you. The wise person has understood this very, very well.
Logically also, you are the one in and through all the events, events come and go.
In fact, that’s what is being mentioned here in श्लोक २१-
* श्लोक २१ *
बाह्यस्पर्शेष्वसक्तात्मा विन्दत्यात्मनि यत्सुखम् ।
स ब्रह्मयोगयुक्तात्मा सुखमक्षयमश्नुते ॥ २१॥
So, this person who is being referred to as बाह्यस्पर्शेषु असक्तात्मा | (This is बहुव्रीहि समास )
A person is being referred to- the one who, whose mind is not attached to what is बाह्य(external) i.e. sense objects.
Now स्पर्श generally means touch.
But बाह्यस्पर्शेषु is referring to all kinds of sense objects which are external to you.
So the mango that you must enjoy if you are in India, especially because now mango season is coming to an end. Or interacting with a loved one, or watching a movie, or listening to some music. These are all different sense objects.
The wise person is not attached to any of them.
Not attached? So, suppose you bring a mango will the person say to throw away the mango. No.
So understand this ‘not attached’. Not attached means not dependent on.
If the mango is there, I enjoy it, if the mango is not there, then no problem.
That is समस्थिति: |
And the सुखम् that is gained, विन्दति,
आत्मनि यत् सुखम् |
So the wise person recognizes that सुखम्/आनन्द is one’s own nature.
We find it difficult to recognize it because for us, happiness is conditional.
I will be happy when __________. So, we have certain statements.
I will be happy when- I have peace of mind. I will be happy when- I clear the exam. I will be happy when- I get into a long term वेदान्त course. I will be happy when- my health is top class. I will be happy when- at least one person in this world understands me. I will be happy when- I have a child etc. etc.
We are the ones who place a condition on our आनन्द and then we complain- oh, but I’m so unhappy.
+Quick exercise+
Switch on your video. Switch to the gallery view. Look around at everyone and allow yourself to look at one person. And what we’re going to do is smile for a minute and just extend affection to that person, whoever that person is that you are smiling at.
After one minute…Okay, now how are we feeling?
– Lighter. Happy. Good. Smile is still there somewhat- That’s great. Exposed- yeah, we’re a little self conscious, that’s fine. Connected-Yes. Awkward- that’s fine.
Now. It’s so easy to feel happy. Maybe the problems of your life are still there. And you might have to get to whatever other tasks.
But just the simple act of smiling helps us to invoke that happy self that we always are actually.
Can you see how we convince ourselves that unless this condition is fulfilled, I cannot be happy; I am betraying myself if I am happy.
Now of course one person will argue- Smiling is not necessarily a sign of happiness, one can be fake about it.
Yeah, sure. I’m not denying that.
But this is something you can do. Just to invoke what is already there, you are not creating some happiness and all that. You have not gained anything. You have not lost anything. You just smile. Simple. All of us have been given this ability to smile.
And in that moment, you felt connected, compassionate, lighter, etc., etc. Happy. No great conditions were met. No conditions applied.
सुख- Yes, we have experienced that.
So, I am not dependent on the fulfilment of something.
Yes, of course I would like it to happen. But if it doesn’t happen, I can continue to be happy. I’m not faking it.
So my happiness is not in the hands of somebody else who has the remote control.
And this ब्रह्मयोगयुक्तात्मा,
युक्त: is the one who is together, the one who is a कर्म योगी |
How is that person’s आनन्द?
सुखम् अक्षयम् अश्नुते – the person gains सुख; what kind of सुख is that? अक्षयम्- there is no क्षय i.e. there is no change, no waxing-waning.
So that सुखम् is not born out of your contact with an external object. But it is your very nature सुखम्/आनन्द |
And sometimes when you enjoy the mango, you will be a little more delighted.
And then if there is a sad event, or maybe you are empathizing with someone, then maybe that आनन्द will not be fully manifest.
But आनन्द you are. Limitless. अनन्त |
So this is a good exercise to do to remind yourself that सुखम् is my nature- just smile, whether you want to smile at somebody else or not, for one minute from time to time during the day, just get in touch with what you really are which is सुख |
On the other hand-
* श्लोक २२ *
ये हि संस्पर्शजा भोगा दु:खयोनय एव ते ।
आद्यन्तवन्त: कौन्तेय न तेषु रमते बुध: ॥ २२॥
So there are different kinds of भोग i.e. different kinds of enjoyment/experiences that are born out of contact with sense objects.
And what are they?
दु:खयोनय: | They are the source of pain. Why is it painful? Enjoying the mango is not painful at all. No, it is. Why? Because it is आदि and अन्त, i.e. it has a beginning, it has an end. So before I’m going to bite into the mango, I am so looking forward to it. Then, let’s say it fell down on the dirty ground. Gone, अन्त, ended. Your सुख has ended. So that is the nature of every सुख which is born of contact with a sense object.
So here the teaching is not that do not enjoy sense objects. No. Because this is what people will take away.
The teaching is that one should understand that all सुख/happiness that is born of interaction with something, whether it’s music or fragrance or eating or interacting, all these experiences they have a beginning and they have an end. This is a truth.
And that’s why they cause us pain.
You went to Kedarnath, one of the Char Dhams, and then you got caught up in the crowds. Two years after pandemic, it seems as if the whole world has gone to Kedarnath. So it’s so crowded, maybe you were not able to have दर्शन्, or maybe you did. You had great dreams that when I go to Kedarnath, I will chant, I will do this, I will do that. Then let’s say the pilgrimage happened. Now it’s over. I was so happy in the mountains, the crisp mountain air, and the beautiful waters, and the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi flowing by as we walked, and we chanted, and we felt one with everyone. Now it’s over. Back to the heat of Bombay, or wherever.
So a great, spiritual, elevating experience came to an end.
दु:खयोनि, all experiences are like this.
You sit in समाधि | When you have the experience of समाधि you don’t know that it is समाधि, you get to know only later. But you have an experience of oneness, whether it is physical intimacy, or you are enjoying a mango, or you have gone on pilgrimage, or you are meditating. The nature of every experience is it will begin, it will end. Maybe in two minutes, in two hours, in 20 days, some end will happen and therefore it causes pain.
And so if I am dependent on that object, then you can see how conditional my happiness is. I set myself up to be unhappy.
And so to be independent, and still enjoy all that is there is absolutely wonderful. Because you are not conditioned by a particular kind of सुख |
One teaspoon of sugar in my coffee. That’s it. If that doesn’t happen, my whole day is spoilt.
So like that we have so many conditions.
One person is very anxious about going back to work. Why? Because working from home, I can control all the parameters. Now, when I go back to work, I cannot. So I feel in charge and happy because I can control the temperature, the kind of noise that is present, if I want to log out, log in, but now once I’m back at work, I don’t have so many controls, so not looking forward to going back to work at all. Virtually working from home is perfect.
The wise person, न तेषु रमते बुध: |
बुध:/बुध, we of course refer to a person, Siddhartha. So earlier He was Siddhartha, so Gautam Budha, but बुध the Sanskrit word means the wise person. So it’s not like there’s only one Budha in this world. Any wise person can be called the Budha. So this बुध, not बुद्ध | बुद्ध means old person in Hindi. And not बुद्धू which means foolish. This is बुध | So, not बुद also. There is महाप्राण where you exhale when you bring your tongue to between the upper part of your teeth~ ध not द |
The wise person/ बुध:, न तेषु रमते |
Sense objects are there, not there, etc. Okay, great.
Just like you got a glimpse of the fact that I can be happy as I just smile. I don’t need much to be happy.
Likewise, the wise person also recognizes this to be a fact.
* श्लोक २३ *
शक्नोतीहैव य: सोढुं प्राक्शरीरविमोक्षणात् ।
कामक्रोधोद्भवं वेगं स युक्त: स सुखी नर: ॥ २३॥
So this is also a reminder of some verses which speak of the relationship between काम and क्रोध |
Always remember whenever काम is mentioned in the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता, it is talking about binding-desires.
So, who is the कर्मयोगी?
य: – the one,
सोढुं शक्नोति- who is able to master,
What?
काम क्रोध उद्भवं वेगम् |
So वेगम् is the force/momentum that is born of anger.
And generally we experience anger when our काम is not fulfilled. So some desire we have, is not fulfilled, and therefore we are raging.
Then what happens as a result of that?
Then, we don’t know what happens actually. If the force/momentum is so strong, then somebody will become a victim of our anger. The tongue lashes left, right and center, you say all kinds of things. You may also do certain things.
In the recent Johnny Depp and Amber Heard trial, what वेगम् | Or even the recent gun killings.
So the force that is born out of anger. Why? Because you wanted certain things done your way. So you can’t really manage anger.
People write books on anger management.
And you will be more angry if somebody says to take a deep breath. Or if you’re angry and someone says- please have a glass of water, you will want to fling the water on that person’s face. Of course you will not do it, that’s another story. Or maybe the typical solutions- count one to ten, maybe you’ll get some space.
The point is anger really in that sense cannot be managed, but what can be managed? The intensity of your काम |
People don’t focus on that. They will just suppress the anger, but this is what they want no matter what. That’s काम- Binding desire, without this I am incomplete.
And so how do we experience this anger? So physiologically you’re sweating and your voice is raised although the person is two feet away. The person can hear you very clearly even if you whisper but no, you are shouting. And then there is restlessness, you cannot focus.
Suppose you are angry, currently in a fight. Or you are angry about something that happened, let’s say 20 years ago. What happens as a result of that?
You are not the master of your life. That’s the only thing that happens. Why? You cannot focus on what needs to be focused on. There are people around you that need you to respond to them, whether it’s at work or at home. But I am so obsessed with my anger and how did this happen, it should not have happened etcetera, etcetera. I cannot focus, I am restless, I am not available to others. Definitely I am not happy. Whether it is righteous anger or non-righteous anger.
Because a lot of us can have righteous anger- Look at the state of the world today. Nobody is doing anything, etcetera, etcetera. You don’t have to do much to be angry. Just switch on the news channel and watch for five minutes. There is enough and more to make you angry, because there is a lot of injustice in this world, as much as there is justice also. But of course we choose to focus on the injustice and get angry etc., etc.
I am not a master.
On the other hand, for the one who is able to master this वेगम्/force/momentum born of anger related to the intensity of the desire,
that person,
स युक्त: स सुखी नर: – that person is together and is सुखी |
So remember, that सुखम् is continuing from the previous verse.
And he doesn’t have to wait until the end of life,
प्राक्शरीर विमोक्षणात् – so before the body dies away, even before that release from the body,
the person is a कर्मयोगी, the person is a master.
So we recognize the extra effort that is required to counter काम |
How can we make a desire non-binding? कर्म योग |
Right now, this must happen in my life- I must be married, or I must have a partner.
Very binding. Then work towards it.
Offer your कर्म to ईश्वर and learn to accept the results.
And keep improvising, keep innovating. Work towards it.
So then the more you grow in your acceptance, it won’t bother you if it doesn’t work out.
Or you are open to different permutations and combinations of relationships. Earlier you were like- no I have to be married now. But now- Maybe we could do a live-in, or maybe we could do a long distance. But I’m happy to have someone in my life.
So, highlighting that कर्म योग makes you happy, कर्म योग makes you a master.
You are still struggling with a lot of situations. But because of your recognition of ईश्वर pervading the laws of कर्म, because of your growing acceptance of yourself, of others around you, you are a naturally happy person.
ॐ
So having unfolded the nature of the आत्मा, so many words were used.
Am I able to see myself as the meaning?
Yes, no, maybe a little bit?
There will be a ‘but’, there will be an ‘if’, what is that?
– So when we define ourselves as the आत्मा, e.g. by using the लक्षण-s in श्लोक ८, one may be able to see that I am separate from those things that are other than me. Because I can objectify it, because I’m aware of it, I can recognize that I am not it.
When this is thought of as a conscious thought, then it is easier to understand this, but the understanding does not always stay. Because I function as the individual in the world I would have to bring it back as a conscious thought.
– Somehow, the individual is opposed to the आत्मा it looks like?
– Maybe…We know the answer is “No”, but it seems like this experientially. Because one’s experience seems to be limited by this individual.
– Yes, when the individual is experiencing, somehow आत्मा is lost sight of, or it seems like there are two parallel realities- there’s the individual who’s experiencing whatever is there, and then there is the understanding of the आत्मा, like parallel tracks. So therefore, what shall we do?
– When I am trying to recognize myself as the आत्मा, I bring the conscious thought that I am That which pervades this body and everything else, all experiences that I have in this अवस्थ |
– What else? The commitment to वेदान्त, the pursuit is connected with the time and the quality and the nature of thoughts we have.
And so when we do a thought audit, what am I thinking about during the day?
Or even just before this class, maybe we had things to do. People who came for the meeting, it would have been a rushed day.
What am I thinking about? You know that chatter we speak about, that voice in our heads which is nonstop, commenting on anything and everything, trying to regulate, trying to help us, manage us, keep people away, draw people close, etc., etc.
If we try to do a thought audit, what are we really thinking about?
– Management~ managing people, situations.
– Excellent. And so the identity of कर्ता is very strong. कर्ता and experiencer/भोक्ता is very strong.
Why do I want to manage? If I don’t manage, others will manage; I don’t want that in some cases.
Or I want to manage all this so that life is good, it’s smooth, so on.
And we may use कर्म योग in the sense of ईश्वर अर्पण बुद्धि: and प्रसाद बुद्धि, as another way to manage our minds. Then at best, it becomes a mind management technique.
And it feels spiritual and all of that, but a lot of us can be stuck there.
It’s true that as a lifestyle, the goal of कर्म योग is मोक्ष |
But again, if one does a thought audit, or even for that matter inquires into life priorities, a lot of वेदान्त students cannot confidently say that जीवन्मुक्ति will be in this lifetime. In fact, one or two of you with great gratitude have said- Oh, I wish Swaminiji remains my गुरु in the next lifetime, and all that. In response Swaminji said- No, I’m not wishing that for you.
Why this thinking? That I cannot see this. That I cannot appreciate this vision in this lifetime. Why are we short-selling ourselves? Just look at all the excuses, the doubts, and how much we feed it.
And in this situation, sometimes Swaminiji wonders how would it be to just teach like how Ramana Maharishi would teach. No talk of any साधना, no मंत्र-s, no पूजा, nothing. Just whoever is asking the question, just go with that.
But then we understand, people need other things also. So it’s okay.
So, these excuses that we make, do we do that because we generally make excuses in life? Because the orientation one brings to वेदान्त is the orientation I have in other pursuits also- धर्म, अर्थ, काम pursuits.
It’s possible that I may cultivate some thinking/orientation, some way of looking at things, a perspective in वेदान्त, then of course this kind of cross pollination always happens, can happen, should happen also.
But the ‘but’ and ‘if’ we attach to me seeing the nature of myself, we have to work through it.
So, to talk about this कर्म and उपासना, then the next two-three मंत्र-s are there, and they are talking about the limitation of both कर्म and उपासना |
So one should understand that उपासना means meditation~ सगुण ब्रह्म मानस व्यापार |
सगुण ब्रह्म- ईश्वर;
मानस व्यापार- a mental action that is centered on ईश्वर/भगवान् |
We don’t have any secular meditation, in fact there is no secular meditation i.e. without ईश्वर |
One thing that is nice about Buddhism is the focus, apparently, on निर्वाण | And what can they do with the Budha? Because whom are they praying to in that sense? Whom are they getting inspired by? Who is their role model? What are they learning? From an enlightened one- बुध | That’s it.
So one local from Sri Lanka said- that earlier the मूर्ति-s of बुध in Sri Lanka, they were small i.e. humans size because in that sense, He was a human being. But then that’s not enough for the sense of awe and grandeur, and all that. So then in a lot of places, His height has been increased.
And so for Hindus, one more form, okay ~ Budha-ji 🙏.
But what you are praying to, or rather what you are trying to follow through the teachings of the Budha, the goal of Buddhism and however they put it- Mahayana and Hinayana, and all that, it is मोक्ष, it is निर्वाण |
वेद is also like this.
But now in कलियुग in the society, somehow मोक्ष does not get presented as the goal. There are a lot of other things- धर्म etc., all that is fine and very important.
The people in Sri Lanka say that- if we want something, we pray to the Hindu Gods, then Budha is for- may we have the right path, right action, and in time may we have निर्वाण |
So how is कर्म looked upon-
* मंत्र ९ *
अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति ये अविद्यामुपासते ।
ततो भूय इव ते तमो य उ विद्यायां रताः ॥ ९ ॥
So the ones who do उपासना of अविद्या |
We have previously seen that अविद्या does not mean ignorance in this context, here it is referring to कर्म |
So those who are doing उपासना, or rather they are devoted to कर्म, what happens to them?
अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति – they entered into; अन्धं/darkness should be enough, but तमः/तमस् is added emphasizing really blinding darkness.
But they did all wonderful exalted कर्म- यज्ञ, दानम्, तपस् they did. What the भगवद्-गीता says to do for अंतःकरणशुद्धि, they all did.
But still, the identity of कर्ता never went away. अहंकार, ममकार still continued ever so much, and became even more stronger.
Further,
ततो भूय: – then more/greater than that,
the ones who revel in-
विद्यायां रताः |
Here विद्या refers to उपासना | विद्या here is not सत्यम् ज्ञानम् अनन्तम्; not that ज्ञानम् |
उपासना- meditating on different देवता-s; different kinds of meditations are there.
But that also, the ones who just meditate and meditate and meditate, they will also enter into this blinding darkness.
So are we stuck now? What shall we do?
So the limitation of both कर्म and उपासना is being pointed out.
And then if that being the case, then we look at our lives in the light of this मंत्र | Then what do we have to say? In terms of the time, and effort, and energy, and commitment to कर्म | Because all कर्म is for the sake of पूर्णता |
Even if you say- Oh, I’m doing my duty.
– But you need not do, who cares?
– No, no. How can you say like that? You only talk about it in the context of धर्म |
– Yes. Don’t do. It’s okay.
– No, no, no. It’s important I will do.
– For what?
– I want to see myself as a धार्मिक person. Or minimum I want पुण्य | Or I do my duty so that my family gets the पुण्य | It’s okay if something happens to me, but nothing should happen to my family.
So all the benefits of कर्म, why are they being looked upon as darkness? Because they are limited.
So, पुण्य is limited.
Even the word कर्मफल- that फल is a fruit, it’s not going to last forever, even if you spray whatever pesticide on it, as is often done for artificial ripening. Or they say on the cardboard box, when transporting the fruit- fragile, perishable. Perishable~ so कर्मफल is not going to last forever.
So then when one is looking at one’s life, and you are seeing the kinds of situations that are unfolding, sometimes we may feel a lot of पाप is unfolding because we are suffering, we are struggling, and all that. Sometimes we say- Wow, whatever I ask for, or whatever I wish for, it’s all going well, I think this is a fantastic phase – lots of पुण्य unfolding. So this can go on for lifetime to lifetime- पुण्य & पाप unfolding, सुख-दु:ख experiences; limited in a limited lifetime.
Even if one goes to स्वर्ग-लोक, there also on your पुण्य largely, then when that is over, then back.
So पुण्य also has to be seen as something that one has to use well. A lot of people say- oh, we’re doing for पुण्य | Especially some of the religious people.
What do you want to do with the पुण्य? Watch more Netflix?
Because more पुण्य means what? More time. Perhaps more money. Perhaps more support in your life. Maybe your maid sticks with you, for those who have maids. So wow, what पुण्य~ we have such a good maid and cook and all that. So you have help, you have support. Then what?
So even the ones who are praying for पुण्य, what is that पुण्य for?
More पुण्य | Okay, I move to another place. Then same old lifestyle, maybe a little upgraded. More pleasure.
Or let’s say more vacations. That’s what a lot of people are aspiring for these days. So I can work from anywhere, I can have vacations. Okay, great. Fantastic. You got more पुण्य, then what? It’s still limited.
This is विवेक |
So really speaking this verse is talking about विवेक, that we see the limitation of कर्म, not get dejected, of course not. Not say- oh, that’s all.
But that desire for मोक्ष that is there in everyone’s heart, unspoken and unwept, that requires great objectivity to see.
So many people they have that पुण्य, e.g. they don’t have to earn for a living, or you make your money work for you by investing wisely etc.
And then what? No, I want to feel productive so I do some consultancy. Okay, great.
Still कर्ता- even if you do a lot of दानम्, even if you do a lot of तपस्, what is the identity? It’s कर्ता all the way. That’s why it’s being pointed out as अन्धं तमः |
Then even meditation. Now of course worldwide meditation has become very big. There are some good apps also, for basics they’re quite good. Millions are using it across the world. And if you get American CEOs to use something, then everyone latches on to it. Oh CEOs are also using these meditation apps, so I will also use.
Then what do you meditate on?
So let’s say I go the traditional route, I will do मंत्र साधना | So, what is the benefit of that? That whoever you are meditating on, you will get His/Her दर्शन् |
It’s likely you will get some सिद्धि-s also. सिद्धि-s are to be considered as blessing. Some powers you will get- maybe you can foresee what’s happening in the future, or you become सत्यवचनम्~ whatever you state will happen(सत्य-सङ्कल्प), Pujya Swamiji was like that. So, pretty exciting. A lot of people can get waylaid by these सिद्धि-s.
Patanjali, in His योग-सूत्र-s, He mentions very clearly referring to some सूत्र-s that talk about gain of सिद्धि/extraordinary powers, that still don’t get carried away by that, don’t get lost.
Because that need for significance is so strong, to be bigger, better, more. This need is very, very high in all of us. And so it is very easy to get carried away.
Imagine if Ramana Maharishi was here, and then there is another person who is there who will say- okay, I will do मंत्र सिद्धि course, how many people will go to Ramana Maharishi to just inquire into who am I? No, no, I want benefits..
So the कर्ता, seemingly spiritual, is still looking at enhancing one’s life and managing one’s mind through वेदान्त | And that’s why one can be stuck at that level only.
Because the human condition has still not been fully understood.
Because if we truly understand the helplessness of the human condition, then no way~ I just don’t want it.
It’s a bit like an alcoholic has to hit rock bottom. That the only way out is to surrender, I can’t do this.
But what happens with a lot of us is that we do not allow ourselves to sink to rock bottom, because we are scared. Not saying that you deliberately suffer, that you inflict suffering on yourself, so you feel more sad. No.
But the मुमुक्षु-s who are spoken of in some of the texts, their desire for मोक्ष is so strong, that it’s like your head is on fire.
So the only way out is you just have a dip. That’s it. There’s no other way.
So if we are managing our lives, managing our mind, then it’s like what Swami Brahmavidanandaji says- you’re using a samurai sword to cut tomatoes. Even a blunt knife is okay, but this is how we will use वेदान्त |
So कर्म योग- yes, yes; उपासना- yes, yes.
Even Madhusūdana Sarasvatī who wrote the ध्यान श्लोक-s for श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता, as well as wrote a commentary on the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता, He did this पुरश्चरण of the कृष्ण मंत्र 17 times, and only then He had साक्षात्-कार दर्शनम् |
And then so many other महात्मा-s have done पुरश्चरण i.e. repeating the मंत्र a few lakh times depending on the number of letters in the मंत्र |
Swami Akhandananda Saraswati also did many, many times.
And that is to be considered as साधना, to be done alongside the inquiry.
But a lot of people get into this मंत्र साधना, मंत्र विद्या, because maybe they are fine tuning their own perception.
For instance as a Jyotish, you are supposed to do. You cannot be a Jyotish if you are not chanting your मंत्र-s.
And for that matter, any discipline in India, being one with the मंत्र, being one with the देवता is what you discover in this मंत्र साधना / मंत्र विद्या |
But, if you consider this पुरश्चरण, and again depending on how long the मंत्र is, you will be spending anywhere from one hour to eight hours, over a period of time. Who has the time for all this? And because you also have to maintain certain conditions, who has the time for it?
So anyway, the route of उपासना is not an easy one. Because there are many do’s and don’ts.
The benefit also that one will get from उपासना is going to be limited.
Okay, fine let’s just say you got दर्शनम् | You felt blessed. Then what?
It’s like how we bring Ganapati home during Ganesh Chaturthi. And people get really stressed out before and after. Not so much after, but before.
So you are bringing भगवान् home. Then the weekend before it’s very interesting to hear the conversations in the market- I have not finished my shopping, and this and that. And then who will do नैवेद्यम्? What नैवेद्यम् to be done? So much stress. Then, if they have come to our house, we must also go to their house. How we are going to manage. So much stress. Then still, Oh everything has to happen properly. So if we have brought, then we must do properly. Everybody is on high alert at home. And all the others who are coming and going also. So भगवान् is at home and you are stressed. Look at that.
So then let’s just say in the way in which you visualize ध्यान श्लोक, भगवान् appears, or विश्वरूप दर्शनम् happens.
Then what?
If you don’t include your body-mind in that whole thing~ the form, then duality continues.
द्वैत continues. कर्म or उपासना |
And that duality, that द्वैतम् is really तमस् | Because it is just darkness, you are just groping in the dark.
For instance, there are a lot of people who pride themselves on being meditators, they call themselves also- we are meditators.
But meditation again is an action, it is a कर्म | Even if it is guided. We generally encourage guided because your will is not operating so much, so then one can reveal the प्रमाण and so on.
But उपासना also, given all the benefits, it is still limited.
And therefore, what is being highlighted in this verse is that if we look upon कर्म and उपासना as a means to an end, then it’s okay- then of course, कर्म योग |
उपासना we are including in कर्म | Some people do say उपासना-योग, but original भगवद्-गीता doesn’t talk about it. Pujya Swamiji also doesn’t talk about it. भगवान् आदि शङ्कराचार्य doesn’t use the word उपासना-योग |
उपासना is कर्म only ~ मानसम् कर्म | So both are included in कर्म योग |
But the limitation of both कर्म and उपासना are to be seen.
That is what this मंत्र is for.
But in seeing the limitations pointed out by the मंत्र, sometimes we will get वैराग्य towards कर्म and उपासना also.
Not that I was doing at least even half an hour of meditation. But then one says- ईशावास्य उपनिषद् said- so forget it, no कर्म and no उपासना for me.
So no, we don’t want to hide behind a wrong understanding of this मंत्र |
This clarity is important.
That whatever it is,
and that’s why asking again and again, whatever you are doing,
and then of course you don’t have to interrogate yourself. But what am I doing this for? Whatever you are doing.
Maybe you could just do it for a few hours, once or twice. Some of it is obvious for us, but some of it is not.
It will be like- Others expect me to do. If I don’t do this, what else am I supposed to do?
Because if there is anything that is not serving you, not serving others, it’s meaningless. It needs to go. No point. Timepass definitely needs to go out of the schedule.
Limitations of कर्म and उपासना |
This reference is also there in मुण्डक उपनिषद्-
अविद्यायामन्तरे वर्तमानाः स्वयं धीराः पण्डितं मन्यमानाः ~ १.२.८
In this context, it’s also interesting to see how these वाद्या-s or purohits, how they interact with संन्यासी-s.
First of all, they don’t care. They are superior. Why? Because they are doing वैदिक कर्म. And some of them may even expect the संन्यासी to touch his feet.
So because it’s वैदिक कर्म, the sense of superiority that is there, it is really a sign of darkness/blindness, because where will the person go? To स्वर्ग only.
So it still continues to be limited. We have already seen.
So therefore the people who don’t see the limitations of कर्म and उपासना are आत्महन:(मंत्र ३) i.e. slayers of the आत्मा – what is all this आत्मा-stuff? Who cares? As long as I’m having a good time, who cares? That’s it.
So continuing in that way, He points out in the next मंत्र that different results are produced by both कर्म and उपासना-
* मंत्र १० *
अन्यदेवाहुर्विद्यया अन्यदाहुरविद्यया ।
इति शुश्रुम धीराणां ये नस्तद्विचचक्षिरे ॥ १० ॥
अन्यत्- different i.e. different results.
एव आहु: धीराणाम् – these wise people
धीरा: is also used in the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता not meaning courageous one, but to refer to wise people. This is the beauty of the consistency across the शास्त्र |
So, what these धीरा-s say, and what have we done?
We have heard these wise people, who have taught us this- that both कर्म and उपासना have different results.
So, विद्या referring to उपासना, and अविद्या referring to कर्म – only in this मंत्र in this उपनिषद् |
So the results are different.
So this we have already seen. So, स्वर्ग is the result of कर्म |
Also understand this- we can do this यज्ञ, दान, तपस्, this पञ्चमहायज्ञा |
We do what we can~ यथाशक्ति, if at all.
We have to see both sides of the equation matched- what one has received and what one is giving, no way they’re going to match. No way. All of us have received far more than we can give, than we are giving. It’s a fact.
So wherever you have traveled, and you continue to be, just a regular life or let’s say 75-85 years, how much वायुदेवता has blessed you? How much? Every moment. And whatever we do, or not do in terms of preventing pollution, there’s just no comparison whatsoever.
Or, वरुण-देवता – if we count all the activities in a day that require water- for washing, brushing, bathing etc. The estimate is 135 litres per person. If you have a bucket-bath, how much is there in one bucket? So just do the calculation for 365 days into how many ever years you have lived, and also once versus twice bath, etc.
So then we say- oh, we will make an offering to वरुण-देवता, but why should I do पूजा? I don’t have the time. Five minutes, can I do five minutes. So, negotiation begins here only.
When you really look at it, we say~ oh my God, how ungrateful.
So we see that I am being blessed all the time, but what shall we say about the sense of entitlement? I deserve it. What one says- oh I have my पुण्य, so I get it.
Of course देवता-s are not complaining, because they are doing their job.
So, पञ्चमहायज्ञा also- we can be happy that I have an understanding, I do what I can. But what I do is not enough. It can never be enough. And so I need not try to fill up the sense of incompleteness and do more, more and more; I do what I can.
But recognize that even this कर्म, or if I do any वैदिक कर्म, e.g. अश्वमेध यज्ञ performed by leaders, like the kings of that time or whoever is in that position, so sovereignty over a kingdom, or like भगवान् राम so अश्वमेध यज्ञ, ruling for 10,000 years, it’s still limited.
So that’s why अन्धं तमः, these are the results that you will get.
So the result of कर्म is of course स्वर्ग |
And same thing with उपासना, this is what the धीरा-s have told us.
So then in our relationship with भगवान्, we use भगवान् for whatever we want- So, my family should be okay, my children should be okay. So, भगवान् is not the end, except for a जिज्ञासु |
First of all, we struggle with being agnostic and atheist for a long time. A lot of people have been through that phase, and actually it’s a good thing to go through that phase. Because at least you have taken a stand- okay, I don’t know what is there. Okay good, you took a stand.
Then by the time one starts to appreciate भगवान्/ईशा, then what? Oh, the great अंतःकरणशुद्धि: |
So I pray for अंतःकरणशुद्धि: | What is that, by the way?
So even that is spoken of in the context of निष्काम कर्म | Swaminiji doesn’t use that term too much. Pujya Swamiji did not use the term निष्काम कर्म, but there are some आचार्य-s who use that.
So निष्काम कर्म, which in other words really means अंतःकरणशुद्धि: that you are praying for that, you work towards that.
But am I okay only praying for अंतःकरणशुद्धि: ?
No, no way. I want धर्म, अर्थ, काम, all that I want. And yes अंतःकरणशुद्धि: I want.
One does not have to choose, but hypothetically when I just pray for अंतःकरणशुद्धि:, if indeed निष्काम कर्म you’re talking about, then that’s the only thing.
That’s what साधु-s pray for, nothing else.
So then, it’s not that if I don’t pray, my family is going to go to the dogs.
But, fear comes. I have been praying every day, for my family, for my loved ones and all, now अंतःकरणशुद्धि: okay, so I’m not going to pray. Then, let’s say somebody has an ankle fracture. See, I didn’t pray and this happened. Then you will blame yourself.
So then this अंतःकरणशुद्धि: that I am free from रागद्वेष-s, I want at my convenience, in my own way- my definition of अंतःकरणशुद्धि:, and fulfillment of रागद्वेष |
Yes. Look at it. It’s not an either, or.
But hypothetically, अंतःकरणशुद्धि: and fulfillment of रागद्वेष |
I can say oh no, no, I have कर्म योग बुद्धि: for fulfillment of रागद्वेष – ईश्वर अर्पण बुद्धि: and प्रसाद बुद्धि: | Okay, very good. Still, I wish it works out- ABCD events. I just wish, and then I’ll be fine. Okay, and of course we know all that is a moving goalpost.
So now, this is confusion for भगवान् | What shall we do? Shall we do अंतःकरणशुद्धि:? Because the राग-s don’t stop. It’s more and more and more.
So the राग is telling me that I am being defined by the fulfillment of the result, whatever that result is. That’s why it consumes me. This must happen, no matter what. It’s binding. But, I want अंतःकरणशुद्धि: |
So the the next मंत्र | So, you don’t have to feel dejected.
There is क्रममुक्ति possible. क्रम is like progressive. So, let’s say we are not ready for मोक्ष | Not ready in the sense that I don’t think मोक्ष is happening in this lifetime for me.
In other words, what you’re saying is that you don’t trust yourself, you don’t trust the गुरु, you don’t trust the tradition. Because really speaking once you make that commitment that this is what I want, the tradition takes care of you.
When we pray also, if every day we are able to invoke the grace of all ऋषि-s, all पितृ-s, all महात्मा-s, all गुरु-s, all संन्यासी-s, please be with me, please help me. They’re all here. Their grace can be invoked. All of them who are one with भगवान् or Pujya Swamiji, anyone who you relate to, you can invoke their grace.
But still, what shall we do, so much doubt?
संशयात्मा (४.४० श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता)- cannot enjoy all the things of this world, cannot enjoy the fruits of वेदान्त either.
Why? Because not fully there. That half-heartedness that we have for a lot of things; Not~ I can do this.
It’s actually, the more you surrender, they will take care. You will really see- Yes, that’s true. You see it to be true. But what shall we do about the कर्ता who thrives and revels in the willpower of getting things done?
The highest thing the will can do is to surrender itself. Not push and do this and do that for मोक्ष | Drop it. That’s the highest you-the कर्ता can do.
The भोक्ता is easy to surrender. Once you have engineered a certain experience, then surrender- okay. Wow, it’s beautiful. So we can appreciate what surrender is.
But कर्ता is very strong.
So the tradition takes care. Anyone who has come into the सम्प्रदाय | You are being backed by ऋषि-s, गुरु-s, महात्मा-s. You can pray to them, you can ask them for grace. And believe me once you start doing this, you will see how things change for you.
Why? Because you have opened yourself. You no longer think- I will do it. मोक्ष here I come. Because कर्ता orientation is there, right?
* मंत्र ११ *
विद्यां चाविद्यां च यस्तद्वेदोभयं सह ।
अविद्यया मृत्युं तीर्त्वा विद्ययामृतमश्नुते ॥ ११ ॥
So क्रममुक्ति is possible. How?
With विद्या |
विद्या here is like we saw ~ उपासना |
And विद्या च,
so च means ‘and’,
अविद्या i.e. कर्म |
So, with उभयं सह i.e. a combination of both, what can we do?
मृत्युं तीर्त्वा- you can overcome death.
And then what what else will happen?
विद्ययामृतमश्नुते |
So अमृतम् here is immortality you will gain, after some time. It’s not instantly available for you.
So there is a lot of debate over this ज्ञान-कर्म समुच्चय |
भगवान् आदि शङ्कराचार्य in the भाष्य is always countering this ज्ञान-कर्म समुच्चय |
And the interesting thing is that it is applicable even to this day, because we secretly still believe that if I do more meditation, if I do more मंत्र, something I do, something will happen.
What to do? So we have that secret thing- secretly we might explore, read, watch. So, that’s okay, that’s fine,
Something- because I’m struggling, like how it’s not happening.
So this समुच्चय, this combination, if one lives one’s life with that,
so we are factoring in time for meditation.
And more than meditation as an activity, the understanding of ईश्वर is more and more alive for us.
Because of course कर्म योग is not possible without ईश्वर |
So from the time that you wake up, of course a lot of us look at the phone. So, some emails would have come. The excuse is that I’m preparing myself for the day. So what is our सङ्कल्प for the day? Task management, that is our सङ्कल्प | सङ्कल्प is discussed in this week’s podcast- #177.
So the power of सङ्कल्प – that setting the right सङ्कल्प for the day, because you are involved in ज्ञान यज्ञ |
ज्ञान यज्ञ is there in the class. And no यज्ञ is possible without सङ्कल्प |
Why are you doing what you’re doing?
So whatever सिद्धि or शक्ति you want, everything has to be stated.
What is your सङ्कल्प for the day? Oh, I have to do this, I have to do that. Your सङ्कल्प becomes a to-do list.
And then I will say- yes, कर्म योग बुद्धि: | But my to-do list reigns supreme.
So this to-do list. But how I will approach the to-do list? What is my understanding of ईश्वर?
How do I look upon all the कर्म that I’m doing as an offering to ईश्वर?
Of course you can decide what सङ्कल्प you want to have.
As you wake up, the impatience gets to us- let me find out what has happened in the night. So maybe you have people across the world who would have messaged/emailed overnight; nothing is going to collapse in another five minutes, but the thinking is that I have to get to it, I have to get to it.
So how I want to live this day.
It may be possible I don’t exactly know what events are going to unfold, but can I say that I live with the understanding of ईश्वर |
So may I offer all my कर्म unto ईश्वर | May I see everything as प्रसाद |
So setting the right tone for the day.
Because also what’s amazing about our mind is that these words and thoughts, they are there as seeds.
And then given the right conditions, and given repetition of thoughts, neuroplasticity and all that happens, the brain will also expand, but also that you are reminded of what you have only sown. You have only sown the seed. It will flower very beautifully.
So the कौशलम् and समत्वम् become all effortless.
कौशलम् and समत्वम् only we struggle with.
Again that also becomes one to-do list, one task. How to have more कौशलम् and समत्वम् in this, that, the other.
So with that growing appreciation of ईश्वर, then where is the scope for you?
Who are you? Where are you? Not really there- this manifestation, form.
Or alternatively you say all that is here is me आत्मा |
But what shall we do अहंकार, ममकार is waiting.
Suppose we were having a dialogue with ईश्वर- what did you do for me? It would be a funny dialogue.
Suppose in our anger sometimes, we feel denied. Why isn’t this happening for me? Or, why you didn’t take care of XYZ in my family?
Then if ईश्वर starts to read one list, then what will happen?
So this कर्म and उपासना combination definitely gives us the शुद्धि: and नैश्चल्यम्/steadiness to be with the subject matter, to not be distracted easily, and to assimilate the vision.
We don’t know when, sometime.
So then maybe we go to स्वर्ग and come back and so on. Okay, that’s fine.
We will go to the different लोक-s and then then ब्रह्म-जी will teach at the end.
So it’s okay, you enjoy life, and we’re okay to wait.
Or you get it here, because what else will ब्रह्म-जी teach?
There’s nothing better than you being पूर्ण |
Because also the secret fear is there- is वेदान्त really the right thing? Like really is it the highest teaching of Hinduism? Maybe there might be something better? But what is better than पूर्ण ? Nothing.
So even when you look at Ramayana, Mahabharata, all of them they have such a value, you see भगवान् राम, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण, even all the different देवता-s etc. when they talk, of course value for धर्म comes out very strongly, but the need for गुरु & मोक्ष, it’s all there.
So, क्रममुक्ति is also possible. And one can in that sense,
मृत्युं तीर्त्वा- one can overcome death.
But here, this is not death of the body. This is more referring to रागद्वेष-s or any obstacles that stand in the way of seeing the truth.
So, all this आसुरी सम्पत्ति, we have seen in the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता |
So we will see more about this क्रममुक्ति,
then He will talk more about preparation, so कर्म योग and all of that in the next मंत्र-s
ॐ
So, we are approaching the end of Chapter Five- संन्यास-योग, the last few verses where भगवान् श्री कृष्ण is describing विदेहमुक्ति |
मुक्ति means freedom.
While the person is alive, the person is free, i.e. has the vision of freedom called जीवन्मुक्ति and,
विदेहमुक्ति- obviously when the body drops, then there is complete freedom in the sense that there is no medium.
* श्लोक २४ *
योऽन्त:सुखोऽन्तरारामस्तथान्तर्ज्योतिरेव य: ।
स योगी ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं ब्रह्मभूतोऽधिगच्छति ॥ २४॥
Describing the wise person,
य: – the one whose,
अन्त-सुख: – सुख/fulfillment is in oneself.
Then a greater degree,
अन्तराराम: – the one who revels in oneself.
Then even greater clarity,
अन्त-ज्योति: एव य: – Here ज्योति is not consciousness, but refers to the one whose mind illumines everything, the mind is awake to oneself.
So referring to the wise person, what about that person?
The wise person is also referred to as स: योगी |
This wise person, ब्रह्मनिर्वाणम् – gains निर्वाण | निर्वाण is a term that Buddhists use very often. In Pali and Prakrit they may say ‘nirbaana’, and that’s how they pronounce it.
So, ब्रह्मनिर्वाणम् – that one has recognized oneself to be ब्रह्मन्,
ब्रह्मभूत: अधिगच्छति – gains that freedom which is ब्रह्मन् |
So now this inquiry into सुख/happiness is a very important inquiry.
You know how the Superman Film has that dialogue- Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s Superman.
So when it comes to happiness- Is it an object? Is it a person? No, it’s you.
What we refer to as happiness/fullness is you- to be understood.
Let’s assume happiness, whatever we understand by happiness, is in an object. Okay, it could be a mango, it could be an ice-cream, it could be a book. Anything, any desired object. Then logically, because happiness is a quality of that object, it should be able to evoke happiness of you all the time. But experientially, it doesn’t happen that way. Right?
So that object, whatever that object is, makes you happy, maybe over a length of time, and then we find that you don’t even know where that object is, i.e. a toy you used in childhood.
Then, is happiness a quality of that object? The answer is no.
Then, maybe I’m not a very materialistic person, maybe happiness lies in relationships. So this person, whoever that person is~ my partner, my child, etc., happiness is a quality that belongs to that person. When I am in the presence of that person, I am happy. We have all experienced this.
We have also experienced that the people we love very deeply, also hurt us the most. And so if indeed happiness was a quality that belonged to the person, then that person should be able to make me happy at all times, in all places, in all situations.
But our experience suggests that doesn’t happen.
So now where do I look for this? The object earlier was an object of desire, or it could have been a person, then happiness does not lie in either the object or the person.
Where else? Because we’ve covered pretty much the external world.
Oh, it lies within.
Oh really- like happy lungs, happy kidney. Internal means what?
Or maybe Happy Hours. But for Happy Hour you still have to shell out money. It’s happy only for the one who runs the club. Not for you, because of course you get a discount, but you still have to shell out money, and it’s very likely that one will be sloshed because one enjoyed the Happy Hour.
Okay, let’s get a bit spiritual and say- no, no, there are certain very auspicious times during the day~ Abhijit Muhurta, Vijaya-Yoga, Ravi-Yoga, so maybe those are happy times. Not for everyone.
So then there is no time that is a happy time in and of itself.
But what we understand in our experience of happiness is that I, the one who wants to be happy, and what I relate with~ the person or the object, when both of these fuse, such that there is no separation experienced, then even if the world is falling apart, I am okay.
Some of you all would have seen the movie ‘Life is beautiful’. So the way in which the father engages with the child in a concentration camp and converts all obstacles into fun things. It’s a concentration camp- the worst place to be, yet both the father and the child can laugh, smile and still have happy moments.
So this fusion of the subject and the object- when you go out for a walk in nature, when you are spending time with a loved one, when you are doing something that you really enjoy, or there’s no particular reason, but you find yourself being सुखी/happy.
And that सुख, which is really a fusion of subject and object, is the vision of the wise person.
That all the objects I interact with, they are me, from the standpoint of the building blocks, the पञ्चमहाभूत – आकाश/space, वायु/air, अग्नि/fire, आप/water, पृथ्वी/earth. Everything I relate with, interact with is a permutation-combination of the पञ्चमहाभूत |
So, really वायु inside is प्राण i.e. your breath, and there is वायु outside.
पृथ्वी definitely, we have lots of- tissues, bones, blood, fat. पृथ्वी- vegetables, whatever you eat.
Then space in all the cells, in the stomach if you’re hungry at this time, space outside.
Water, the composition in the body, blood.
अग्नि that keeps the body warm. Whether you’re in a hot climate, then you’re sweating buckets, or you’re in a cold climate, then it’s working really hard to keep your body warm.
पञ्चमहाभूत ~ All the way.
So whatever object I’m interacting with, the person I’m interacting with, is me.
Subject-object divide does not exist in the vision.
Object- I will still not confuse an apple for a stone. I’m not going to eat the stone.
Because some people think- Oh, I’m going to treat everyone alike. No, no, no, please don’t do that.
You recognize the व्यावहारिक/functional difference, but you see that all that is here is you, is the आत्मा | Or we can say that all that is here is ईश्वर | Either way, depending on where you are at.
So for this wise person, अन्त-सुख:, that my आनन्द i.e. the fullness that I am, the vision that there is no subject-object divide, is not affected by my रागद्वेष |
If we really look at what interferes with our vision of fullness, or rather our experience of oneness, it is our रागद्वेष | E.g. I ordered for Belgian chocolate ice cream, but what came was butterscotch. I wanted to be one with Belgian chocolate ice cream. But I don’t like butterscotch. So, I’m going to call up customer care.
So you see how our आनन्द/fullness is at the mercy of रागद्वेष | Somebody says wonderful things. We are elevated. Somebody says one awful statement, in all the wonderful things that was said we just hold on to that- Oh, but you know what? She said that, He said that, How could you say that etcetera, etcetera. And you were spending such a wonderful time with this person. And that one statement overshadowed all the rest of the 20 wonderful statements that were made. This happens to all of us.
So for the wise person, the सुख is not tainted by रागद्वेष, because our रागद्वेष i.e. our binding desires- binding cravings and aversions, are a problem for us because they are binding. It has to happen in this way. That’s what is binding about it. If रागद्वेष-s have been reduced to preferences, then no problem.
And our personalities are very unique. We will all have preferences and that’s wonderful. It makes you who you are. It doesn’t pose a problem to you or to the other. So we don’t have to say- Oh, I’m going to be neutral. I will not have any likes any dislikes. No, that doesn’t make sense. Of course you will have. If you enjoy physics, very happy for you. If you enjoy computer science, very happy for you. Given your background, and whatever else, you found certain domains that are interesting, exciting for you. Fantastic.
But does it dictate your mood? That’s where our struggle is, and that’s what we have to grapple a bit with.
The vision of the wise person being that I am that सुख that I was seeking in the object, in the relationship and so on. And the object and the relationship helps to evoke the आनन्द that I am. So we are not saying that ब्रह्मानन्द is ultimate, and विषयानंद is poor.
The आनन्द of recognizing I am ब्रह्मन् is ultimate, and the आनन्द of an ice cream- Oh, how can you be so trivial about this? How can you be happy with these small, small things? No, that’s not what is being said.
The seemingly trivial thing is helping to evoke the आनन्द you are, and so we are grateful for it.
In the name of वैराग्य do not reject what are trivial things. You say- Oh, I’m so happy being with this person but this is not the आनन्द of ब्रह्मन् | This is not right. It is great that I have this आनन्द being with this person. I enjoy it. And it’s giving me a glimpse of the आनन्द that I am.
The आनन्द of having that Belgian chocolate ice cream is also giving me a glimpse of the आनन्द that I am.
And so you can enjoy the world; it is ईश्वर विभूति | It is the blessing of ईश्वर all the way, there is nothing to reject.
Any form including रागद्वेष is a part of ईश्वर’s order.
Then अन्त:-ज्योति: |
In केनोपनिषद्, there is a very beautiful मंत्र, which says- प्रतिबोध विदितं मतम् (मंत्र २.४).
प्रतिबोध- बोध means a cognition, a thought. So, in each and every thought, there is चैतन्यम्/consciousness.
So here we understand that-
For example, when one is asked~ what do you see? A lot of people miss the light. One would say- l see you, your hand, the flowers etc.
But that which is very obvious, that which is the basis, that which always is, while all the forms come and go, is missed.
So that consciousness that is you, which illumines different kinds of thoughts is really this अन्त:-ज्योति: |
So describing the wise person, the one who is awake to oneself, the one who sees that I am in and through every thought.
And so there is no reason to reject any thought, however unpleasant, even if you feel murderous. Or you have a great thought of giving and being generous, and whatever else. We tend to be very, very judgmental, on the basis of our thoughts. And here it’s worth reminding ourselves that what is it that as though powers every thought, what is there which is in and through each and every thought? It is consciousness, that by which the thought is illumined.
And does that consciousness come from borrowing it from some somewhere? No, it’s you.
So I am that awareness. I am that consciousness, that illumines everything.
So like the sun, the sun is not partial. The sun does not say- I am not going to illumine this sewage where all these irresponsible industrial companies are dumping their effluents. No, the sun doesn’t say that. Or- oh, I want to illumine this beautiful garden that has been nurtured with all this organic fertilizer.
I illumine. Whatever is in the way, whatever is an object of illumination, everything gets illumined.
So I-pure being, illumine all thoughts.
Is there a thought that doesn’t have me? No. This is a vision of the wise person.
So for this person, स: योगी,
ब्रह्मनिर्वाणम् – the word ब्रह्म is added, because when we use the word निर्वाण, then there might be a tendency to think that it’s all absent, it’s void. When we talk about negation- oh, it’s not this, not this, so that means it’s nothing? No.
ब्रह्मन् which is all consciousness, all inclusive.
So ब्रह्मनिर्वाणम् अधिगच्छति – gains That.
* श्लोक २५ *
लभन्ते ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृषय: क्षीणकल्मषा: ।
छिन्नद्वैधा यतात्मान: सर्वभूतहिते रता: ॥ २५॥
So another description of the wise person.
These people/ऋषि-s gain.
ऋषय: is the plural of ऋषि-s.
ऋषि जानाति इति ऋषि- the one who knows, the one who sees the मंत्र, the one knows the truth.
So the ऋषय:,
लभन्ते – gain,
ब्रह्मनिर्वाणम् |
So ब्रह्मनिर्वाणम् is spoken of in verse 24, 25 and 26 .
Now, what do the ऋषि-s gain? They gain this liberation, they gain this freedom.
How come they manage that?
All the कल्मषा: i.e. all these different impurities, largely रागद्वेष, they have worked on it.
So it’s क्षीण- gone/destroyed.
And everyone has to work with their रागद्वेष-s. You cannot live a life without having रागद्वेष |
If you lived even 10 years of your life, you will have रागद्वेष~ I hate tomatoes. I love carrots. That’s where it begins. You will not have meals which don’t have your favorite vegetables. Then it will graduate to friends~ this is my best friend; or we are in opposing camps. And the different kinds of things that we use, we develop very strong relationships.
Naturally, if you like something very very much, you also happen to dislike the opposite. It just goes with the territory. Some people will say~ oh, I don’t have any द्वेष, I only have राग | Well be sure that you have the द्वेष of the opposite.
E.g. I like people who are authentic, somebody who is very genuine, honest.
How about people who are hypocritical? I try to avoid them.
So you may not have articulated, because you’re not the hating variety at all. Who is actually? No, we’re not. But you will invariably dislike, and sometimes with a very intense degree the opposite of what you love. It just goes with the territory.
So these ऋषय:, they also had रागद्वेष-s, and they struggled with it, and they managed to destroy it. They managed to reduce it to preferences.
And the different doubts that they had,द्वैधा – Am I a part of ईश्वर? Is आत्मा really eternal? Maybe something better than वेदान्त will come along? Would I have wasted my time in this pursuit? Every weekend I was not available for certain other outings etc., etc.
So these doubts are there. They’re there for everyone.
And what is done about it is that you don’t live with the doubt.
छिन्न द्वैधा- You resolve doubts.
Now, when we have doubts, we find that it can really sap us of our energy.
And sometimes, either because of trauma or because of critical parenting, one may become संशयात्मा (४.४०).
So, this pattern of doubting oneself may come up.
So, doubts are natural. But sometimes, we may feed a lot of doubts. So they become very very big and overwhelming. Or other people may have put some doubts in our head, and then that becomes huge. Whatever it is, you have resolved it.
And who are यतात्मान: ~ who have self mastery in the way in which they use the body and mind for the different pursuits.
And who are सर्व-भूत हिते रता: – who revel in the हित i.e. the goodness, the well being of all beings; they’re not partial.
The cheapest way i.e. the most inexpensive way to be happy is to enjoy the happiness of others.
Like when you see people who are happy, when you see people are being well looked after, you can enjoy that. But generally, when you see others happy, especially on social media where everything is a paradise- research studies show that it leads people to be depressed if they spend a certain amount of time on social media~ Oh, this one went for that kind of vacation. This one is having all the fun. And maybe the person is not showing off. Maybe the person is just sharing something. But why can’t I have that? I wish I had that etc.
So this सर्व-भूत हिते रता: – that I can genuinely be happy and wish well for everyone, which is really our prayer at the end of the class.
The prayer, सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः is helping me to pray for the well being of all. And all doesn’t only mean human beings. For all creatures- big and small, देवता-s also included. Everyone is included in this सर्व |
Insecurity drives a lot of our actions. Fullness can also drive a lot of our actions.
You are so full that you don’t need anything in particular to fulfill your agenda. You can do a lot out of the fullness of your heart. No conditions attached, no questions asked.
That’s how a lot of wise people have lived.
That’s how ऋषि-s have passed on knowledge. They’ve not copyrighted any मंत्र | A lot of the compositions, a lot of the texts don’t even have the name of the author.
Now, you come up with one quotable quote, and you will ensure that we must credit the author correctly, as there are plagiarism laws.
But here unsung. No validation, no approval, no acceptance sought. I pass it on, that’s it. Look at the expansiveness of heart.
* श्लोक २६ *
कामक्रोधवियुक्तानां यतीनां यतचेतसाम् ।
अभितो ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं वर्तते विदितात्मनाम् ॥ २६॥
The word यती refers to संन्यासी, not the animal ‘yeti’ found in Nepal.
So for these यती-s, what is an important feature about them is that they are free from काम and क्रोध i.e. free from binding desire and anger.
यतचेतसाम् –
The चेतस्/mind is well mastered.
So for them, विदितात्मनाम् – they know the vision, they know the self, and for them there is ब्रह्मनिर्वाणम् |
अभित: – both here and in the hereafter, in the sense there is no rebirth.
So, this chapter at several places is mentioning freedom from binding desire and anger. You will see this as a theme across the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता | And one would think well you mentioned it once भगवान् श्री कृष्ण, why are you repeating it again and again?
Because it requires repetition. Because it has such an influence in my life.
We like to think that we are free, but we are slaves to our binding desires. This must happen, I must have this, or I shouldn’t have it.
And naturally anger is not very far away. Whenever desires are not fulfilled, you don’t know from where this reaction came, but it’s there.
A lot of our reaction- either anger, or helplessness, or sadness, anxiety, भय/fear is linked to रागद्वेष |
And some of it, maybe most of it may be related to this lifetime. Some of it are संस्कार-s from previous lifetimes.
If you’re not able to explain the intensity of certain reactions and you have done some digging into your subconscious mind also, it is possible. This happens very often to meditators. People who have been meditating for a long period of time, they will get some memory and then they will wonder whether it’s from this lifetime or a previous lifetime, because there’s no chance that it happened in this lifetime. So it can happen. But one should not be afraid of meditation. It can stir up some things, but like all forms it will have its dance, and it will go away.
That much one will learn when one is engaging constructively with the mind.
So they(यती) have worked on their desire, they worked on their anger. How? कर्म योग बुद्धि: |
On the one hand of course, an inquiry into the intensity of desire one has.
Some desires are important for us to fulfill before we can really be free of them. Some desires you can wish away, by mere inquiry. But in the fulfillment of the desire, please bring कर्म योग बुद्धि: |
Recognize that the राग you have is also sustained by the psychological order that is ईश्वर, it’s not your fault.
You may have built it up. You have your unique contribution of course, but don’t take it out on yourself.
And so with the राग, align it with धर्म, offer your कर्म to ईश्वर, and learn to accept results.
And the starting point is that I accept that I cannot accept. Then, I am willing to accept. Maybe I can do the ‘a’ of accept. So, little by little.
But this only happens when we see the impact of resistance on your body, on your mind. You’re fighting, you’re fighting. Fighting yourself, fighting the world. Who’s on your side? No one.
So in the name of self improvement we have caused enough damage to ourselves. Not required.
+Quick exercise+
Paper and pen/pencil are needed. Draw a wall in the middle of the paper. The wall is a fortress-type wall, with a semi-circular hollow, so that there is a space inside the wall, and then there is space outside the wall. Make this wall covering the entire page, all across the page, so that there is no space to go on the left or the right.
Now, draw yourself~ like a stick figure, on the inside of the wall. The wall stands for your protection, your armor, whatever that armor is.
Now, bring to mind three to five hurtful statements that have been made about you which you have internalized; you believe it to be true. And those statements, you put on the outside of the wall.
And whatever these sentences are, we don’t need to know. It is as far as possible away from the drawing of you. You can make it very small font also. It is outside of you. Even if you have carried it for a very long time, for months, for years.
So, with a deliberate conscious intention, I refuse to carry this without the other person paying the rent for me carrying this in my head.
I keep external what is external.
Somebody said something. That somebody is external to me. Of course the person was very close once upon a time. It is information. Maybe it was true. Maybe it’s not. Maybe the intensity of it was highly exaggerated. Maybe not. We don’t know. We keep it outside.
I refuse to allow myself to internalize something that puts me down.
* श्लोक २७ *
स्पर्शान्कृत्वा बहिर्बाह्यांश्चक्षुश्चैवान्तरे भ्रुवो: ।
प्राणापानौ समौ कृत्वा नासाभ्यन्तरचारिणौ ॥ २७॥
* श्लोक २८ *
यतेन्द्रियमनोबुद्धिर्मुनिर्मोक्षपरायण: ।
विगतेच्छाभयक्रोधो य: सदा मुक्त एव स: ॥ २८ ॥
In verses 27 and 28, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण is introducing us to meditation. And He starts off by saying something which is so obvious, it doesn’t even need any stating.
बाह्यान् – what is external to you,
बहि: कृत्वा – keep it external.
स्पर्शान् – objects.
So, when He says external objects, people are also included. Because that person is an object of awareness for you.
So if I’m getting ready to meditate, then an important discipline is learning to keep the external, external. But this is all a big mishmash. Internal, external, everything is a big mix-up.
The act of leaving our footwear outside the meditation hall, or outside a lot of Indian homes, maybe other Eastern homes perhaps, is a very nice act. It’s got to do with dirt impurities, and all of that.
But suppose you’re going to a party and maybe you wear different shoes~ party shoes, or stilettos, or whatever. You’re getting into the role. Or whatever is your power dressing, you wear certain footwear. You get into the role.
Then once you leave the footwear, you’re not playing that role.
It’s a simple ritual we do.
In the meditation hall when you walk in, all roles are left behind. It’s not that you have said goodbye to everyone. No. For now, for 10 minutes, 15 minutes, or whatever be the length of time, I am not a mother, I am not a parent, I am not a professional, I’m not the son, or the daughter, or whatever.
I am a simple person.
Scary, for some. Why? Because a lot of our strength, we believe comes from the identity that’s fulfilling for us. It makes us feel like we are making a big difference in this world.
What does it mean to be a simple person? No, no, I don’t want to be. Well, that’s really what we need. It’s the person who is in and through all the roles, who drops the roles, or picks up the roles. Simple person, conscious being.
So by this exercise that we just did, we are deliberately keeping what is external, external. It’s difficult to discern when people who’ve been very close to us have said certain hurtful things and you just swallowed everything the person said, because of your love, affection, respect for the other person.
But objectivity lies in recognizing that maybe some of it is not true. Some of it was over exaggerated. So one is objective. Maybe it’s possible, maybe I was a jerk, maybe. But that doesn’t mean that that applies throughout my entire life. Or maybe I was irresponsible. And that person said, and that really hurt. Maybe about that incident, but not about me, which describes me.
And so these people, they sit in our heads and travel wherever we go, without even a visa, without a passport. Free travel across all borders. So it’s nice to carry the ones we are fond of, always there in our hearts and our minds.
But certain unresolved issues with certain people we carry it, we torture ourselves.
It was bad enough that that person said it once, twice, thrice, but we ensure we are repeating it every day for 10 years and more. Because we need closure.
So please do whatever process you need. If you want you can talk with Swaminiji to initiate the process.
So learning to do this itself, allows you to focus on who you are.
And that’s what He says-
that you keep the eyes~ चक्षु:,
अन्तरे भ्रुवो:~ between your eyebrows.
So you close your eyes.
Why do we close our eyes in meditation? We can have open eye meditation also.
Initially it’s important to close your eyes because deliberately you are stopping associative thinking.
Like right now if you just look around in your room, you look at just one thing, it will set a series of thoughts- Yeah, actually I’m not very happy with the position of this object. I think I should change it a little bit. Maybe that also needs changing. Maybe I should just refurbish this whole setup. Or actually- Oh, I forgot to water the plants.
So, initially in meditation if you keep your eyes open and you try to meditate, you will have this jumping- what people refer to as monkey mind; Swaminiji doesn’t use that term too often.
But you jump jump jump from one thought to another to another to another. And so deliberately we close our eyes, so no visual stimuli.
And then what do we do?
This प्राण and अपान | So the inhalation and the exhalation,
समौ कृत्वा – So if you are inhaling to a count of four, you also exhale to a count of four.
नासाभ्यन्तरचारिणौ – you’re allowing this rhythmic breathing to go on.
One should recognize that the five प्राण-s are a part of सूक्ष्मशरीर |
सूक्ष्मशरीर/ subtle body has 17 factors- 5 प्राण-s, 5 कर्मेन्द्रिय-s/organs of action, 5 ज्ञानेन्द्रिय-s/organs of knowledge, the अहंकार/बुद्धि: and मन:|
So a very effective way of quietening the mind is with the help of प्राण | You may try to work yourself into a sense of peace and quiet. But it is a lot more easier, if you just do this- what is also referred to Anulom-Vilom.
You may still need to deal with some things and that also will happen through some psychological processing, but this is a very good method.
Why? Because it’s tapping into the सूक्ष्मशरीर | It’s stabilizing the प्राण, so then all the other aspects, particularly अहंकार/बुद्धि: is also quietening down.
So the one who has at the seat of meditation, learnt to keep external things external, and done these kinds of practices, so basically a person who can be contemplative,
यतेन्द्रियमनोबुद्धि: – who has mastered the organs of action,
For what? Why so much mastery required? So that you can use the body and mind for whatever are your pursuits.
मोक्षपरायण: – for whom मोक्ष is the ultimate end, the ultimate commitment.
Because productivity for productivity sake just falls apart- you just burn out in the name of productivity & efficiency. And so what? So what if you are productive? So what if you are efficient? So what about it? If you’re still feeling limited, if you still feel like something’s not right. Then what’s the point?
So, all the efficiency, the mastery is all so that we are able to see the truth of who we are. Nothing less will satisfy us anyway.
So सदा मुक्त: एव स: – this person is always liberated. Always liberated means was always liberated, and then of course knows the truth.
So from whom, इच्छा भय क्रोध,
विगत – has gone away, it has sped away.
Relative mastery of fear and anger is very important. So if you’re trying to master anger you need to be able to express your emotions first. A lot of us don’t even express. This is something Swaminiji will likely do a workshop on because it needs a lot of elaboration, maybe some exercises and all of that.
In the past Swaminiji has done the Bhaava series ( 4 lectures available on YouTube ~ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5vNI4hvD69p-VPfHM8Jn6AXjye-5csXp).
Swaminiji suggests that we go through these lectures.
There are many aspects of emotional mastery. One of which is self-expression.
E.g. We are so afraid of our anger that we don’t express it, but it’s important to express it. Don’t victimize the other person, but you can express it. You can express it to yourself if it’s inappropriate to express it to the other. So the mastery involves- that I will express my anger, but I will not victimize the other.
Those who know Swami Chinmayanandaji, or who have heard of him, people will get scared of him. Why? Because he would have these anger outbursts. Some people would wonder- how it’s possible, such a wise person given to such anger outbursts. And in the next second after the anger outburst, he could be very warm, very loving.
So sometimes anger has a function to play.
So we are not aiming for absence of anger. We are aiming for mastery of anger. That anger doesn’t have me, I can choose to be angry.
When you see some of the abuse of freewill in terms of injustice and suffering, if you’re not angry one would worry, because you’re not allowing yourself to even feel emotion.
Human body, human medium~ emotion is natural. And emotions are our greatest glory actually, we have to see it that way.
So for this wise person, सदा मुक्त: – this person is ever-free.
Then the last verse, which is referring to ऐक्यम्/oneness, speaking about ईश्वर-
* श्लोक २९ *
भोक्तारं यज्ञतपसां सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम् ।
सुहृदं सर्वभूतानां ज्ञात्वा मां शान्तिमृच्छति ॥ २९॥
ॐ तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु
ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादे
संन्यासयोगो नाम पञ्चमोऽध्यायः ॥ ५ ॥
After speaking about ध्यानम्, भगवान् doesn’t say ध्यात्व~ meditating on the truth. No.
भगवान् says-
मां ज्ञात्वा ~ Knowing Me,
शान्तिमृच्छति ~ you will gain,
You will gain what? शान्ति |
This is not शान्ति as in a thought of peace. This is despite conflict, or whatever there is, That I am that शान्ति: i.e. the nature of the आत्मा |
मां ज्ञात्वा ~ Knowing Me.
So how to know भगवान् ?
He is saying as भोक्तारम् |
भोक्त we generally translate as experiencer.
Here, it is referring to the one that sustains. The one that sustains all the laws, all the principles, all the processes, especially all कर्म – so यज्ञ & तपस्, both referring to कर्म |
So यज्ञ referring to any kind of ritual. This we have already seen in Chapter Four- how different kinds of कर्म can be transformed into a यज्ञ ~ from eating, drinking, breathing, and so on. So the one who sustains all this कर्म, and तपस्, all kinds of disciplines,
who is सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम् – the Lord of all.
So, महा-ईश्वरम् – the one who is so big, that big loses its meaning.
Okay, so बृहत् धातु ~ big, ब्रह्मन्, like that.
So that ब्रह्मन् or ईश्वर who sustains everything,
knowing me as that ईश्वर who wishes well for you.
सुहृद्-
सुहृद् is a very nice word. Little of a tongue twister in terms of pronouncing, it doesn’t have a vowel.
सुहृद् means one who wishes you well, even without you reciprocating the person’s actions.
Like the one who will do a lot for you, whether you acknowledge it, appreciate it and even downright ignore, insult, humiliate ~ भगवान् |
भगवान् still continues to give, continues to preside over the laws of कर्म and all the flow of blessings that are there in our lives.
So if you know of anyone who is more rich, more good-looking, more intelligent, has more money and so on, you don’t want to really spend too much time knowing that person because it makes you feel less.
But here, the one who sustains me, the one who is the Lord of all beings.
Knowing me~ भगवान् कृष्ण is talking as भगवान् obviously.
The person gains that peace or recognizes the आत्मा as that शान्ति which accommodates all forms.
So it’s an equivalent of what is in तैत्तिरीय-उपनिषद् – ब्रह्मविदाप्नोति परम् (२.१.१) – the one who knows ब्रह्मन्, gains ब्रह्मन्; so those kinds of मंत्र-s.
So the one who knows भगवान् as this, because you don’t know भगवान् as someone external to you.
It may start off that way. But you see that you don’t know where you begin and where you end.
Anything you claim to be yours, it is ईश्वर |
No, no, my body ~ it’s all पञ्चमहाभूत ईश्वर |
No, no my mind, you don’t know how complicated my mind is. That’s also pervaded by ईश्वर |
All my achievements ~ pervaded by ईश्वर |
All my complexities ~ pervaded by ईश्वर |
All my unpleasant thoughts ~ that also pervaded by ईश्वर |
All my experiences- good, bad, ugly ~ pervaded by ईश्वर |
All the experiences that are yet to come ~ that also pervaded by ईश्वर |
Then, where are you? Where do you begin? Where do you end? All the way ईश्वर |
So recognizing this to be so; Knowing Me.
Then, how every chapter ends-
ॐ is the only reality. ॐ तत् सत् |
So, That which is the basis of all forms, in and through all forms, and even if the forms collapse, That which always is.
So, इति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु – so in this श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, which is not an ordinary text, it has the depth of wisdom of the उपनिषद्-s, which is the end section of the वेद, also referred to as वेदान्त |
And what is there in this श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता is a dialogue between भगवान् श्री कृष्ण and Arjuna ~ संवादे |
Are they talking about the weather and the climate, and political change? No.
ब्रह्मविद्या – they are talking about the reality that is ब्रह्मन्, and also the discipline that is referring to mastery.
So this chapter, the theme of which was संन्यास-योग, kind of a summary of Chapter 2nd, 3rd and 4th,
नाम पञ्चमोऽध्यायः – 5th chapter.
ॐ
GUIDED MEDITATION
1. हिरण्यगर्भ उपासन
हिरण्यगर्भ literally translates as golden egg. हिरण्यगर्भ refers to the first born, or rather the intelligence that is भगवान्, also referred to as the cosmic mind.
The intelligence/software gives rise to the hardware.
Look upon all intelligence and center it on one’s इष्टदेवता |
2. प्रकृति उपासन
Meditation on प्रकृति, the material cause, and therefore the माया शक्ति |
After each meditation, write down your observations~ whatever you observed & felt, whatever happened.
In the second meditation (शक्ति meditation), if we’re doing something related to श्रीविद्या उपासन, then there is a visualization of certain चक्र-s which are actually not to be looked at how the books describe with different colors, that’s not the right thing at all. Because for different people, it will be different. So your mind travels to certain regions of your body, essentially where the seven चक्र-s are, and you will be offering lots of मंत्र-s, offering flowers etc. So you will visualize, you will meditate on the मंत्र in that place. And at every चक्र, you are making an offering. So there are lots of prayers involved. Basically it is मंत्र-s and it is visualization, and of course it is साधन, so that the Kundalini energy will rise.
Why should she rise? So that we are fully functioning. It’s likely that because of our lifestyle and living, a lot of emotional blocks would have crept up, and therefore to clear blocks and to become even more powerful as a human being, these उपासन-s may be done.
Now the only possible obstacle is that with श्रीविद्या उपासन you have to spend anywhere from two to four to six hours a day. And who has that kind of time? Of course the dedicated people can still do it.
But then, what are you doing it for? This must always be a question that you ask.
During the two meditation practices today, Swaminji left the सङ्कल्प open, because Swaminiji wanted to see what comes up for us.
And what we are going to be seeing in the next set of verses is that anything that you ask for, or you wish for, which is other than अंतःकरणशुद्धि is in the realm of संसार |
And this is no reason for us to feel guilty.
So it means that I need more grace.
Because if this becomes so important, then I do more about it. Or rather I drop a lot of the doing in the context of अंतःकरणशुद्धि |
So I say~ please fulfill my राग and also I want अंतःकरणशुद्धि |
So these can be in opposition~ please take care of XYZ, these are very important things in my life, and yes अंतःकरणशुद्धि also.
So I want राग AND I want freedom from राग also. So you are confusing भगवान् |
So that’s just something to play with.
So with the different मंत्र-s, meditations, visualizations- these are all very, very powerful meditations.
And of course you will feel a sense of connectedness and feel blessed and all of that.
And when we choose to do more of it, go deeper into it, you can go deeper into समाधि, so that you don’t even have a sense of the body as such. All that can happen. You can see colors, you can see lights. You can have विश्वरूप दर्शन | Everything you can have.
Then the question is- are you and भगवान् different? Moot question. Because then it will be~ Oh, in the meditation experience I felt one. Then outside, what about outside? Outside~ back to the same old. Then nothing has changed. So, we have to discover the meditator.
Who is the one that is in and through all the meditations?
But still, we cannot dismiss उपासन | It has a purpose. The question is, is it your purpose? If it is, you please continue doing it. In fact everybody must do some उपासन | It is good, it is helpful.
But the same उपासन can be used for धर्म, अर्थ, काम, securing a place in स्वर्ग | And the same उपासन can also be used for अंतःकरणशुद्धि |
So then do I have the courage to only ask for अंतःकरणशुद्धि ?
So something to think about.
Until अंतःकरणशुद्धि, one will say~ please take care of my family and whatever else is important to me. I do that, and that’s okay. May I help them, may I do my duty, all that is okay.
So what we will refer to as सकाम उपासन | That it is based on a desire and I’m using wonderful कर्म to be able to enhance all the other actions that I am doing. That’s fine.
And then when one does that, then suppose you are doing that meditation for three-four days, and then something comes up and you’re not able to do it. Then you will say~ Oh no, what if something goes wrong with my family? I was not able to do that उपासन today. So संसार perpetuates.
So one should be aware of all these things that happen. Because then उपासन is only assuaging my fear. I have only found one more technique to deal with my fears.
So you can seek grace~ pray to Lord Hanuman and seek His grace to deal with the fear. And it’s a very targeted सङ्कल्प to Him- I need this help, You please help. And of course He is always there.
Then what? Now we dealt with fear, then what? No, but again what if something happens? Oh so one more fear. Okay, Lord Hanuman again is at your service in that sense if you’re a true भक्त | But no, what if this happens etc.?
Then you’re not ready. You only want to manage fear. That has become the purpose of your life.
So, a little more विवेक is required.
ॐ
So the sixth chapter is called ध्यान-योग: | योग: is the topic of this chapter, which has a little more than 40 verses.
And one would think that it will be all about meditation. So, we will see how much of it is about meditation.
The way we approach meditation in the वैदिक् tradition is that it is another activity to be done.
The technical definition or specialized definition in वेदान्त for meditation is सगुण ब्रह्म मानस व्यापार | सगुण ब्रह्म is ईश्वर | मानस व्यापार is this mental action done by human beings related to सगुण ब्रह्मन् or ईश्वर | If this is the definition then it also means that there cannot be meditation without ईश्वर |
So what goes in the name of meditation these days where भगवान् has been thrown out of the picture, at least in the वैदिक् tradition we do not recognize it as meditation. It’s another activity that we use to calm our mind, relax our mind, etc., etc., or what is referred to as secular meditation. But in the tradition we don’t see it as meditation.
And the tragedy of our lifestyles is that even relaxation we call as meditation. This means that the bar has come down so low that we don’t know how to relax.
So, the preliminary steps in many meditations is to take your attention to different parts of the body, breathe in deeply, relax, ease any tension, observe if there is any contraction in any part of the body, and consciously relax it. But, a lot of people may mistake this to be meditation. It’s not.
So, relaxation or being able to relax is something that needs to come naturally to us. Even relaxation becomes a big project~ How to relax…I don’t know. Do you have an SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) on how to relax?
It’s tragic, but this is what has become of us.
Sometimes we think that relaxation is just slouching on the couch. Like passing out. Either you drink so much, or you just collapsed on the couch. Right?
Or it’s like when we used to go dancing once upon a time, so you cannot relax until you have a drink in the hand. Then everybody is waiting. Who is going to go to the dance floor? And everybody is trying to appear very cool with a drink in the hand, and looking around. And it used to take a lot of guts for the first couple or the first bunch of people to go to the dance floor because everyone will be looking. And then suppose you ask your friends, because it’s not like I’m gonna go, so you say~ hey why don’t you go? So the person would say~ no, no, no, I need to relax, you know, I need a drink first.
So, this means that we are so wound up, by I don’t quite know what, that unless we have the use of a substance, whatever that be, or we listen to music, or we smell something fragrant, we can’t relax.
And this thing about relaxation is also not something that you do over the weekend. We often say this. Oh, once the weekend comes then I can just crash out, I will relax. Yes, it’s true that you won’t be busy with your regular work schedule, and that’s great. But you don’t need the weekend to relax. You can be relaxed during the day. You can be relaxed, and alert, and active, and dynamic. And that relaxation can come from कर्म योग | You’re working hard at whatever are your roles, in terms of कौशलम्, and you’re relaxed about whatever results are going to unfold during the day, because you trust that you can handle it. Whatever unfolds is not opposed to you. Whatever unfolds is ईश्वर’s order. Whatever unfolds is the law of कर्म | And, if it seems too much to handle then yes there is support available which you can reach out to, contact, seek help etc.
That I can handle anything comes from a trust in ईश्वर | A trust in the order that it is infallible and that is ईश्वर |
That takes some time because we trust our own abilities far more than ईश्वर – ईश्वर doesn’t know His job. He may be holding all the orbits for these planets to move around and rotate and revolve at jet speed. But I’m sure He can’t handle the issues of my life. The issues of my life are far too complicated. So yes, He could be well responsible for all the processes that make the flowers bloom, a baby grow into an adult, genes passed on from generation to generation. He could be responsible for the law of gravity, but my life- Nah, I don’t think He can handle it.
After saying that I am the भोक्ता (५.२९) i.e. I am the one who sustains all rituals and disciplines, Arjuna may you Know Me. Know Me as also the सुहृद्, the friend of all beings. So the one who knows me in reality, शान्तिमृच्छति~ gains शान्ति | In other words, gains i.e. understands the स्वरूप of oneself as that ultimate शान्ति |
So He continues in Chapter Six-
श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
अनाश्रित: कर्मफलं कार्यं कर्म करोति य: ।
स संन्यासी च योगी च न निरग्निर्न चाक्रिय: ॥ १॥
य: कर्म करोति – the one who performs कर्म |
What kind of कर्म ?
कार्यम् – कर्म that is to be done, in all our different roles.
And what drives the person? Is it कर्मफल (the result of the action)? No.
The one who is not driven by, who does not take आश्रय in कर्मफल, but does कर्म because it is to be done, what about that person?
That person, स: संन्यासी and also a योगी |
So the one who performs कर्म because it is to be done. Because I find myself in this situation in life where by me performing my कर्म, I am contributing to different people’s lives through my different roles, it is to be done. And I don’t do it like a robot. I do it with care. I do it with kindness. I do it with thoughtfulness. I contribute to people’s happiness. So by doing that, where I’m not necessarily dependent on their words of appreciation, or their acknowledgement all the time, or I’m not dependent on how things eventually turn out, that makes me a संन्यासी and a योगी |
And He further says that don’t think a संन्यासी is the one who is a निरग्नि: |
निरग्नि: न च अक्रिय: |
So, a few things to understand about संन्यास |
वैदिक कर्म i.e. कर्म in terms of rituals where a lot of offerings are offered into अग्निदेवत, that was a major means for people to acquire धर्म, अर्थ, काम | It still continues to be, at least for Hindus for the major संस्कार-s. So संस्कार-s are purificatory rituals. There are 40 of them, but we brought it down to 16. And विवाह/marriage is considered a संस्कार, one of the purificatory rites so to speak. Now, Hindu marriage is not possible without अग्निदेवत, that until the देवता has blessed. Of course you can have a court marriage, registered marriage, you can make your own vows, all that is okay. That is what you consider as your working arrangement/agreement. That is okay. But to be considered a traditional विवाह, अग्निदेवत must be there. And like that there are many rituals.
And so the point is that the संन्यासी is the one who does not perform fire rituals, so that kind of यज्ञ |
Why? Because through the last यज्ञ that the संन्यासी has done, which was the संन्यास ritual, one thanks the देवता-s for them having sustained one for all these years, and one says that we are not looking for anything more from you. So one does not covet the देवता-s’ positions. Because, understand that देवता-s are exalted beings, and they can be replaced. If you were to do very intensive साधना, even somebody like Indra can be replaced, if you match up through the kind of पुण्य that you gain and so on.
So the संन्यासी says that we don’t covet your(the देवता-s) position. We are not interested in स्वर्ग | And we no longer seek what might have been possible through performing this यज्ञ |
So, one can imagine how fulfilled a संन्यासी has to be before even taking संन्यास |
Because later on this word will come- सर्व-सङ्कल्प-संन्यासी |
Because whatever needed to be accomplished has been accomplished, you no longer seek. If you seek then it is for लोकसंग्रह |
So, the संन्यासी is being referred to here as निरग्नि: | That means the one who does not perform fire rituals. In fact who has renounced through a fire ritual itself that~ thank you very much, I don’t need your help and support to go to स्वर्ग, or I don’t need your position.
And another notion about the संन्यासी is that the person doesn’t perform any other action~ अक्रिय: | But that has already been countered in Chapter Three where we saw that no one can exist without performing कर्म |
So here, He is just taking the basic meaning of a संन्यासी – so don’t think that a संन्यासी is the one who has renounced कर्म and also renounced वैदिक कर्म with अग्निदेवत |
But a real संन्यासी is the one who does what needs to be done, and is not driven nor does the person define oneself by कर्मफल |
Swaminiji has spoken in the past about how we need to stop defining ourselves by the outcome of actions. If we look at our biography, whatever we have written, we define ourselves by events that have happened in our lives. Describing is different from defining.
So you describe~ you went here, you went to school here, and then you had some friends. So you are describing some journey. Great, excellent.
Defining means it is intrinsic to you. That without that, you don’t exist. So if you say- I’m a success or I’m a failure or I’m a loser or I was abused or I’m a divorcee, or I’m married or I’m happily married, etc., etc. These could be descriptions, factual descriptions, observations. But the moment I define myself in this way, then I have further limited myself and I struggle against the limitations.
So the कर्म योगी is so clear that no कर्मफल- success or failure, or whatever it is, defines me.
Or the person may not be fully clear, doesn’t want to fully buy into it and says~ no, no, XYZ results are very, very important.
Okay, that’s fine. So we align to धर्म and we continue to perform our कर्म with कौशलम् & समत्वम् |
Then He further clarifies-
यं संन्यासमिति प्राहुर्योगं तं विद्धि पाण्डव ।
न ह्यसंन्यस्तसङ्कल्पो योगी भवति कश्चन ॥ २॥
संन्यासम् इति प्राहु: – what these people call as संन्यास,
actually, may you know – तं विद्धि,
योगम् – it is कर्म योग actually.
Because you can be a कर्म योगी only when,
संन्यस्त सङ्कल्प: – when you give up/have संन्यास of सङ्कल्प:, then only you can be योगी |
So what is this?
Swaminiji just did one recent podcast (#177) about being clear on one’s सङ्कल्प, at least state why you’re doing what you’re doing – Power of a सङ्कल्प |
Here He is saying~ give up सङ्कल्प |
सङ्कल्प for a कर्म योगी is a resolve, it’s a prayerful request.
So may this happen for me- some promotion, riches, stock options, whatever. May something happen for me.
And the belief is that when it will come true, when that thing/the result/whatever you’re looking for happens, then I will be fine. Then I will be happy.
So, Swaminiji has asked us this earlier~ I will be happy when ________ …When I lose weight. This at least 75% of people in the world will say- yes, that’s true.
I will be happy when my health improves. I will be happy when my children listen to me. I will be happy when my son gets into a good college. I will be happy when my child marries in the same community. I will be happy when… something. So we have a long list.
And for a कर्म योगी, there is some clarity that the आनन्द that I seek, is my nature. I may not fully assimilate it, but I kind of get it. And the different experiences of happiness that I have are really a glimpse of my own nature, when I interact or engage with something that is desirable to me.
So for now, of course I seek धर्म, अर्थ, काम | Yes I seek all these goals. And I also see that the आनन्द that I get, which doesn’t last for too long, but still that आनन्द is a glimpse of my own nature. And I want to know what my nature, what my स्वरूप is. So, this is a कर्म योगी |
So this कर्म योगी is not looking for स्वर्ग | In the sense that स्वर्ग is another place where there’s lots of pleasure. You can have all the काम that you want here. Of course you can go to स्वर्ग also, and have lots of fun, lots of pleasure, lots of happiness. You can enjoy, dance, music, etc. Where’s the party tonight? You can be going, doing the rounds of all these- what we call world music, world performances here. So you can imagine the level of music, dance, poetry, theatre in स्वर्ग | It is going to be of a very high quality. Higher than a Broadway production, or whatever the benchmark may be in different cultures.
So this कर्म योगी is not seeking more pleasure, because the कर्म योगी has recognized that all pleasure, while I enjoy it, is limited, and my heart wants more.
So the संन्यासी is really a कर्म योगी in the sense of the meaning. Because one does not seek refuge/आश्रय, अनाश्रित, so does not seek refuge in कर्मफल | And one of the greatest कर्मफल is about going to स्वर्ग |
Swaminiji is not using the word heaven because of the connotation of heaven being eternal. स्वर्ग is kind of equivalent, but it’s not. स्वर्ग is a temporary place- so once your पुण्य runs out, then you’re back.
Then,
आरुरुक्षोर्मुनेर्योगं कर्म कारणमुच्यते ।
योगारूढस्य तस्यैव शम: कारणमुच्यते ॥ ३॥
So, how to be like this, where I am not dependent on कर्मफल ?
So He speaks about mastery.
What is being said?
उच्यते – it is said.
So, for the one who is a मुनि |
मुनि the word generally referring to a sage, but the meaning is मनन शील: | So, the one who is capable of thinking from different perspectives, being able to think through, not worry.
And of course मननम् has another more technical meaning in वेदान्त in terms of श्रवणम्, मननम्, निदिध्यासनम् |
So, मुनि- the one who is able to think.
In Bombay slang people will say~ don’t think.
So it sounds terribly crude, literally it translates as- don’t make curds out of your brain. So, basically saying that don’t bother yourself too much, don’t think.
So again this is the tragedy of our current living, that thinking which is such a glorious ability that has been given to us has now been reduced to worrying.
So some people will say- Oh, I’m thinking. And in response another will say- No, don’t think because if you start thinking then we don’t know what will happen, just follow instructions.
Anyway, so the one who is a मनन शील: i.e. a मुनि |
What about the मुनि ?
The मुनि, आरुरुक्षोर्मुनेर्योगं |
So, this मुनि who is a discriminating person, who has विवेक, and who wishes to attain योगम् |
योगम् is mastery.
So आरुरुक्षो – we have this metaphor of mounting the horse, or wanting to mount the horse. So here basically meaning mastery. So the one who wants to have a mastery.
For that person, how will the person have mastery in life?
कर्म योग is the कारणम्/cause/means for this मुने: |
आरुरुक्षोर्मुनेर्योगं |
And then for the one who already has mounted the horse.
So योगारूढ: – the one who has this mastery,
अस्य तस्य एव शम: कारणम् उच्यते |
So it is said that शम: – शम: is not the Hindi शम: as in forgiveness. शम: is not मनोनिग्रहः (तत्त्वबोधः definition) meaning mastery of the mind.
But here it’s a little more than that.
The implied meaning of शम: is giving up, or संन्यास/renunciation.
Now, what can you renounce? And what renunciation do we speak of in वेदान्त? What is the highest renunciation?
Well, the highest renunciation is not giving up your career, or your partner, or your house or your relations. The highest renunciation is giving up the notion that you are a limited person. And by extension, that I am कर्ता-भोक्ता | That I am the doer and I am the experiencer, and therefore I have to manage all the कर्म, I have to manage all my experiences. Oh, I’m so exhausted etc. The day has just to begin, but already I’m so tired.
This idea which we hold on to, which we have concluded- This alone is me. Without any विचार, without any inquiry, this is me. And we struggle with all the judgments that we place on ourselves, and others place on us. This is the highest giving up.
The highest giving up, संन्यास is really ज्ञानम् |
What is ज्ञानम् ? ज्ञानम् is that आत्मा is अकर्ता-अभोक्ता, it is me. Full-stop, that’s it.
In the process, sometimes as a part of साधना we may suggest, and now we have to say these new साधना-s like digital detox. Of course this was not there earlier. Earlier you will say- Oh, don’t have sugar, don’t have salt, or don’t talk for one day~ मौनम् etc. Now we will have to say keep your phone aside for half an hour. Oh my God, that is huge. What साधना that is. Because it’s almost like you’re amputating. It’s almost become an extension of oneself.
So anyway, the mastery we are talking about is really mastering कर्म योग | And it can take a lifetime, maybe many lifetimes.
Because we still derive our sense of significance from all that I have done, how people have treated me, how I have treated others.
And so to see myself as not कर्ता, not भोक्ता, and as आत्मा, even to dwell on that, there’s nothing attractive about it. Why? Because I still want to do more and more. I am not satisfied being the कर्ता | I still believe somehow or the other this relationship can be salvaged. Somehow. Then I’ll be fine. So what we call over-valuation or अध्यास |
ॐ
So this chapter on ध्यान-योग does not actually start with meditation.
And some of you are wondering~ when is it coming? You have to wait for some time.
Why? Because most of our disturbances have to do with the way we live our life, the framework that we use to live our life, the values that determine the choices we make, the decisions we take, and the results of those decisions on our lives.
So it’s very interesting and insightful that ध्यानम् loosely translated as meditation, comes only in the sixth chapter of the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता |
It’s not the first thing you do; never.
And even in the योग सूत्र~ यम, नियम, आसन, प्राणायाम, प्रत्याहार, धारणा, ध्यान, समाधि i.e. अष्टाङ्ग योग |
So धारणा, ध्यान, समाधि, the last three अङ्ग- s, where you are more with yourself, in the sense that you are going deeper and deeper into contemplating on the nature of your reality.
When are you ready to do that? When you live a full life. Not before that.
If you try to meditate before that, and of course there are many types of meditations, but if you tried to do any of these meditations, e.g. चक्र meditation, don’t even go there. Don’t go there. I know you all have a fascination for it, everyone has, but first live a full life. Then we will focus on your चक्र-s a little later. There may not be a need also to focus on the चक्र-s.
So living a full life is bringing कौशलम् to all your roles, understanding the धर्म of the different roles and relationships that you have, and contributing. There itself is a big hurdle. Why? I don’t feel like doing. Or, I want to do more of something.
E.g. I want to cook for my children but they don’t want my food. I cook, but then they order takeout. I spent three hours. What is this?
Or, you want to give them advice, you want to give them guidance, and perhaps they need your guidance, but they are not ready for it.
So in the name of controlling other people don’t think that you are performing कर्म योग, कौशलम् |
This week Swaminiji was talking to one mother and daughter duo, and Swaminiji knows both of them very well. The daughter thinks that the mother is trying to control her all the time. Daughter is in her thirties. And so she has boundaries- No you can’t tell me this, you can’t tell me that, don’t tell me, back off mom. Mother doesn’t know what to do. Mother is expressing her great love, and what is the mother trying to do? She’s also trying to control the daughter. Mother is trying to control the daughter, daughter is trying to control the mother ~ You have to do these things, you have to be this way. And we are doing our duty towards each other.
So we all know what it feels like to be controlled by someone. You feel a bit manipulated, you don’t feel accepted and respected for who you are.
So these tendencies- I want to control because I know best for that person, we have not given up.
And then this person sits in meditation. What do you think the person is going to meditate on? Because it is a very strong binding desire that my daughter or my mother should behave in a particular way. That’s what you’re going to meditate on.
So धर्म is the foundation of life.
Definitely meditation as one important mental activity which comes much much later can happen effortlessly, or with some little effort when more or less we have resolved our relationship issues.
More or less Swaminiji is saying. Some relationships are irreconcilable. Then have you made your peace with that? Some relationships have scope for both people to come towards each other. Are you making the effort? No, no, they have to make the effort first only then I will. So, come on. For both of you, will it help if you come closer to each other? If the answer is yes then make the effort. One life to live.
So कर्म योग one brings in into all areas of life again and again. Again and again, why? Because it’s not yet spontaneous. That’s why some deliberate effort, practice is required.
To offer कर्म unto ईश्वर, to learn to accept or rather to drop one’s resistance towards how people are, situations etc. Even how you are.
So we all have this actual ideal divide- how I actually am, and how I would ideally like to be. So stop resisting, and don’t have such a wide divide. There is no need for it.
So talking about the योगी, who is a संन्यासी by lifestyle, or a कर्म योगी by lifestyle,
but the true योगी who is that one?
यदा हि नेन्द्रियार्थेषु न कर्मस्वनुषज्जते ।
सर्वसङ्कल्पसंन्यासी योगारूढस्तदोच्यते ॥ ~ ६.४
So when this person is not dependent on कर्म nor इन्द्रियार्थ to feel secure.
कर्म does not bind you.
People will say- Oh, I have a lot of responsibilities. The way they say it, actually they don’t mean responsibility, because responsibility is a great joy. They mean burden.
Oh, I have so many responsibilities. Then don’t do it. Who asked you to do it? You have free choice, free will is there so don’t do it.
Oh, if I don’t do it, who will do it? Let it be. No, no, no, I don’t want things like that.
Then, binding desire.
E.g. the house must be spick and span. So some people who are very obsessed with dusting, if you live in a place like Mumbai, you’ve had it. Or any place like that where there’s lot of industrial pollution. You will be dusting every three hours. And if you are not dusting, you are driving your maids crazy. You cannot avoid it, there will be dust.
Swaminiji remembers reading this~ Dust if you must, but know that you will return to dust.
So you can keep dusting. Important, it’s nice to be neat and clean. But how much dusting? How much? How often? No, no, no it should be spick and span. Good value to have, but don’t overdo it.
Any value which is a subset of धर्म can be overdone. Because we aim for the absolute. But it cannot be absolute, it is contextual. It is universal, but contextually applicable. So we are attached to all kinds of things, we are dependent. Or rather our moods are dependent on all kinds of things.
One might be~ everything needs to be spick and span every moment. This is how my house, my room must be. It could be an object, it could be a person, anything- how your tea is, how it should be made. You are not willing to accept any other kind of tea.
So this योगी,
न अनुषज्जते – is not dependent on the different kinds of sense objects, nor is the person dependent on a type of कर्म |
Oh, I got laid off, I am depressed. Yes, an event happened. Yes, it’s not pleasant. Yes, you’re looking forward to another job soon. Bills have to be paid. Yes, understood.
But I identify and define myself by my work.
So कर्म does not bind me. But my identity on the basis of that कर्म is what I am dependent on.
I didn’t do anything today, I’m feeling so lousy. What a waste. Today was not a productive day. Okay, so there are days like that. In fact, many days are like that.
Still, the one who is not dependent on the कर्म, nor different sense objects for a sense of security, who is that person?
योगारूढ: तत् उच्यते,
so the person is called like that.
So this योगारूढ: is the one who has as though mounted, like a horse. Meaning has certain mastery.
And what else will you do with the mastery of the mind except for knowing the truth.
To steal or cybercrime, or anything like that, you don’t need so much mastery, little mastery is okay. For premeditated murder also some mastery is required.
But all the mastery that you did- you meditated, you did all kinds of things. What for? Anyway it will all return to dust. Correct? ‘It’ means इदम् i.e. इदं शरीरम् कौन्तेय (१३.२). This is anyway returning to dust.
So what will you do with the great mastery of mind? So as they say in Hindi slang, which is crude~ whatever the thing is, are you going to pickle this or what?
So what will you do with mastery? It’s worth it only if you are using the mind for what it is meant which is मोक्ष | When you have used it as an instrument to achieve what has already been achieved, which is your nature, which you did not know, which you did not claim, which you denied yourself. Then that’s a good life.
So this योगारूढ:, the one who has attained/discovered मोक्ष |
How did the person manage that? By mastery. How mastery? I stopped defining myself by my कर्म and the different things, situations, people around me. I don’t deny them. I don’t dissociate from them. They are all important. I do my धर्म | But more and more I am not dependent on them. So there is a great freedom, because you can allow things, and people, and situations to be as they are. People around you will enjoy you more because you’re not demanding. You’re not breathing down their neck-You should be like this, you should not be like this. Or you may say indirectly- What people should be doing in life, I’ll tell you. So you’re not addressing the person directly but you hope that the person will take the hint. The person is of course thick-skinned~ no hint, direct, indirect, no reading between the lines, the lines are only not seen so what will the person read between the lines?
But we depend on all this.
And so the योगी is the one who has recognized that the different संकल्प-s I made, the different resolves/prayerful requests that I made- that may this happen for me, may I gain this. What for? So that I am secure, etcetera, etcetera. The person has given up that.
Given up that? You want to start a गुरुकुलम् project? There is no संकल्प for the गुरुकुल?
Here what is meant is that the संकल्प that a कर्म will fulfill me, that is what one does संन्यास of.
Things have to be done. Why? Because we’re living in this world. But I will be fulfilled as a कर्ता/doer, I will be fulfilled as a भोक्ता/experiencer if I do this, the person has done त्याग of that, संन्यास of that.
In other words, the recognition that I the आत्मा am not the doer. I was never the doer, never the experiencer.
So that recognition is becoming more and more clear, because we understand the relationship between अविद्या,काम, कर्म | I don’t know who I am, I don’t know what I am, then I have a sense of incompleteness i.e. अपूर्णता | I believe I will be completed when I get something, I relate to something, I engage with something else etcetera, etcetera. So, काम/binding desire naturally will be there. Then, can I just sit with काम in my mind?
So, someone gave me really delicious dark chocolate. काम is in the mind. And chocolate is in the refrigerator. Will I sit just quietly? If it is a binding desire, or even if it’s not- No, I have to act on it ~ कर्म |
So this spiral/roundabout of अविद्या-काम-कर्म goes on and on and on and on.
So you may say- Oh, I will give up all my कर्म | But the काम is still sitting in your head. You still have so many desires that must be fulfilled, maximum you can just postpone it, that’s all.
But that thinking- that by fulfilling a desire, I will be fulfilled, that unhealthy connection has to be severed.
The connection is there because of अविद्या |
So anyway for this योगी, there is मोक्ष |
Now this sounds very daunting.
Sometimes I like भगवद्-गीता class, but sometimes I wonder like who is Swaminiji talking about? Do these people really exist? You know, these so called wise people? I don’t see anyone wise around me…
So then how does one go about it? How does one go about this mastery of the mind? The next verse-
उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् ।
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मन: ॥ ~ ६.५
A very beautiful verse, and a very important verse from the standpoint of how we talk to ourselves, how we are with ourselves.
So can I genuinely say that it is nice to be me. It is nice to be me, I enjoy being who I am. A lot of us cannot say yes to this. We feel a little sad. I can’t put my finger on it, I’m not sure why, some things could be better about me, nicer about me, etc. etc. Or, I am okay but why people don’t accept me the way I am. Why am I struggling all the time for validation, off and on ईश्वर validation okay, but it’s always nice to be acknowledged and appreciated, praised, cared for.
So now, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण is teaching us a very beautiful lesson which is-
उद्धरेत् ~ may you lift,
What?
आत्मनात्मानम् ~ Here आत्मा does not mean सच्चिदानन्द आत्मा, but refers to the person.
So, may one lift oneself; oneself here referring to the body-mind-sense complex, so the entire person really.
So, may one lift oneself by oneself.
What does that mean? It means being a friend to yourself.
And what else?
न आत्मानम् अवसादयेत् – may you not destroy yourself.
How can you destroy?
By looking down on yourself.
He explains why-
आत्मा एव हि आत्मन: बन्धु: – you yourself are your best friend, benefactor and so on,
And if you don’t lift yourself up, then,
आत्मा एव रिपु: – रिपु: means enemy. So you end up becoming your own enemy.
Now how does one be a friend to oneself? All of us have at least one friend in this whole wide world, however introverted/extroverted we are.
So how do you express your friendship with that person, whoever that person is. You do acts of care. You tell the person I am there for you, I care for you, I love you, I accept you, you’re fine, things will be fine, etcetera, etcetera.
Then the question is~
You know the voice in our heads? The non-stop voice that chatters all the time, non-stop commentary. If we look into the content of this voice, what one is talking to oneself, what might that be? Are we thinking about the past? Or are we repeating our to do list for the day- This has to be done, okay after this then there is this, okay, so reminding yourself. Or you think~ Oh, now is not okay. Maybe later things might get better. Or you are regurgitating a conversation from earlier in the day, or this week. I wish I had said that, I don’t know why those words did not tumble out of my mouth. Why I didn’t say that. Or, maybe I should have done something differently.
So again, and again, and again the same thing.
In all of this are you being a friend to yourself? Can you say~ it’s nice to be me? Because you can say it’s nice to be me if you are being a friend to yourself. If I see that I am lovable. If I see that I am acceptable.
But for us love, acceptance comes with conditions. I will become more lovable if I have better control over my anger. Or I will be more acceptable if I lose weight. Yes, all these things are to be done. But does it completely take away the fact that you are lovable?
But people have not expressed their love for me, that means I am not lovable.
At sometime in your life people might have expressed- yes.
And if nothing else, well you are a manifestation of ईश्वर –
देहो देवालय: प्रोक्त: जीवो देवस्सनातन: ।
त्यजेदज्ञाननिर्माल्यं सोऽहं भावेन पूजयेत् ॥
देहो देवालय: प्रोक्त: ~ this देह/body is actually a temple. देवालय – the home of देव/deity.
And who is the one sitting in the heart? It is the देव, it is the जीव |
This जीव~ जीव देवस्सनातन: – this जीव who has been around for the longest, actually is a देव |
So then what is to be done in the temple?
त्यजेत् अज्ञान निर्माल्यम् –
All these flowers that have been offered and which are wilted, which are like अज्ञान/ignorance,
त्यजेत्- give up.
Give up the ignorance- I am not sacred. I am defective. I am not good enough, etc., etc.
सोऽहं भावेन पूजयेत्- So may one pray to the deity in the temple, which is you,
with what भावन?
सोऽहं –
स: means He,
so, He is me/अहम् |
So this आत्मा पूजा is a part of our regular 16-step षोडशोपचार पूजा and it’s such a beautiful ritual because it reminds you if you are doing this puja every day, or at least even if you uttering this श्लोक that I am sacred, I have the support of all देवता-s, I am almost like a देवता only~ जीव देवस्सनातन: |
I also have lots of powers. I can make my room a mess. Of course I can have lots of projects also. So, I have powers.
So जीव देवस्सनातन: – Then, why don’t I feel accepted and loved?
I will have reasons for it. So my mother did something, my father did something. Or they didn’t do, they did not pay attention. There must be some reason. My partner something, or I separated. Or my children they don’t bother about me. So something. These may be valid that you don’t feel cared for by them.
But, do you care for yourself? Do you speak to yourself in a loving way? It’s likely we don’t.
And this श्लोक tells us that it’s time to change that.
So some of the offshoots of this might be the inner child work. Some people are familiar with that. So where you talk to yourself, that self of you, or that part of you which is fragile, needs care, needs acceptance, feels lonely, is hurt, maybe struggles with the fear of abandonment. All of us feel like this. Some of us feel it more frequently than others.
And so for a child who is hurting, or for the little one, for someone who’s feeling fragile, you can give a series of advice~ भगवद्-गीता says may you lift yourself by yourself.
But you retort ‘Shut up’, because when you are fragile and hurt you don’t want to hear any words of advice. Then, what to do?
Then, we have to talk to ourselves in a loving way.
So now is a tough part. What is that?
Swaminiji is going to ask for a volunteer…
* INNER CHILD WORK *
How are you feeling right now?
~ Curious.
So what we are going to do is to identify an incident, or a general sense of not feeling okay, and that incident may have happened a few months ago, years ago. The details of the incident don’t matter as much. What we are keen on is we want to heal the hurt and the upset and maybe the fear that the younger you felt.
So what’s coming to your mind right now?
~ a situation where the goalpost of being enough kept moving, so it felt impossible to be acceptable.
So what we can try to do now is that I will invite you to keep your palm on your chest or your stomach, wherever that feels comfortable for you. And we will close our eyes and we will talk to this younger one who felt that she was not enough.
So what the little one, or the younger one needs to experience is being held with a lot of care and love and acceptance and so I will say a few lines and then maybe you can continue along the same theme. If you have a pet name or you want to use an endearment you can:-
My dear, my sweetheart, I’m so sorry that you had to go through this phase where you kept doubting yourself because you were told that you are not enough. So you tried stepping up. But even after that you were told again and again that you were not enough and that made you feel so horrible, so lousy.
You were not happy with the person, you were not happy with yourself. And I’m so sorry that I as the adult loving (insert your name) was not there to comfort you.
You have to know that I love you very deeply. I accept you. And I appreciate the struggle that you have gone through. Because through much of that self-doubt came a lot of clarity. Now of course things are different. But I want you to know that you are deeply loved and that’s why people can love you. You have always been loved. Sweetheart you have always been acceptable. And I’m sorry that I placed all these conditions on you. I was not there to comfort you, I was not there to reassure you sometimes. And I promise you that I will always be there for you. So I who have a lot more wisdom, a lot more experience, a lot more love, a lot more acceptance am always, always there for you, for you and all the hurt parts, for all the abandoned parts, for whichever part that needs help. I am there.
If you just continue and build on that-
~ I know that it feels like you failed, but you did your very best. And there’s nothing more that you could have done so you can be at peace with where you are. And you can see that I love you. And you always do your very best in every situation and you did not fail.
So at this point in time since we have said quite a few things we want to check how she’s feeling. What is she feeling?
~ Comforted and loved and calm.
Is there anything that she needs from us?
~ No, I think she’s feeling much better.
So we thank her and express our appreciation for soldiering on, not losing trust in us, and for being there because she is also the source of a lot of creativity, courage, playfulness, spontaneity, and so on.
So we can say that I’ll be back in touch, I take your leave, I love you and thank you for trusting that I will always be there for you.
What is very important in this process is that you don’t give advice. You don’t give any teaching~ the great भगवद्-गीता says you must be friendly to yourself. No. Why? Because when one is very fragile, one does not need advice. Generally one does not need advice, but that’s another story. So when you are fragile, what do you need? You just need to be held, cared for, loved, accepted. That’s it full stop. Don’t have to explain too much. Because some of us struggle with showing love. We have all these ideas in our head~ the person will be pampered, the person will get carried away, so I should not show my love. Or the person will take advantage of me. So all these sentences come out of fear.
Any questions or clarifications? Swaminiji wants to make sure we’re doing it right.
~ Well, first off, thank you. That was beautiful. I just wanted to express my experience. I’ve done a lot of inner child work over the last year or so. And I noticed in the beginning there was a lot of resistance to her. It’s like the older version of myself knows better. So I was saying- ‘you should, you should’, kind of treating my inner child in that way. And that just riled it up, that made it so much worse. And so as soon as I started being just more curious and talking to her in the way that Swaminiji showed us today, it’s made the biggest difference. So I just wanted to share that it really will impact you if you take the time to spend being compassionate with yourself.
Thank you. Very well said.
I would be surprised if people didn’t have tears. So it’s okay. Nose has mucus, eyes has tears.
~ So while we were going through this exercise/demo, I was trying to think of situations where I felt fragile. I remembered a situation in fellowship where I had a supervising attending physician who was very critical. I felt like I kept on trying my best, but she was still very critical and difficult. I found my own ways to cope with it. I found joy in other aspects of my life. Like spending time with my son, my husband, but I would still not look forward to having interactions with her. So, how would I do inner child work for situations like that? Where I think that I kind of resolved it but maybe not in a healthy way?
See, the incident is not so important. The incident can be a good stimulus or a trigger. But what happened as a result of that incident to you, or incidents to you? So you felt hurt, or rejected, or put down, or humiliated, not accepted. And so one might have developed some patterns as a result of that incident.
~ So because of the incident, I felt unsure of myself. And I think that is a pattern that probably was there before and maybe that incident increased it.
So then because of two-three incidents, there was doubt. The doubt was only with respect to~ am I doing right, because whatever I’m doing is not working, etc.
But some incidents create patterns for us of thinking. So self doubt can become a pattern.
Like for people who have been sexually abused it’s a strong pattern. Did the abuse happen? Was I imagining it? Could I have done something? Maybe I shouldn’t have. Maybe I should have told someone. I shouldn’t.
So it may have been related to the incident or incidents. But then you pick up that pattern unconsciously. And then for every little thing, one will doubt. And then that can really sap one of energy. Everything you doubt. Cannot trust anyone, cannot trust oneself, no nothing.
How does one move away?
Or it could be a pattern of ‘I feel helpless’. I felt helpless, let’s say in 2-3 incidents. But it becomes a pervasive theme in my life.
Until I become conscious that~ Hey, why do I feel helpless when actually I’ve done very well for myself. I have all these शक्ति-s, I can do lots of things.
And I’m very good at my work, then why I’m struggling with my personal life so much. Or I’m very good with my personal life but I’m struggling at work.
Then you know, all these skills are all transferrable, you are one person only, same person.
Or the pattern may be the habit of being angry. Nothing is okay. You just want to lash out at everyone. So some habits have been seen in childhood or whatever, right?
So, we’re not going digging into the pattern, whatever be the pattern, however it came about.
What we want to do is that inner voice that’s constantly chattering in our head, we want that voice to be strong and compassionate.
So here Swaminiji shares an aspect of Tibetan Buddhism. When Swaminiji went to Bhutan 2-3 years ago, Swaminiji was very impressed with their three deities.
We have all those equivalents, okay. So the deity of wisdom, Manjushri, and then the deity of power, Vajrapani, and the deity of compassion, Avalokiteshvara. The guide was explaining how all three are important.
Compassion if truly understood has great strength. That compassion has to be backed with wisdom. And yes there may be wisdom, yes there may be compassion, where is the power? The power to get things done~ शक्ति | That every moment I have इच्छा शक्ति | I can use my will. Let’s say somebody’s partner died. This has happened over generations. Then after a few days you are making coffee or tea for yourself, you’ve not forgotten how to make coffee and tea. You’re crying and you’re drinking coffee, and crying some more and you’re drinking. So there is still that शक्ति, some is left for sure- how to make…, just go about your regular day.
So ज्ञानम्, शक्ति, इच्छा | Power, wisdom, compassion, they all go hand in hand.
A lot of people think that compassion means like you’re melting, melting lava. No, it’s not.
If you’re saying melting compassion, it means you are not there then, only the other is there.
So, if indeed the way we speak to ourselves has a lot of strength. Strength that I am there for you, no matter what. That reassurance you give yourself. We will stick together no matter what.
At the same time, you can be compassionate to yourself, because there are all these different parts of ourselves that need healing.
It may be some pattern in the way in which we talk to ourselves or it may be some unresolved issues, or it may be an unresolved situation with another person.
And then in that case, you consider the person is in the room. We also call it empty chair method. It is better if this is guided. You consider the person is sitting there, or you have the person’s digital photograph or something, and you say whatever is on your mind. What you felt like doing, didn’t feel like doing, what you wish you said, you had not said, what you wish you had done, what you wish you had not done, etcetera, etcetera. Full, you don’t hold back anything.
Because often what happens is we edit our responses. Oh, I shouldn’t be feeling like that. Oh, I should do…So this restraining oneself, and not allowing full expression is not helpful. At least, if you want to abuse go ahead in the privacy of your room, please do that. So we want closure.
Because mastery of the mind is not possible without us making peace with different unresolved, incomplete situations of our lives. And the thing is, no one can do this for us. We have to do it ourselves. So if I was really being crude, then I would say, you have to be the one who flushes the toilet. Of course if you just cannot do, then somebody can do it for you. But it’s your stuff, you flush. You take care of it.
बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जित: ।
अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्ते तात्मैव शत्रुवत् ॥ ~ ६.६
It’s a continuation of 6.5.
So for the one who is a बन्धु: to oneself i.e. one who is a friend to oneself,
and that friend who is oneself you have mastered.
अनात्मन आत्मनस्तस्य |
So, there is victory for you. Because for any pursuit, you are together. It’s not like a part of you wants to do something, part of you doesn’t want to do. You are together~ युक्त: |
So this mastery goes along with being a friend to oneself. It is nice to be me. I enjoy being myself, etc.
On the other hand, for the one who has not mastered oneself, then the word भगवान् is using is- अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे |
So, if you have not mastered yourself,
Mastered yourself in the sense/way in which you use your body-mind-sense complex, e.g. you are always putting yourself down, you don’t have nice things to say about yourself, you are always looking~ Oh, who will say something nice about me. Super sensitive to criticism, and so on, which is a lot of us actually. Because we don’t have mastery.
See all the wonderful things we do, we don’t pat ourselves on the back. Right? Oh, it just happened. If somebody appreciates you, you look the other way. Aye, I’m talking to you. Oh, it just happened. Oh, it’s all God’s grace.
Then, oh you lost money in the share-market. Oh, I can’t believe how I made that mistake, it was such a gamble, how could I be so stupid? Ah, so that’s not God’s grace? No, no, no only good things are God’s grace. Otherwise generally I’m not together. So, what is this? Come on.
So, you being a friend to this body-mind-sense complex.
If you’re not, then आत्मा for you is a शत्रु/enemy.
You don’t like being with yourself.
Anytime you have time with yourself, you switch on the TV, you switch on music, you talk to someone, you’ll drown out the noise, because it’s unbearable to hear myself ruminating.
And really speaking you have considered body-mind-sense complex as सत्यम्, that’s why it is अनात्मा for you.
So if I’m not available for all these pursuits, then how will I proceed?
Whether the pursuit is of मोक्ष, or it is धर्म, अर्थ, काम,
so, how to do this mastery?
Oh, you master by mastering.
So, where is the solution? How do you do that? Well you use some will. You also use some inquiry. And you use some discipline. But all along you are kind and gentle to yourself. And firm when required.
See, kindness is not opposed to firmness. You can be both kind and firm. Yes.
We have to stop thinking in this binary of either-or. No, you can do both.
So, with that mastery then of course we are more trusting as people, then we can give some credit to ईश्वर, ईश्वर’s order. Maybe ईश्वर is doing a good job. Even if things don’t go exactly according to what I want, there must be a reason. I can trust. Otherwise, if I cannot trust myself, how can I trust anyone?
So we don’t have to feel bad about it. We just say- oh, I will start to trust myself. What are the things I can trust? So start there.
Don’t have some great expectations. Wherever we are, we can proceed, progress.
ॐ
अनात्मन आत्मनस्तस्य This portion from 6.6. Is this right? Should it be आत्मा आत्मनस्तस्य instead? Could you please check it up with Swaminiji? Thanks.
It is अनात्मन आत्मनस्तस्य – anatma referring to the one who has not mastered oneself.
* Class-reflections on the 2 उपासन-s *
– They made me feel more connected with totality, and my इष्टदेवता | The first उपासन (हिरण्यगर्भ उपासन) made me feel more connected to my इष्टदेवता because I actually pictured Him, doing पूजा to Him, and then for the second उपासन (प्रकृति उपासन), I felt more connected with totality with my sense organs and the sense objects very much in touch.
– The second one was a little easier for me. Because in the first one where the form was involved, there was still a separation. So, it felt as if He’s telling me why are you separating us, you and me are the same. So, you could still feel that little agony- that there is this इष्टदेवता, and I. Whereas, the second one was a little easier because there it was a little more abstract. And then it was as if everything was in me, that I could connect.
And did people feel like they wanted to do more of this, or was it really out of sight out of mind?
– I did not feel the need to do it. I prefer being in silence. There is no words. There is no action. There is no thought. That’s a more peaceful state for me. But when we do the मानस पूजा, the first उपासन that we did, it was not peace, it was a joy that इष्टदेवता is there. We are engaging in an action, which is a मानसिक् action, and we’re just enjoying it. Okay, इष्टदेवता is here, now let me get beautiful flowers and provide it to Him. So that’s the विक्षेप, but it was a joyful विक्षेप |
For being peaceful, I just want/feel like going into silence.
And the silence is opposed to noise/sound, or is it silence in spite of the sound?
– Silence in spite of everything. Like whatever is happening around in my heart, in my mind, it’s not able to make any impact.
That’s good. As long as we’re not withdrawing.
As long as it is seen that silence is not opposed to sound. Because all sound comes from silence. So every sound is an unmanifest sound. When it is uttered, then it is manifest. But before it is uttered, even before it’s conceptualized, it is still unmanifest and then it is manifest when of course you say it mentally or verbally.
So that’s wonderful that we see every form, including a sound form, any letter uttered or मंत्र or word, which is a subtle form, has come from the silence that I am. So that’s unmanifest sound. Or basically it’s consciousness.
The sound form is a form and therefore since the form has come from me, it is not opposed to me.
Okay, so dwell on that.
A lot of वेदान्त students, because of so much पुण्य, just parachute into वेदान्त, without doing much उपासन,
and then there is a dismissal of उपासन in वेदान्त |
– उपासन is also a kind of कर्म?
Yes.
– And कर्म is by definition अनित्य, so the फलम् is also अनित्य | So if I’m doing मानसिक् पूजा, I’m happy during that period and then it’s done.
So either you would want more and more, or you would find peace by being silent.
Yes, very well said.
There is this challenge for वेदान्त students.
It need not be a challenge, but Swaminiji just wants to highlight it- that on the one hand we see the limitation of something, and here in this case being उपासन, because yes it’s a कर्म, but then अंतःकरणशुद्धि is possible only through कर्म | So there is a tendency to withdraw from कर्म, and we have to be very honest as to why we withdraw.
Because sometimes if one is going through an intense phase of वैराग्य, whether it is वैराग्य because you are fed up, then that is not वैराग्य anyway. Or there is वैराग्य, so you see the limitations of every form etc., etc. Then, because we withdraw, we don’t engage enough with the world. Then the scope for अंतःकरणशुद्धि is reduced. So it’s a very dynamic balance that we have to tread. And for that you have to be very honest with yourself about what I need for my growth, and of course in consultation with the गुरु |
But before consultation also, before chatting with the गुरु, you want to be clear where you are.
Because for some people they may say- no, I need that sense of connection because the situation of my life is such that I live a little isolated, I don’t have too many friends or whatever, not a very social life. So this is what I need. So then for me, I want to do connection-based, connectedness-based उपासन-s.
Then somebody else may say- well, not necessary.
So, when we look at limitations of anything, it will be easy to get carried away, because yes we see the limitation of it. So, you have to be honest and see- where am I here?
And it’s not just about उपासन, it’s about धर्म also. To what extent am I bringing धर्म into all areas of my life? Because all of us are not bringing in धर्म in one area of our lives. It could be any area, it’s different for different people. And we are dishonest with ourselves. We hide, we make excuses and so on. And that area particularly we may say- Ah, it’s okay, anyway it’s all मिथ्या, it’s अनित्य etc.
So, we can look at it almost as a matter of convenience.
And there is a great joy in honesty. Just being brutally honest with yourself. A lot of us struggle because we have a divide between what I actually am, and what I want to be. And then you look around and you see somebody else, and you admire that. Then you say okay, I want to be that, but actually where am I right now? What do I need to work on? Am I making the effort? What help do I need to make the effort? I cannot dodge that, and say no, no, no, no, it’s okay. No. So that honesty with oneself is very important. If you don’t know talk to someone. But there is no need for ignorance-based actions to continue. Everybody is born with अविद्या, okay fine. That we continue to stay in अविद्या, and अविद्या-related-based behavior and actions, that is a bigger mistake. We will make excuses.
So now, having had this exposure to the two types of उपासन-s, the उपनिषद् now actually points out the limitations of the उपासन |
So we can look at that-
अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति येऽसम्भूतिमुपासते ।
ततो भूय इव ते तमो य उ सम्भूत्यां रताः ॥ १२ ॥
This is all छन्दस् प्रयोग |
So,
ये उपासते – the ones who worship, or who meditate on असम्भूति,
we have to understand what this असम्भूति is.
सम्भूति means being born, so referring to हिरण्यगर्भ | असम्भूति means not born, or rather unmanifest. So in this particular मंत्र, it means प्रकृति, माया, अविद्या – all these three words we can use interchangeably, depending on the context.
So those who worship शक्ति, प्रकृति, माया, what happens to them?
अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति – they enter,
अन्धं/darkness was not enough, अन्धं तमः – blinding darkness.
So really what they are saying is that during प्रलय, when all manifest goes into unmanifest – all forms from ब्रह्म-जी स्तम्ब पर्यंतम् i.e. from ब्रह्म-जी to even a blade of grass, all the way all forms resolved. Resolved not destroyed. There is a difference, there is no destruction anyway. Resolved means all manifest going into unmanifest.
So, what about that? The one who does उपासन on शक्ति for this sense of connectedness and so on, what happens to that person? They don’t get a rebirth again. But they go into प्रलय | So it is suspended. So, it’s like you go into a dormant phase.
It’s like what happens to us in deep sleep. Definitely, you are not dead, you are breathing and snoring, but you’ve become dormant, the person is resolved.
So, the one who does this kind of उपासन i.e. शक्ति-based उपासन, does not have to go through the struggle of this पुनरपि जननं पुनरपि मरणम् i.e. again being born, again dying, again suffering, again struggling, what to do, how to manage etc. So those struggles are not there, person has a break.
But still it is darkness. Why? Because there is no knowledge for that person. So, just being in a good state doesn’t mean there will be no death.
Just before death, they ask what is your last wish? You can have any kind of last wish except for I want to live longer. So how does it matter? Any wish if it is fulfilled, ultimately it is death only. So the limitation of the उपासन is being pointed out if the aim of उपासन is to have greater शक्ति-s.
So here we have to make an important distinction that if you’re doing the उपासन, which is what a lot of people do for, what for the meditation? Oh, I want to be more powerful. I want more सिद्धि-s. So in योग सूत्र-s there is a mention of विभूति पाद, so some सिद्धि-s are mentioned. So you can do this, you can read people’s minds, you can make your body smaller, you can make it larger, you can travel astral worlds. People are fascinated by this, but then if you travel and you see something you can’t handle, what are you going to do? But people don’t think like that.
So, this is what happens with one type of उपासन |
Then, the ones who,
सम्भूत्यां रताः – meditate on सम्भूति i.e. हिरण्यगर्भ, प्रथम-ज (first-born),
what happens to them?
So, they also,
तमो भूय: – so they also enter into greater darkness.
Greater darkness- what they are saying is that अविद्या continues.
Because, for how long will this भेद/difference continue?
And the संकल्प matters.
So the same उपासन, both the प्रकृति उपासन, as well as the हिरण्यगर्भ उपासन, or the इष्टदेवता उपासन, they can be done for अंतःकरणशुद्धि and अंतःकरणनैश्चल्यम् | Because what is the greatest फलम् that you can get of कर्म?
From cooking food, to building a civilization, to being reborn, it’s all the power of कर्म |
And with the same कर्म, without visa/passport you can go to different लोक-s, just on the strength of your कर्म-उपासन | So whatever you get, residency for some time you will get, but look at how phenomenally powerful कर्म is. You don’t need luggage also. The infrastructure is given to you. Even when we come into the world, this earth, whole infrastructure is available. Oxygen cylinder we don’t need. When the baby’s born, everything is available. Whatever the baby of any species requires to survive, the full infrastructure is available- water, air, space, पृथिवी, and all different kinds of food available for all kinds of species. The worms are there, the roots are there, berries are there, vegetarian food is there, plants are there, animals are there because predators will obviously feed on herbivores, and so on. Everything is available. Super.
So कर्म being so phenomenal, and to see the vision~ ईशा वास्यं जगत् सर्वम्, two options are available-
(i) त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा: i.e. you take to the lifestyle of संन्यास,
Or,
(ii) If you say, I want this vision, but I am living a life of कर्म योग,
Then, when it comes to कर्म, the highest कर्म you can do is what? उपासन |
What for? That question always needs to be answered by you. What for? If power is important to you, position is important to you, then definitely you want to get an upgrade, so economy to first class/business class.
So for us what is that upgrade? It is going to another लोक with more pleasure, more comfort. Because I cannot give up my pleasure and comfort here.
But if that is not the case, then the highest thing that कर्म can do for you is preparation- अंतःकरणशुद्धि, अंतःकरणनैश्चल्यम् | That your mind remains wherever you place it, because you are the master, you are the वशी | So, it’s not all over the place, it’s not distracted. There is clarity in your mind. Clarity doesn’t come automatically okay, you work for it. So a lot of people tell us- Oh, you’re so clear, you’re so clear. This clarity did not come like this. Of course there’s lots of grace, all the time there is lots of grace. But you strive for clarity. And confusion is a necessary prerequisite. It’s good to be confused. At least the person is thinking. Confusion is always welcome.
So now the highest thing that कर्म, and for that matter उपासन which is mentioned differently because it is subtle कर्म | Because to do उपासन is not easy, that’s what people always complain. I tried to meditate, I cannot meditate. Because they don’t know what meditation is, that’s why they say. In fact everyone when you start off, if you cannot meditate- very good. At least you are making the effort. There is no one who cannot meditate. Of course the mind will go all over, and then we bring it back, and that’s a part of meditation and so on.
The संकल्प of the person who wants मोक्ष, why will the person do उपासन? I rather spend time in inquiry inquiry inquiry, and more श्रवणम्, why should I waste my time on उपासन? Because there might be some विपरीतभावना | The same reason as to why निदिध्यासन is done. For a greater sense of connectedness, for me to see that I am sacred. All that is here is sacred, all that is here is ईश्वर, ईशा वास्यम् | I use my mind as an instrument and perform कर्म and my संकल्प is only अंतःकरणशुद्धि, अंतःकरणनैश्चल्यम् |
So the same उपासन can be used for this purpose.
Or like most people say- well actually my main संकल्प is my children should be fine. That is what we call सकाम उपासन | So of course all parents want their children to be fine. Children to be fine, grandchildren to be fine, and so on. This week Jonas’ mother was visiting from Brazil. And then another friend of hers also was there. And both are grandmothers. And it was so sweet to see that they wanted to shop for their grandchildren. They are squealing with delight when they are seeing clothes for the grandchildren~ two-year-old, three-year-old. So all the time thinking~ oh, what will my granddaughter be doing? What my grandson is doing? So all the time like this. This is nice. You’re enjoying your grandchildren without the pressure of parenting. So what joy. But if this is scaled up and then we ask- We went to Mahalakshmi Temple, and then we were just chatting with the women who are standing. So then they’re also curious, these different looking people, so why they’re here, so all explaining to them. Then they ask~ so what should we ask for? What do you ask for? These ladies are asking the locals. They reply~ What else we can ask? For family, that’s all. So you’re coming to Ma Lakshmi Devi, of course please ask for the well-being of family. But what else? So family is elevated to a great spiritual goal. Like that there will be lifetime after lifetime after lifetime, and every lifetime you will be in a different family. It’s likely that one or two members of your current family may have been there in a previous lifetime. So we pray for each other, we do things for each other. Okay, very good, very good. And we suffer with each other, and then what?
Only if you are a little greedy, then मोक्ष is desirable. Otherwise we are only asking for family. So one has to be greedy in a nice way.
So maximum कर्म-उपासन can give is अंतःकरणशुद्धि & अंतःकरणनैश्चल्यम् |
And the person who does प्रकृति उपासन will resolve.
Anyway during प्रलय, the final dissolution for every कल्प, everything resolves. But for this person who did उपासन, then you are in waiting. So then it is wonderful because you will be born into सत्ययुग | So you get a greater chance for मोक्ष because you’re hanging around with a lot of देवता-s. Of course असुर-s will also be there. But still it’s okay, there is greater power in सत्ययुग |
It’s all cyclical, so now we are of course at the fag end, then after कलियुग will be सत्ययुग | Of course प्रलय will happen.
So the जीव will remain in unmanifest condition, and then be reborn. So like a long sleep. There is no आत्मज्ञानम् in that. Just waiting. And no suffering. So that’s wonderful.
Then, almost like an extension of this verse is the next one which is just basically saying that there are different results for these both different kinds of उपासन-s.
Any kind of mastery, particularly the words that are being used often- जितात्मन:, mastery over the sense organs is so that the mind is mastered.
So, responding to the example, let’s say someone has Parkinson’s disease, so there is a limitation, but what is the mastery over the movement of hands for? It is so that you have a mastered mind. And so one can have difficulties at the level of the body, but one can still have a mastered mind.
A mastered mind means- the one who is free from रागद्वेष |
How will freedom from रागद्वेष help? Because we stop being selective.
With that orientation, if you come to वेदान्त with a lot of रागद्वेष-s – how people should be, how they shouldn’t be, then you can imagine the kinds of projections that will be on the गुरु, on the teaching also.
~ Why is वेदान्त talking about the absolute reality? What about the problems of world poverty? वेदान्त is heartless, there is no concern for the problems that we are facing day to day. This bothers me. I want people to be more aware and sensitive to our day to day problems.
And it’s a valid concern, but when it becomes my राग, then it must happen, everyone should be thinking about it, otherwise there’s something wrong with them.
And then with that lens I’m looking at वेदान्त, I’m looking at the teacher and thinking- You’re doing nothing for world poverty, what kind of a गुरु are you? So, Swaminiji is just giving an example.
रागद्वेष i.e. our binding likes and dislikes are constantly coloring our world. The way we see people, situations, the teaching.
And so a mastered mind is free from this. Yes, I may have my preferences, because binding likes and dislikes have been reduced to preferences, but I am free to go with the words of the शास्त्र |
So the mastery that we are looking for is at the level of the mind. And generally Parkinson’s or aging-related diseases come obviously with age, so we need not wait until retirement to pursue वेदान्त | Because it’s also प्रारब्ध right. Whatever be the nature of the disease, people have been able to pursue whatever they wanted despite the disease. Even people who are paraplegic still climb mountains and things like that. Right?
So with Parkinson’s or any other aging-related ailment, if you start trying to master the mind at 75years, it’s going to be very difficult. That’s why the culture is such that you start right away. And some mastery everyone has because of disciplines in one’s life, because of the pursuit of your job, pleasure, and so on and so forth. So everyone has some or the other mastery.
We are only talking about just enough mastery that my mind does not resist the teaching of the शास्त्र | I can go with the words and I can say- yeah, that’s right, अहं ब्रह्म अस्मि, oh so that’s what is being pointed out, I see that totally. It’s not- Oh, this is all very abstract, tell me how to improve my relationships. Again that’s a valid question and it must be addressed. But I am caught up with काम, I don’t care for मोक्ष – So, राग |
So mastery is just enough so that the self is discovered. That’s all. Otherwise, we can get too caught up with- oh, I don’t have enough self mastery, and so on and so forth.
*Follow up question*- does the mastery when you’re young, continue as you age?
*Answer*- No, I don’t think we need to look at it as a binary.
Whatever mastery we are talking about, is it adequate for one’s pursuits?
Because also as you age, the level of pursuits, the degree and intensity of whatever are your pursuits are going to be less. So, we have to look at it in context. And that’s why mastery is not for mastery sake.
So let’s say the person doesn’t have mastery over two-three things in life and is pursuing वेदान्त, then can I see that my राग is मिथ्या, but I need to do this for the sake of my emotional growth, so that I may be free from this fulfillment of राग one day.
Let’s say I have a राग for dark chocolate. So it’s okay, don’t make a big deal. You don’t consider the राग as सत्यम् | You have to see it as मिथ्या | In time, the hold of the राग will not be there for me. But maybe for some of us, we need to give in to it so that we feel satisfied emotionally, so that we can be free from it.
With all my रागद्वेष-s, can I see all of this movement of thought as मिथ्या ?
I’m not saying that I am denying that I have a राग, but can I see it that because of all this वासना i.e. repetitive patterns, sensory impressions, e.g. dark chocolate in one distance, then the mouth starts salivating. So the body has been trained in that way, like our dogs are trained.
So, this is the reaction of the body, okay so what about it? Am I going to make a judgment of myself on the basis of one thought? Come on.
If somebody’s been exposed to वेदान्त for a while, then- yes this जीव has gone through this journey. And yes, there are some राग-s and yes, I see it as मिथ्या | And me having a राग for dark chocolate does not prevent me from seeing the सत्यम् of who I am.
So we hold these things lightly. If we consider self-mastery as ‘the pursuit of this’,
but hey every pursuit, every साधन is meant for a reason. If the reason is being served, you drop it.
We give the example for the प्रमाण also, i.e. the beauty of cremating a dead body. So there are logs of wood that are placed on the dead body. And then the dead body is set to fire with another piece of long stick. And then as the flames engulf the body, you don’t keep the stick for keepsake. You put the stick also into the pyre, whatever was the साधन that was required for burning the body.
Okay, so extend this metaphor to ज्ञानाग्नि, all the साधन-s that were required, and everything is burnt.
ज्ञानाग्निः भस्मसात् कुरुते (४.३७).
So the प्रमाण, the साधन, whatever was used, it has served its purpose. It has been important, but that’s all, no more. Don’t dwell too much on it.
जितात्मन: प्रशान्तस्य परमात्मा समाहित: ।
शीतोष्णसुखदु:खेषु तथा मानापमानयो: ॥ ७॥
In verses five and six, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण has spoken about being a friend to oneself, and we saw that one of the ways we can do that is in the way we speak to ourselves. We first try to be aware of it, because all of us have an inner voice, constant chatter that goes on.
So, what is the content of that chatter? How does one talk to oneself? We are aware of that. And if the voice that talks to oneself is harsh, puts one down, insults, humiliates, etc. then clearly you will be in a bad mood all the time. Or if the voice always finds fault, either with others or with oneself, in the name of विवेक then again you say I only want to listen to वेदान्त, I don’t want to interact with anyone. So Swaminiji is just pointing to some nuances.
So this voice that constantly chatters, if one wants to have self mastery, then the voice has to serve you. Because it is the अहंकार’s voice, and अहंकार is a function of the अंतःकरण | And therefore the अहंकार needs to be helpful, encouraging, supportive.
If you try to think about moments- of people in your life that have helped you move ahead, maybe a contact, maybe pointing to an opportunity, maybe just being there, maybe just encouraging you. Very rarely will we have instances of people who have brought us down, and because of them we have forged ahead.
In everyone’s life, there will be enough and more people and situations that have encouraged you, supported you, perhaps believed in you more than you believed in yourself and so on. And so even if one feels alone, just take the sum total of all the warmth, and the compliments, and the appreciation that you have received, and make it your own voice in the way in which you talk to yourself. It’s what we also refer to as positive transference and it’s a good thing.
So people sometimes they think about how the गुरु may talk to them, or how भगवान् may talk to them, or a loving one who is no longer here may talk to them, and then they get a lot of answers.
So any kind of mastery, particularly over the mind and sense organs is only possible भगवान् श्री कृष्ण has said, if you are a friend to yourself.
And so what happens to the one who is indeed a जितात्मन: (has mastery, has victory)?
So this person who has mastery over oneself, जितात्मन:, naturally the person is प्रशान्त: |
प्रशान्त: ~ has a certain tranquility. The mind is quiet. It is more than quiet, it is peaceful.
And with respect to the binary,
शीत – cold, & उष्ण – heat,
सुख & दु:ख, and,
मान- respect, praise, appreciation, & अपमान- censure, criticism.
The mind of such a person is always समाहित:, परम समाहित: |
परम समाहित: means- is more or less the same when it comes to these binaries.
So we are talking about समत्वम् in other words, that the mind has stopped complaining.
You know how we are always whining. So at least I can tell you in Mumbai, one-two months ago everybody was waiting- It’s so hot. It’s so hot. When are the rains going to come? My God, unbearable, unbearable, oh can’t handle this. Now it’s raining and raining cats and dogs. So flooded. What are we going to do? This weather is such a problem. So the seasons are not new. Neither in Mumbai, or anywhere in the world. Yes, there is an impact of global warming, we have all contributed to it. Mark my words ‘we’. One may say- the corporates are responsible. But we are living in this world, we are also contributing okay. So we do what we can.
So, this constant complaining is now शान्त: |
Don’t reduce this to say- oh, I must suppress my emotions. This is how people do. They convert teaching into a ‘should’.
That means I *should* not complain. No, Swaminiji did not say that.
Swaminiji said that- This complaining mind, why so many complaints about everything?
See everyone can have some valid complaints. You are free to. But all the time complaining means I am not okay with what is here. I am not okay with myself. I am not okay with the other. Only you can be aware of this okay. You will have the honesty to be aware of this. And then it becomes a pattern, it becomes a habit. And then you say- well actually, you know life is good. Then it’s like the proofreader- you can look, but have the mindset that there must be something missing. I looked through this again and again, but there must be something missing. Because you have gotten so used to the habit of complaining, that you feel a little bit lost if you’re not complaining. That is very true.
So this heat and cold, pleasure and pain, we are not seeking mastery over the situation.
This is all about self mastery.
So yes, if it’s extremely hot, then yes some people will switch on the air conditioning, or they will do something with the environment. Or if it’s too cold, then of course you will wear layers. All that of course one will do, so that your pursuits are not affected or hindered.
This verse is pointing to the quality of तितिक्षा | तितिक्षा सहिष्णुत्वम् | That you have a capacity for, or what is also referred to as fortitude. You can handle, you are tough. So little temperature here, there, it’s okay. Little सुख, दु:ख you’re not hitting the ceiling, or not drowning in some pond of sorrow. More or less okay. समाहित: |
And when it comes to मान-अपमान, when someone praises you, appreciates you, how do we respond? We can say thank you. Or we say- oh, you’re just being so kind. Well maybe that’s a polite way of saying, internally I must be very happy. Or, you genuinely don’t believe the other person, that the person thinks more highly of you than you do of yourself. So that means the person is foolish. Why is the person praising you? Or what does the person want? There must be an agenda. Right?
So all appreciation if it is recognized as ईश्वरविभूति, that I have some talents, I have some skill, something is there, and I see it as blessing. Then that is objectivity. I’m not being falsely humble. Nor am I being arrogant. I like it. I enjoy it. That’s it.
But the whole phenomenon of sycophancy that people surround you who flatter you, and then for a lot of celebrities/popular people, then it’s all downhill after that, because nobody gives them objective feedback. And they begin to believe that all praise, all flattery about them is absolutely real, there is no scope for improvement, and so on and so forth.
So recognize we are all control freaks. And we have tried to control the environment for a long, long time. We will still continue to do that.
It was okay as long as the pandemic restrictions were on. Now, as soon as I step out I am anxious. What will happen? What do I do? You know I have exposure to seniors at home, and so on and so forth. So I want to now control everyone obviously. But I cannot control, no chance. So, nobody wears masks in crowded places- More and more anxiety. So then what do I do? I stop going out. At least I can control the environment at home.
So this control freak tendency that we all have, rather than focus on the external, self mastery if one has, then irrespective of what is happening in and around you, you are fine. It’s a worthy goal.
In other words, कौशलम्- you do what you can in your different roles, and you also stop resisting people and situations for what they are. Not easy at all. Here is where self mastery is helpful and important.
Then of course, अपमान | Because we believe firmly, and this firm belief is without any विचार/inquiry, that I am not enough.
The moment someone hints at that- you didn’t cook this thing well, you didn’t do this particular job well. There was something missing, it didn’t have your touch.
So, only a hint, and then there is reaction, shut down.
Because honestly there aren’t many people who can handle criticism well.
A lot of people don’t do whatever they want to do because they are so afraid of being criticized.
Because criticism says that there’s something wrong with me.
Anyway I believe I’m not enough. Then, on top of it if someone else says there’s something wrong with me, then I am sinking. My self esteem is shaky, I’m fragile. And then I don’t know how to crawl out of the ditch I have dug myself in to.
So we have found helpful words to couch this, e.g. ‘constructive feedback’. So some corporates or organizations use performance appraisal as an opportunity for bashing the other person. Some people of course are a little more sensible than that and also use it as an opportunity to praise the employee, to also see how the employee has contributed, and also point out areas of growth.
And as long as one looks at it as a role, as a professional there is always scope to grow, there is always scope to improve one’s skills, maybe attitude, knowledge, and so on. Then it doesn’t hurt as much.
But when does it hurt? When the criticism is seen as an attack on oneself.
And when is it seen as an attack? When ‘I’ is the same as the work identity.
So it happens generally in two roles. One is that of a mother. Anybody says anything about you as a mother, then that person has had it. Because it is a very strong role.
Or a role of a work professional~ very touchy, very sensitive.
It takes a lot of maturity to say that the person is talking about the role. And I can objectively examine what the person is saying, maybe it may be true, it may not be true.
If there is a difference in perception, I want to present my position.
Because no longer are we working in organizations where we are expected to be slaves. Earlier there used to be very authoritarian organizations and you just have to say yes, yes, yes to everything. But the work cultures across organizations, across the world has changed. You do have a say on the table.
And so how do we handle अपमान is a question we have to ask, because all of us would have faced some sort of shaming from childhood onwards. So you may have been shamed because of your gender, or the way you look, or the friends-group that you belong to, or your clothes, something.
And there would have been enough instances again at work, even in relationships. In fact in very intimate relationships if people don’t have control over their anger, meaning that they end up saying the worst things when they’re angry, and not saying that- oh, I’m really raging with anger, let me just shut up, or I express that I am very angry with you, and that’s it. Stop. No more.
But, we end up really belittling the other person, diminishing the other person, and all the wonderful relationship that we built up and so on, everything gets overshadowed because of that bout of anger when you show अपमान/disrespect to the other person.
Nowadays children also say- oh, you’re not respecting my choices. There was a time when children would say- Oh, you don’t care for me, you know just emotional manipulation. Now, respect is very important, मान-अपमान |
So this अपमान, how do I handle it? First of all, we don’t like it. Okay, let’s be honest.
Secondly, if we think it’s coming, then we run away from it. Let’s say it comes, we face it, then this person is off my list. I don’t care for the other person. I don’t want to interact much with the other person, because this person said like this to me.
Then we cannot keep external external, then it’s playing on my mind.
Then there is doubt. Really, what that person said is true, not true? Then you think of all the instances where maybe it is true, and maybe it’s not true.
And then you’re seething, and really if it has hit a raw nerve, then you feel worse about yourself.
On the other hand, if you have mastery, you have objectivity enough to examine what the other person is saying and not be afraid of it.
So what if the person criticizes you? That needs to be the attitude- *So what?*
But no, there comes the राग, and then next statement- Nobody should criticize me. Right? Every राग has a quality of absolute, there is a ‘should’.
And then by holding on to the राग that nobody should criticize me-
– I am running away from criticism,
– nor can I examine whatever people say to me,
– nor can I respond to the criticism, because I’m always escaping.
I’m always afraid. I have overestimated how fragile I am.
Maybe I’m not so fragile.
And yes it hurt. So what about it?
No, I should not be hurt.
Who said that? As long as you are human, you will be hurt.
And because we are afraid of being hurt, we don’t interact with so many people.
But as you hurt, you also heal.
Because we see that the human beings are very inconsistent, starting with oneself.
And so there will be opportunities when you were hurt, when you hurt the other, when others hurt you. And yes, you try to minimize the instances that you hurt the other person, but sometimes just because of who you are the other person is insecure. You can’t do anything about it. Just because of who you are.
साधु-s are not spared in this matter, nor political leaders.
So somebody takes offense, we’ve heard about the recent assassination of the Japanese ex-Prime Minister, and will do certain actions like this.
So the mastery over मान-अपमान, that people say what they say,
so wear the shoe if it fits.
So, whether it’s praise or criticism, but more or less try and have a sense of composure.
Do not understand this verse as saying that- don’t be disturbed.
Learn to handle your disturbance.
Because all of us have disturbances in our lives. We do feel hurt and that’s okay. And you have found ways to deal with your hurt. Learn to express your hurt first of all, at least to yourself if not to the other person.
But generally when you express your hurt to the other person, the relationship actually becomes stronger, not weaker. Because you are being vulnerable enough to say that this hurt you and that you would request for something different from the other person.
ज्ञानविज्ञानतृप्तात्मा कूटस्थो विजितेन्द्रिय: ।
युक्त इत्युच्यते योगी समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चन: ॥ ८॥
So this person who has mastery, and who has composure, who is more or less okay with the binaries, that person is being described as a ज्ञानविज्ञानतृप्तात्मा |
तृप्ति: – there is satisfaction, there is deep contentment that comes from the knowledge of oneself.
Whenever the words ज्ञान and विज्ञान are used together,
then ज्ञानम् is generally referred to as परोक्ष ज्ञानम् – the वेद says that I am ब्रह्मन्, that is परोक्ष | परोक्ष means it’s not immediate for me.
विज्ञानम् means what the वेद says is true- I am ब्रह्मन्, therefore the वेद says.
So, ज्ञानविज्ञानतृप्तात्मा- the one who rests in the knowledge of oneself,
who is unchanging- कूटस्थ:,
and,
who has mastered the sense organs and organs of action enough for self discovery.
Do we need the kind of mastery to run a marathon? If marathon is indeed your goal in life, then please that means you need to have that mastery. Right?
Suppose you’re 75 years, what mastery you need? You decide according to your lifestyle. No, I just need to go around the house, and then maybe occasional trips, and running errands to go to the grocery. Are you able to do that at that age? Fantastic.
So depending on age and stage, you have to decide what kind of physical mastery you need.
So here this योगी,
the word योगी is being used now,
युक्त: इति उच्यते योगी – the one who is together is being called योगी, this composed person.
And an example is given in terms of the person’s response to different things. What are those different things?
सम – more or less okay,
लोष्टाश्मकाञ्चन: –
लोष्ट – a clump of earth, or
अश्म – a stone, or
काञ्चन: – gold.
So for this योगी who has some mastery, the response to these objects is more or less the same, meaning that there is no अध्यास on these objects. I don’t project a value on them that they don’t have.
So I’m objective, that yes gold is valuable. Why? Because of scarcity. And yes we trade in gold, and all of that. But all of these things they are not going to contribute to my security, as a person.
The word कूटस्थ: means unchanging.
So, ब्रह्म/आत्मा is anyway unchanging.
Here we are talking about relatively unchanging in the sense that,
a traditional metaphor that is given is the anvil, which the blacksmith or a goldsmith uses. The anvil is that which is steady, and on top of it there are different pieces of jewelry that are banged or sculpted into shape. The कूटस्थ i.e. the anvil doesn’t shake/change, but all that is on it, associated with it, that changes.
So I-the आत्मा unchanging.
And as a person also, you are very in touch with the fact that I am that aware, conscious being, and I have roles which are changing, and every day they are changing. Every day the way I relate to people, my response to them, the way I receive whatever stimuli, all that is changing, changing, changing, but I the conscious being is unchanging/कूटस्थ |
So the योगी through all this mastery has recognized that I am the calm in the center of all activities, or calm in the center of the storm. Calm means not running away from the storm, but calm in the center of the storm.
There is an example that is often given of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Now, whenever devotees talk about their गुरु-s, one has to be a little careful. Why? Because the way they talk about the गुरु sometimes may not be very objective.
So it’s a commonly stated example that one of the शिष्य-s wanted to test the वैराग्य of Sri Ramakrishna (Swami Vivekananda’s गुरु). So below his pillow at night, he put a gold coin. And then Sri Ramakrishna of course went to bed, and He’s tossing and turning, He cannot get sleep. He comes out and says that there is something in this room that I’m not able to get sleep. And the शिष्य says that- see, even a piece of gold disturbed my गुरु, look at the extent of वैराग्य |
So, the शिष्य has a value for gold. Sri Ramakrishna did not have that value for gold. And if other metal containers in the room did not affect Him, surely there would be a glass or a plate or something, then why would gold affect Him? But the शिष्य took His not getting sleep as a sign of His वैराग्य | So sometimes in the praise of गुरु-s, the devotee actually misunderstands the response of the गुरु |
So a lot of people praise भगवान् आदि शङ्कराचार्य because of कनकधारा-स्तोत्रम् | So, He composed this स्तोत्रम् when He had gone to a poor woman’s house for भिक्षा | She didn’t have much to give, and then He composed the स्तोत्रम् and then some gold coins started showering.
Now the greatness of भगवान् आदि शङ्कराचार्य lies in Him capturing the teaching tradition, and writing these extensive भाष्य-s.
But who cares for that? I care for the gold. And so the only thing that I can find praiseworthy about भगवान् आदि शङ्कराचार्य is that- see, He composed the स्तोत्रम् and gold coins started showering. He’s my man. I think if it worked for other families it might work for me, because that’s what’s important to me.
So we see how our subjectivity constantly colors the way that we look at the world.
This योगी is objective to different kinds of objects; is not looking at the object to contribute to my sense of security as a person.
Can gold buy things? Yes sure, we’re not saying no to that.
It’s not even swinging to the other extreme as is often praised of certain महात्मा-s. So one event was being organized and then the person said~ our महात्मा does not touch money.
Now because the great महात्मा does not touch money, other people have to touch money for the person’s sake. Touch money, hold money, use it for all kinds of transactions. And then this is praised as a great quality. The person has not touched money for many years. How does it make a difference?
Honestly, if you’re objective, whether you’re touching money or gold or whatever, any object has a value and that’s it.
Objective value not subjective value.
But because of this habit or idiosyncrasy, the organizers have to spend much more money to take care of this महात्मा | How about that? No, but of course it’s okay.
We can get very caught up with these facades because the person shows वैराग्य, freedom from what we value.
But actually it may not be the case. How can money disturb you? If you’re really secure in yourself, if you really realize the truth, you may be poor or you may be rich, in terms of wealth/money, but you don’t depend on that for your sense of security.
This means that you have grown so big, you know the truth.
In तैत्तिरीय-उपनिषद्, there is this word श्रोत्रियस्य चाकामहतस्य॥
So the person who’s been referred to as श्रोत्रिय and अकामहत: | These are a beautiful set of verses, that the person has destroyed or is free from binding desires.
Everybody needs things to survive. We’re not talking about that. But the extra value that we give it- oh, that without this my security is affected.
Because you know what is interesting is that when we had less money, let’s rewind to the time when we just started out, let’s say in your early 20s definitely you had less money, now far more, much more money. But the amount of concern, anxiety, worry at that time, vis-à-vis now, there will be a difference.
Now it’s about acquiring, managing, maintaining, getting ROI(return on investment), proper ROI, and so on. So much more thinking about it. I have to be secure, etcetera.
The attitude towards objects, for this योगी is objective.
Then how about relating to people? And different kinds of people are mentioned in verse number nine-
सुहृन्मित्रार्युदासीनमध्यस्थद्वेष्यबन्धुषु ।
साधुष्वपि च पापेषु समबुद्धिर्विशिष्यते ॥ ९॥
So if the wise person meets with a सुहृत्,
सुहृत् is someone who is kind and generous, and does not expect anything in return.
So different people are mentioned, and what is highlighted is the person, this योगी has समबुद्धि: i.e. has a sense of equanimity and is accommodating, has शान्ति: towards all of them.
So the person could be a सुहृत्- wishing well, not expecting a favor in return,
or the person could be a मित्र/friend,
or the person could be an अरि/enemy,
or the person could be an उदासीन i.e. a neutral person,
or the person could be a मध्यस्थ/arbitrator,
or द्वेष्य i.e. someone who dislikes you,
or could be a साधु |
साधु means good. So those who are familiar with conversational Sanskrit, very often we say साधु-साधु meaning it’s good-good. साधु-साधु प्रयोग, it has been used appropriately.
So we don’t say साधु-साधु i.e. good साधु since साधु means good so we don’t need this alliteration.
So साधु is a good person.
But now, look at this tragedy. साधु is now referred to as a संन्यासी | But all are supposed to be good/साधु | Why? Because धर्म is in your heart. Everybody is साधु, unless you’ve been corrupted.
Or, a wise person may meet a पापी i.e. one who is given to crime,
yet more or less is समबुद्धि: |
How can we appreciate this? Look at doctors, it is highly admirable. So let’s say there are these doctors who are serving in a prison, or who go there for medical checkups. Are you going to deny the people who have been booked for different kinds of crimes because they are in prison? Are you going to deny them medical treatment? It goes against your duty. And they just look at the health condition and okay, whatever I need to do, I do. That’s something that we can learn from these kinds of professions, where the person could be a पापी |
In regular life if we know that somebody has committed a crime or whatever it is, then we may avoid the person. Unless of course the person is in one’s own family then you have to see how to help the person. But, it comes with a lot of baggage. But a doctor does not have that luxury.
Or sometimes even the lawyers that are appointed by the government, because everybody has a right to the correct representation, so then the lawyer has to correctly represent the side of the terrorist, has to do the job.
So we can better appreciate, just like how doctors would deal with different kinds of people, so too a wise person is more or less the same with all of these different kinds of people.
And what is being highlighted is that the person is non-judgmental.
Because we see that everybody has their background, and everybody is subject to the laws of कर्म, their own कर्म of course, and so we don’t label/categorize people into a corner, and then stop interacting with them.
All of us want to be around people who are non-judgmental. All of us want to be around people who are unconditionally loving. The question we need to ask ourselves is- for me to have this reasonable expectation, or what I think is reasonable, am I willing to be non-judgmental, am I willing to be unconditionally loving. What is our answer? Because I have a right to expect something if I can do it, isn’t it? But if I don’t do it, how can I expect the other to accordingly respond?
We confuse being non-judgmental with having a non-judgmental response. For instance, suppose somebody does something wrong. Let’s say your partner had an extramarital affair. It has hurt you very deeply. Are you going to condemn the person for the rest of your life? People will say it depends. You felt betrayed, then you will have to look at the intent- did he or she intend to deceive you and betray you for a long long time? And if that be the case, then of course you would reconsider where you stand with the person.
But just because somebody committed a mistake once, and it could be an extramarital affair, or it could be anything else- just a mistake, something against धर्म, then are you always going to remind yourself, and the other person, that you know you did this this this, and you did that that that, whatever it is. And whether the current situation has any connection with that, you will want to punish the person with your words, again and again and again, because you cannot be accommodating of that person’s mistakes.
So when we are judgmental, we label the person, we push the person into a category, and the person cannot get out of that category. Otherwise, all hell will break loose. And that person made a mistake, and that person has to be punished for life.
One says~ ‘You see, I really value justice’- so, I can become very very self righteous about it.
So bad enough someone committed a mistake, but why are you perpetuating the mistake? Reminding both you & the person. Yes you made a mistake, yes, you made a mistake. And go on and on and on.
We do this in fights. We are not able to localize a fight, or a misunderstanding with a person.
You let things go, let’s say five years ago, then that something, some residue will come back. And you’ll say- that time I didn’t tell you five years ago, but this is what you did etc. We have to stop this.
Because you cause so much hurt, both to yourself and to the other person.
So we have to see the effect of what being judgmental does to us.
But don’t put one great condition on oneself- I am going to be non-judgmental. Then I become judgmental about being non- judgmental. It’s not about- I’m going to be intolerant towards intolerance. So we can get into that trap.
It is that- can you just accommodate. Accommodate means you just have to remind yourself of आकाश/space, it accommodates everything. Very beautiful. आकाश/space accommodates the 4 for महाभूत-s ~ वायु, अग्नि, आप, पृथ्वी, Everything. And they go about their business, आकाश/space is untouched.
So if you’re able to find a certain space in your heart that accommodates everyone.
That doesn’t mean that you don’t go by the justice system. So however flawed the justice system is that we live in society, if you commit an act of अधर्म, then there is a price to pay.
You can be non-judgmental i.e. accommodating about the person. But, at the same time there needs to be atoning for that behavior, and making amends. And if that means the person has to serve time in prison, then so be it. You will support it.
At all times you are still being non-judgmental, you are being accommodating.
And that’s what Swaminiji means when she says that being accommodating does not mean you are accommodating blindly in all your responses.
ॐ
Then, almost like an extension of verse १२ is verse १३ which is basically saying that there are different results for these both different kinds of उपासन-s.
अन्यदेवाहुः सम्भवादन्यदाहुरसम्भवात् ।
इति शुश्रुम धीराणां ये नस्तद्विचचक्षिरे ॥ १३ ॥
This मंत्र sounds a little similar to मंत्र १० |
So, the ones who know i.e. the wise people ~ धीराणाम् |
We have heard ~ शुश्रुम,
from these धीरा-s, who taught us.
What have we heard? That there are different results that arise ~ अन्यत् आहुः|
अन्यत् what? Results from सम्भव and असम्भव |
Now, two different words are being used for प्रकृति and हिरण्यगर्भ |
So for प्रकृति, the word is असम्भव, because it’s unmanifest. And सम्भव is the word that is being used for हिरण्यगर्भ/firstborn, or what we also say as cosmic mind, just for the quick translation.
So the results we have already spoken about, so they are different.
And the point that is being highlighted is that these being highest forms i.e. really exalted कर्म, what can they do maximum? They will perpetuate संसार, the cycle of becoming. The fact that you are living means that you are in संसार |
But there can be an acquired meaning for संसार in a regional language~ ‘संसार is family’. So it is very interesting. One of Swaminiji’s friends works with this conservation of art museum. When he used to work in Orissa, his wife was going for a jog and somebody came to him and said as much. So, look at it. We are so caught up that संसार, which is actually living in the world, which is the Sanskrit meaning, has become the wife and the partner, or the family.
And then because a lot of us are fed up, we think that संसार is opposed to us. But, संसार is not opposed to us. So I the-आत्मा, I am the basis of this entire संसार; not a problem.
And what I withdraw from, is this constant cycle of becoming. That while I may be working for improvement on certain matters, I am very clear about what it will give me and what it won’t.
For example, let’s say when somebody is expressing their hurt and anger towards me, my default pattern is I become quiet. I withdraw. Because I’m afraid, so better to keep quiet. Okay, some of us might be like that. The other person does not know what’s going on with you, because you have adopted this great strategy of silence. And the person is saying- Tell me something. Am I making sense? You have a different view? What is it? No.
Now here, I have to work on expressing myself. Right?
कौशलम् in the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता means I have to do my धर्म in this situation which requires me to express myself.
Oh, but when I express myself I am always misunderstood. Is the person dumb in front of you? Then you try to explain in a way that might be different, or you write it down. But if your purpose is to be understood, and to understand the other person, then think of a different strategy. So Swaminiji is just giving one example.
But, I may work on this, so that there is relative harmony in my life, alongside knowing very well that whatever happens, or doesn’t happen in any area of my life, the truth of who I am is unchanging. So I can abide in this knowledge, while I am working on some things that may require fine tuning. So, improving on a skill, or your attitude, or whatever it is, or your knowledge, is not opposed to your मोक्ष pursuit.
So, this is a very fine balance that we have to walk. Because sometimes we can get too caught up with this self improvement thing, and then we may not abide enough. Or, we will want to abide and then we will ignore all the other areas of our life, so that’s also not right.
So, उपासन when we look at it, it is important for us to include it in our daily or weekly schedule. And you can play around with one or two or three types of उपासन-s. But the emphasis is that all that is here is ईश्वर, whether you are praying to Shiva or Devi or Vishnu, whoever. And the उपासन need not be a conditioning for you. This is also something that a वेदान्त student has to keep in mind. E.g. if my इष्टदेवता is Shiva, and then somebody talks about Vishnu~ no, I wish Swaminiji gives example of Shiva. So there is a little put-off due to your conditioning. So you have to notice these things about yourself. Or for example~ Devi. I don’t really have much of a connection with Devi. Not Devi.
So my एक रूप भक्ति has to graduate to अनेक रूप भक्ति, that all of them have their different functions~ Shiva, Vishnu, Devi, Ganapati, and yes for whatever reason I resonate with one, yet I recognize all of them as illumining, they are देव-s & देवी-s. And just like I recognize all of them as aspects of ईश्वर, the people in my life, as we say pantheon of देवता-s & देवी-s, in your family also there is a pantheon of देवता-s & देवी-s.
In fact this is a very nice thing that Swaminiji likes and has seen especially in families in UP- so they will refer to the wife as देवी-जी, very nice, how beautiful is that? So, देवी-जी followed by whatever they have to say while talking. Sometimes they may use it sarcastically also, but it’s okay. So you’re referring to your wife as देवी ~ so nice, beautiful things about our culture, from the उपनिषद्-s actually.
So still all these people are there in your life, all manifestations of the देवता-s and so on.
And कर्म योग is basically seeing ईश्वर | There is no कर्म योग without ईश्वर |
So even as you’re doing the उपासन, you have already offered the result to भगवान् |
Even if you are working for a सिद्धि, let’s say that’s what you want. You want a सिद्धि, okay fine, the results are in ईश्वर’s hands.
Oh no, my मोक्ष pursuit, I am struggling and struggling. That also is in ईश्वर’s hands in many ways. Why? Because प्रतिबन्धक-s, you need help for some removal and so on.
So you made the effort. But then anyway, one मंत्र is coming up which refers to that.
So the next मंत्र, which is almost concluding the section of the उपासन-s and the results. Okay, so मंत्र number १४-
सम्भूतिं च विनाशं च यस्तद्वेदोभयं सह ।
विनाशेन मृत्युं तीर्त्वा सम्भूत्यामृतमश्नुते ॥ १४ ॥
So, उभयं सह ~ through the उपासन of both,
सम्भूति- here सम्भूति actually is असम्भूति | Because of सन्धि rules, the अकार is dropped in the beginning.
So सम्भूति and विनाश |
Now this विनाश word is being referred to for हिरण्यगर्भ | विनाश why? Because He’s born, प्रथम-ज (first-born). So then during प्रलय, there will be resolution, that’s all. Or else you say~ Oh हिरण्यगर्भ dead what is this?
So you can’t take the meanings of these words literally okay. You say~ I know Sanskrit. No no, no, please. Especially ईशावास्य उपनिषद् | You cannot understand it on your own. No way. Any उपनिषद् is that way, but particularly this one.
So, असम्भूति and विनाश ~ the उपासन of प्रकृति/शक्ति and the उपासन of हिरण्यगर्भ,
through both of them, through that worship, what can happen?
विनाशेन मृत्युं तीर्त्वा अमृतं अश्नुते |
So finally अमृतम् has come. So you can gain immortality. But how? I thought कर्म does not give you अमृतम्, what is this?
So, मृत्युं तीर्त्वा – so you will cross over death. Death standing for limited form and all that goes along with the limited form~ पाप, पुण्य, काम, कर्म, so on.
So what is being said is क्रममुक्ति | क्रम means sequence or progression.
So what happens is, which is also there in the eighth chapter of the भगवद्-गीता, there is a lot of mention there,
so depending on कर्म-उपासन combination, what happens is that you go to higher लोक-s.
Which is the greatest place that you can go to? No, not US, not Canada, it is ब्रह्मलोक straight.
ब्रह्मलोक and there of course ब्रह्मजी will teach you ब्रह्मविद्या |
So for people for whom status, power, position is important, so they will say- yeah all these locals, they’re all useless people, instead we will go straight to ब्रह्मलोक | But you have to do a lot of कर्म, a lot of उपासन |
But anyway, it’s an interesting thing- that who eventually you approach as a गुरु |
Or even if one is shopping~ oh, a person is popular, oh that means the person is wise. Right? Or, I never heard of this person, must be useless. So it shows, popularity equals wisdom. Some people believe that, almost everyone believes that.
So, this अमृतं अश्नुते eventually- because ब्रह्मजी will teach you, you get to hang around in ब्रह्मलोक | What a लोक ! Like you’re hanging around with the who’s-who, all the देवता-s and so on, what we might refer to as celebrities. Anywhere you look, floating around, देवता-s, what joy, what comfort, what pleasure. So you have fun, you enjoy.
And then ब्रह्मजी of course is very busy with the whole creation. So only at the end of the कल्प ब्रह्मजी can teach, otherwise ब्रह्मजी is very busy.
So then क्रममुक्ति is possible and that is what is being referred to here.
That since you are keen on कर्म, go all out, do all कर्म, do all उपासन, but be very, very clear that the result is अनित्य |
That you traveled here on Earth, enjoyed your travel, enjoyed your vacations, well you can go to different लोक-s, but with what mind are you going? The same insecure mind, okay.
So, initially the travel to a place seems exciting. Any place. But then you know what happens, what people say. People are looking for change, transformation, at their own pace. So only so much, little change is okay. Then suddenly you travel, and you are met with some strange encounters. Then, all the views you held are challenged. You say- okay, fine, no more travel for me.
Or you are hungry for more. You say- oh, I have to go back, I will explore and so on.
Whatever we are exposed to, does it challenge my identity?
If it challenges my identity, I don’t want to do it, generally.
So this क्रममुक्ति, eventually, in time, you’re working slowly, slowly, slowly,
अंतःकरणशुद्धि and अंतःकरणनैश्चल्यम्,
and this is for those people who say मोक्ष is not possible in this lifetime.
They have decided.
So either they are being too harsh with themselves. They think- I don’t think I have the अधिकारित्वम् |
Or maybe their मुमुक्षुत्वम् is only very मन्द/lukewarm.
So Swaminiji did a lot of plain speaking with one particular group, and Swaminiji may put up that video.
When it comes to work, suppose if your boss says- today you need to work nine hours instead of seven hours. You’re not going to negotiate. Nine hours, okay I’ll put more time. Ultimately the deliverable is what matters, I will work hard.
But when it comes to साधन, we start negotiating. Right? So do three माला-s. Can I do one माला? Why are you negotiating with me? Why did you ask me in the first place?
Or, when it comes to cooking an elaborate meal, just do one dish, do kitchree. No, no, I don’t mind, I’ll wake up early, I will make an elaborate spread.
Or Divali is coming. You have enough money. That’s not the problem. Don’t buy anything. No, no, no. Not like that. No. How can you celebrate Divali without buying anything new? What is this? At least one थाली we have to buy. Is this Divali without buying anything?
Or वेदान्त camp is coming up, so of course some people may have some prior commitment, so Swaminiji is not talking about that, or classes.
So to what extent, or not even to what extent. The kind of commitment, the quality of commitment that we show to our work, is the same quality of commitment shown in the वेदान्त pursuit?
Swaminiji is not talking about the number of hours, वेदान्त will always be less, and that’s how it needs to be. Even if one is doing one or two hours a week of class, then related to the class, knowing what मंत्र-s we have done in the past in the same text, not in another text, so what has come before, what has come after. Thinking about it doesn’t require lots of time, whatever is the related साधन, if at all.
So one’s own पूजा, जप, doesn’t take much time, half an hour let’s say every day.
The quality of commitment for the वेदान्त pursuit, vis-à-vis the way you are going about your work projects, or going for events- somebody’s engagement, somebody’s housewarming, etc., etc.
If that quality of commitment is lukewarm, then it is better that one sticks to कर्म and उपासन |
And this is not something that you can rev up- Oh, I will have तीव्र मुमुक्षुत्वम् | You can’t will yourself to have it. Only with विवेक there will be some मुमुक्षुत्वम् |
Only when you are examining your life’s experiences, seeing what is नित्य, what is अनित्य and so on, and as Pujya Swamiji said वेदान्त 24/7- so I am abiding inधर्म, ईश्वर is becoming more and more real for me, कर्म योग is coming into all areas of my life, not selectively.
So you have to be in it for the long haul. It’s a long term commitment, it’s not a short term thing.
Oh, I committed to a class. No. Class just becomes an instrument to tap into your longer term commitment, isn’t it?
So then it’s good to be clear and say- okay, you know what? Maybe I need to do उपासन |
Actually, Swaminiji knows of one or two people like this. So either they were too harsh on themselves and they said- Oh my God, I have been in वेदान्त for 10-15 years, and I’m struggling, struggling, struggling, so then they went into श्रीविद्या उपासन | They never came back.
Okay, so everyone is different.
The lure of comfort and convenience is such that for us, it is not ईशा वास्यं जगत् सर्वम्, it is convenience वास्यं जगत् सर्वम् |
So class is offline. Oh, we have to travel two hours for one-hour class, so inconvenient.
Oh camp is coming up. We have to travel for that. Oh so inconvenient.
Oh जप is to be done. I have to wake up early in the morning, that means I have to sleep earlier in the night. Oh, it’s not comfortable at all. Whatever I do, I must do correctly you know, so no point trying to do जप then just nodding away to sleep. No, no, no.
So I have to learn a little Sanskrit. Oh, it is so uncomfortable. No matter how many times I repeat, it doesn’t enter only. There is one thing about it entering, and then you don’t know where it is. It doesn’t enter only, what to do.
Then learning chanting. So many times you have to repeat, like a mechanical tape recorder. No, no, no, no. It should be fun. I want excitement, I want something more.
So this comfort, convenience is becoming more and more our criteria for deciding.
So when comfort becomes the criteria, then where is तितिक्षा? One of the qualities of अधिकारित्वम् is तितिक्षा ~ सहिष्णुत्वम् |
So then- Okay, I’ll forget it. As in Mumbai slang~ Why bother? Just enjoy. Go for वेदान्त class. Go for camp. Enjoy. Then, we will pick up the thread in the next lifetime. Or we will do lots of कर्म, उपासन because it feels soo nice. Then we will do more of that. Maybe we will go to ब्रह्मलोक | So, don’t think so much about it.
So, you can take that stand. We are anyway free.
Both relatively and also absolutely free. So wherever you go, anyway you are ब्रह्मन्, you have to come back to yourself only.
So the उपासन can be used for ज्ञान योग्यता प्राप्ति | But for that my संकल्प of अंतःकरणशुद्धि has to be clearly articulated.
Because if I keep saying my 20 राग-s have to be fulfilled, and I want अंतःकरणशुद्धि, then they are kind of opposed to each other.
And there also we will bargain. So these 20 राग-s please fulfill, but I want to be free from राग |
What? You want to be free from राग, but you want the राग to be fulfilled? How does that happen?
Or you can be honest and say- yes, I want these राग-s to be fulfilled. And yes, I am learning to grow. That by the fulfillment of these राग-s, that sense of incompleteness I have, and the emotional growth that I need, I will get.
So, I can be honest about it. That yes, I want अंतःकरणशुद्धि भगवान्, but you know please these राग-s you fulfill, so that in the fulfillment of these राग-s may I be free from the राग | That’s a very beautiful prayer to have.
Because all of us will have certain राग-s which are very, very compelling and binding. And no point putting yourself down because you have those राग-s. It’s okay. If that’s what you need, that’s what you need. Full stop.
But may I be free. Let’s say that whatever is my goal post, maybe 5-10 things I definitely want for it to happen in my life, related to family and so on, so please help me fulfill that, please give them some बुद्धि:, etc. Whatever they need, let them have it.
And let me be free from the dependence that X, Y and Zed needs to happen in their life. Because I trust that you are there. We have to recognize again and again that all the ऋषि-s, all the पितृ-s, all the देवता-s, all the गुरु-s, all the सिद्ध-s, they are all always there with us, if of course we choose to invoke their grace.
This feeling alone, isolated, lonely, etc. is because we have become very arrogant~ I only have to do everything. Aye, you have so much help. देवता-s are blessing you all the time. And you take blessings and help of local देवता-s also, they will be there.
But we say~ I only have to do, I only have to do.
So, take help. And know that they are always there with you, whether you do उपासन or not. Look at that.
You know Ganapati, today is Chaturthi, this is why Swaminiji is making particular mention of Ganapati. He doesn’t say please do उपासन now on me, otherwise I am not going to clear these obstacles in your way. No. He continues to bless all the time.
उपासन will help with अंतःकरणशुद्धि if indeed मोक्ष is my articulated pursuit.
If I’m looking at मोक्ष as a means/साधन, not सध्याम्, it is a साधन for me to improve my life. It is like this for a lot of people. Only improve my life. Then मोक्ष~ who cares? I should have peace of mind. For that you don’t need to come to वेदान्त |
So only peace of mind I want- then you can do a lot of other things.
So this दृढ निष्ठ, निष्ठ is not ज्ञान निष्ठ, the निष्ठ is मुमुक्षुत्वम्, it has to be very strong for us to say that I want it in this lifetime. Only those are blessed. Otherwise we are not able to enjoy the वेदान्त pursuit, nor are we able to enjoy संसार |
So then, there is a prayer ~ मंत्र number १५, which is a very beautiful prayer, and it can have two interpretations but we will look at it next time…
ॐ
योगी युञ्जीत सततमात्मानं रहसि स्थित: ।
एकाकी यतचित्तात्मा निराशीरपरिग्रह: ॥ १०॥
So continuing with the theme of what a life of योग is about, this verse is a prelude to the verses on meditation.
And here the योगी is being referred to as the meditator. ध्याता ~ योगी |
So what is the meditator or the योगी supposed to do? युञ्जीत् |
युञ्जीत्, योग, युज्य etc. are all from the same धातु |
So may the meditator join his or her mind with what is the object of meditation.
How often to do this? सततम्~ constantly.
Huh, constantly? I have a lot of things to do- I have bills to pay, and dishes to wash, and laundry to do etc… Well, as often as you can.
What for and how? With a relaxed body and mind.
So may the meditator, with a relaxed body and mind, join or unite his or her mind with the object of meditation. Object of meditation is always भगवान्, unless stated otherwise.
So why is there a need to unite? Because we feel our minds have moved away.
So the mind is with what the partner is doing in the office, why he or she did not answer my phone calls. Again and again you’re thinking~ did something go wrong, is there an emergency, or what is this? Or because we had an argument, that’s why he did not answer. So we know how thoughts are on loop. Or is the person having an affair? You know how the mind goes, it can always go to an extreme.
So the mind cannot be with the object of meditation, even if you try.
You start- Om Namah Shivaaya. After the third ‘Om Namah Shivaaya’, it will go somewhere. So because it’s all over the place, therefore, may you unite the mind.
Then what else?
एकाकी – remaining on your own, in a quiet place. Why quiet place? Because we can get distracted with different kinds of noise. Even the voice of Ganga can be distracting. You try to sit on Ganga’s banks and meditate, especially in Gangotri. It’s very noisy, obviously because Ganga is roaring.
So quiet place why? These are all initial steps. Because we have not learnt to meditate despite noise.
So whatever be the external distractions- sounds, sights, fragrances also. If you put agarbatti and meditate, some people do it, we don’t necessarily recommend it, unless the place is not smelling so nice. Because then your mind will be arrested with the agarbatti. So minimal external stimuli to the extent possible.
So that’s in terms of the place.
No, but you know, we are spiritual partners, me and my partner will meditate together, holding hands. That’s not meditation. So you are enjoying a wonderful time together, please enjoy, but don’t call it meditation.
So एकाकी – that you are okay to be on your own.
All of us are related, and we hopefully enjoy good relationships with so many different people- parents, siblings, children, professionals, friends, etc. But recognizing that this is your pursuit, and you are the one who is choosing to meditate, and you are okay to be on your own.
For some people, a fear of abandonment can come up when you’re on your own, especially when you close your eyes. Then you’re thinking~ oh, did I lock the door, something may happen, what will happen? etc.
So, you’re okay to be on your own- एकाकी |
एकाकी यत-चित्त-आत्मा निराशी: अपरिग्रह: ~
Because of the disposition of कर्म योग,
the person is free from आशी: i.e. free from this constant longing/craving,
and is also free from ग्रहणम् i.e. the need to gather/hoard.
All of us suffer from this hoarding disease, whether it might be clothes, utensils, books. So like that everybody has something.
So the one who sits in meditation, learns to drop all roles.
When you meditate, you are not a mother or father, a professional or friend, you are just a simple person.
So just as you take your footwear off when you enter the house, you have dropped that role of the professional who’s walked into the house, and then maybe you wear some other footwear, or maybe you don’t, whatever it is.
You drop all roles. You are now a भक्त, because that role you cannot drop.
If you are a भक्त/devotee, which means that you see your connection with भगवान्, irrespective of how close or not so close you are with people in your life, then you are ever a भक्त/devotee- someone who has discovered some affection for भगवान्, maybe some gratitude for all that one has received.
And that भक्त is the one who sits in meditation.
You can be a भक्त if you are a कर्म योगी |
Because before you sit for meditation you have done, or you are yet to do the tasks for the day. Suppose let’s say you’re going to meditate in the morning. Then, you’re not meditating on your to do list. Because you have prepared for it. Generally, it’s always better to prepare your to do list the night/evening before. So these are things you’re going to get to next day, if you’re alive of course. Then, the day is to unfold but I am relaxed about it. Because I trust myself to do my best in all my roles and that कर्म I offer unto भगवान् |
So as I wake up, and I’m going to sit to meditate, I am not a professional, I am not a mother, I’m not a father, I’m not a child, I’m not a sister, no role.
But I am going to be performing these roles, but the way I do it is I am a भक्त-professional, भक्त/devotee first. So as a भक्त-professional, I see whatever is to be done~ Oh my God, there is lots of havoc at the office, so people are putting in their papers. Yeah, okay, we’ll get to it. That’s fine, we’ll get to it.
So as a भक्त I am alive to reality, whatever is the reality of the work situation,
and I offer my कर्म unto भगवान्, i.e. भक्त-professional, भक्त-partner, भक्त-mother, भक्त-father.
Devotee first always. So then I’m ever relaxed throughout the day, because whatever is unfolding, it is all shaped by the laws of कर्म, all the way it is a blessing. Yes, some of it may be very unpleasant, very bitter, I cannot swallow it also, I will take my time to swallow. Sometimes, some things can be very shocking and difficult to digest, so some situations might be like that.
Whatever it is, I am objective, relaxed and cheerful because I am a भक्त and a कर्म योगी |
So now I am ready to meditate. Not before this.
This is a very important aspect of traditional learning. We do not introduce meditation at the beginning. Why? Whether you look at योग सूत्र-s or भगवद्-गीता, first we need to sort out our lives, we need to have some balance. धर्म needs to play a part and be the universal framework of our functioning, and that takes some time.
Because if you really look at the kinds of things that disturb us, it is because I have not performed my धर्म, there is guilt.
*Let’s try this*
Be quiet for one minute. Close your eyes, and just allow your mind to go wherever it wants, no holding back. 1,2,3 start…
Okay, so where did the mind go? What were the kind of thoughts that are coming? So all different kinds of things, right? For some the to-do list, or some things from the past, or tasks to be done after class. For some the mind was rebelling~ I’ve been asked to wander, I’m going to stay right here.
So now the the mind that wanders is a very good mind. It’s important to have a wandering mind because for any kind of learning, your mind needs to move. Otherwise, you will freeze- the mind will freeze, thought will freeze. Then, no new learning can take place. So don’t be upset if your mind wanders. Very good if the mind wanders.
Now, the mind brings up certain things that can be my longing ~ आशी: |
So I value efficiency, and therefore I’m thinking of all the things I have to do, because that gives me a lot of तृप्ति/satisfaction. Or, one may say~ the satisfaction is not for me, it’s for others. But whatever it is, there are things to be done and it gives me a lot of satisfaction.
Well, you will get to it after 10 minutes, or maybe after the class. Of course you’re going to get to the tasks. The disadvantage of an online class is that people can escape at any time, especially if Swaminiji cannot see one’s screen, that’s why Swaminiji keeps encouraging people~ please I want to see you all. So Swaminiji doesn’t know if people are listening or not listening, one can escape.
निराशी: – I am relaxed about the fact that yes I have things to do but right now, I am focused on my task, which is to meditate.
We have still not started meditating, just getting ready.
Then, अपरिग्रह: |
So all the things that I need, whatever I have gathered I want to preserve.
So after so long we are together as a family. After so long I managed to acquire certain things because of the bonus. Then how shall I preserve it? How shall I maintain?
योगक्षेम – Our whole life goes in this acquiring & maintaining.
So after so long, I have my reputation, everybody’s looking up to me, I have to maintain it. Or I bought this new property, and even before we have moved in we are only trying to fix all the problems with it. And wherever you move, there will always be some light is not working, bulb is not okay, then some problem with the drainage, something~ the electricity, or cracks in the wall. Whatever you acquire, there will be problems with it.
And one’s whole life can go in just managing this. And even though one is managing all of this, the gift that you have been given i.e. the mind, are you only going to use the mind for just managing tasks? Or, as a भक्त/devotee, you will spend some time inquiring into the nature of भगवान्, and deepening your relationship with भगवान् |
So whatever you are doing during the day, you are offering it to भगवान् ~ कौशलम्, and you are learning to accept graciously. Swaminiji did not say you are accepting, she said that you are learning to accept. Or maybe you are doing ‘A’ of accepting, not the full word ‘accepting’, because so much resistance is there.
So one is learning to accept myself, learning to accept people, learning to accept situations.
So this योगी has not yet started meditating, but is still very sorted because of कर्म योग | This योगी has got the right attitude to life, is learning to make peace with one’s कर्म, is learning to make peace with one’s parents, children, or the lack of children, making one’s peace with the amount of money you have, or whatever you have, and so on. So basically making peace with the law of कर्म |
Because according to the law of कर्म, पुण्य-पाप has fructified into सुख-दु:ख in my life. This is my own कर्म fructifying.
Oh, but you don’t know what I went through. Well, whatever you went through, it’s related to your previous lifetimes. Maybe this lifetime’s कर्म cannot account for the difficulties that one has gone through, but definitely previous lifetimes’ कर्म.
So now that the person is a devotee, because the roles have been dropped, and the योगी is free from this inner pressure to think about~ what to do next, what to do next, I wished for, I hoped for, I long for, I crave for – so free from all that.
And free from acquiring, preserving, maintaining. Just for 10 minutes okay, then you can get back to that, if you so wish to get back to that state.
So for these 10-15 minutes, I am ready to meditate.
If I attempt to meditate prematurely, then the most disturbing activity will be meditation for me. That’s why a lot of people say that I can’t meditate~ then good, don’t even try it. Because all that you have buried in your conscious, subconscious, of course there’s a lot sitting there in the unconscious, it will start bubbling and it will come to the surface. So all the things that one has not resolved. There will be incidents from the past that will come, that’s just the nature of the subconscious mind. You can’t say~ No, shut up, you should not come. No, you can’t do that. It will come. Sometimes it will come with a vengeance.
So that’s why people don’t like to sit quietly. Because they think that if I sit quietly, I get very disturbed.
Hey, you are with yourself. What a joy, it’s nice to be me.
But, no no no it’s not nice to be me. I cannot be on my own. I need company, or if nothing else my playlist always has to be on, or the TV has to be on, the laptop has to be on, because I am escaping myself.
The भगवद्-गीता does not teach us to escape. In fact भगवद्-गीता says~ hey, why don’t you face yourself because you’re actually quite beautiful.
So facing oneself, being on one’s own, and being a devotee, free from these cravings, and the need to gather, then the person is ready to meditate.
Now a lot of us will think~ well I’m definitely not ready to meditate.
Don’t worry. Don’t be harsh on yourself.
Relatively free. See maybe earlier you had 30 cravings, now maybe you have 20. Okay, that’s good enough.
Or earlier putting food on the table may have been a problem, now it’s okay- we can enjoy what we have.
So the worries may be different. And honestly we have very few worries. Most of our worries are our reactions that are born from our resistance to people and situations and to myself.
Why am I like this? I shouldn’t be like this. Why is that one like this? My partner like this? After 20 years also this person is like this, when is this person going to change? We have still not learnt to accept.
Or the situation is not changing. Why my parents cannot just put finger on lips and take medicine? Why do they have to question everything? Why do they not go along with my medical regimen? etc. etc.
So enough moments of frustration in everyone’s life.
यत-चित्त-आत्मा ~ so the one who is together, that person, now meditates.
How to meditate? First of all we have to find a place…
So, what does the discipline of meditation require?
शुचौ देशे प्रतिष्ठाप्य स्थिरमासनमात्मन: ।
नात्युच्छ्रितं नातिनीचं चैलाजिनकुशोत्तरम् ॥ ११॥
So, in a clean place- शुचौ देशे,
may you sit on an आसनम् |
What can an आसनम् look like? Of course this is if you’re sitting cross-legged, or you’re sitting on a chair, it’s okay.
The definition of आसनम् in योग सूत्र-s ~ स्थिरं सुखं आसनम् | So that is the definition.
So then what is an आसन? So some posture which is stable, firm. And it is सुखम्, it is pleasant.
So initially if it is unpleasant, we make it pleasant. How? By repeating it again and again.
So some people we see so comfortably they do शीर्षासन i.e. standing on their head. They can stay there, and then you have to tell~ no, no, no, come down, come down, don’t stay there.
So of course through आसन, अष्टाङ्गयोग, or any other form of physical discipline, one can train the body such that in any posture/आसन, there is सुखम् | So, don’t think that my most comfortable आसन is sitting, that is स्थिरं सुखं आसनम्, this is my only आसनम् | No. Any आसन/posture can be सुखम्, can be comfortable, happy, pleasurable, and it can be firm/stable. So then your endurance, strength, flexibility, all that comes in.
So आसन means posture, as well as the seat.
So in साधु-language we don’t say~ where do you live? We say~ where is your आसन? i.e. where do you sit to meditate? That is how you say because obviously where you sit to meditate, that’s where you stay.
There is some description here given as to how the आसन needs to be made.
So when people would meditate in earlier days, in quiet places, and also on one’s own, then it might be on mountains, or near rivers and so on. And so the floor/ground can be damp. So this is all in nature, natural surroundings. So therefore keep a grass mat.
Then, on top of this an animal skin. What? I thought साधु-s practice अहिंसा?
Generally deer skin is preferred because it’s very clean- the deer keeps it clean, and it is also very easy to maintain.
So this is only if a skin has been given to you. Don’t say I cannot meditate if I don’t have deer skin.
Because a lot of साधु-s lived in the forest, or in or around, and then of course animals get killed, and then some hunter as सेवा would say~ Oh please, the skin will keep the ground warm. So they might remove the skin and give it.
And on top of it, a soft cloth. Because if you’re sitting on grass, then you’re going to start itching very soon. So that cannot be the order.
So this is what is suggested. You don’t say~ I don’t have any soft cloth, so I cannot meditate.
This is like someone was telling- You know I am going to start writing. I have a book in me. I am going to write. But for that I need to go and buy a Moleskine.
Huh, what is the connection? You write with your hand, and you write on paper, or you’re typing it.
No, I want to write in a nice book.
Okay, get it then.
Yeah, I will get to it soon.
So, that’s like classical procrastination.
So, the main thing that is being suggested here is that you sit on something that’s comfortable. So if you’re sitting on a chair, then you can put something on the chair. Basically, it’s comfortable. But if you are meditating outside, then definitely take an आसन्, all these are available.
Then what? What else?
Don’t sit in a very high place. And Pujya Swamiji would joke~ Don’t sit on a barstool. Don’t say~ oh I’m going to the bar and then I’m going to meditate. I meditate best when I have tequila. No, please don’t do that.
Or, even if you have a barstool at home, and you say okay, I’m going to sit straight. Well, the chances are if you become sleepy, we don’t want you to fall. That can happen.
And न अति नीचम् also~ don’t sit very low. This is of course in the context of caves, where waters can come in, or a lot of creepy crawlies will be there to disturb your meditation. So don’t sit very low. Just find a neutral kind of place. And sit on this आसन् |
तत्रैकाग्रं मन: कृत्वा यतचित्तेन्द्रियक्रिय: ।
उपविश्यासने युञ्ज्याद्योगमात्मविशुद्धये ॥ १२॥
Then, तत्र एकाग्रं मन: कृत्वा –
So now that you found the right place. At home you can have a designated place, it’s nice if you have. Or where you have your पूजा corner/room. So there you can sit. Find any place where you’re not going to be disturbed basically. And in time, that place reminds you of meditation, or it could be जप also.
So we need all these external factors to condition ourselves in a nice way, so that even when you sit you’re relaxed. Because now you’re getting familiar with and comfortable enough. But not so comfortable that you will slouch and collapse and fall off to sleep.
Then, making your mind one-pointed ~ एकाग्रम् | एकाग्रता is also one of the qualities of a वेदान्त अधिकारी | एकाग्रता meaning one-pointedness. You know the kind of focus that we have when we’re watching something on Netflix, or Amazon Prime which is of great interest to us. Whether you’re hungry, not hungry, something’s happening around you, you don’t care, you are just so riveted. One-pointedness. The object of your one-pointedness can be different, but the quality of one-pointedness all of us have.
Nobody can say- oh, you know what, I cannot focus. I don’t believe you. I don’t agree with you. There will be something that you can be focused about. And so that’s a quality, a skill that you can translate to another area of your life.
यत चित्तेन्द्रिय क्रिय: – So the one who has relatively mastered the mind and senses.
Mastered the mind meaning I am now going to sit to do ‘Om Namah Shivaaya’. That’s where my mind will stay. Even if it goes all over, I will bring it back. Mastery.
I don’t know. I started thinking, and then my mind went somewhere else. And then oh after 15 minutes, oh please let this meditation stop. I’m very upset, I’m suffocating, and so on and so forth. Oh, it’s just too much to handle.
Then meditation is not a good idea. That’s why we’re saying relatively.
If your mornings are too rushed, if you are not too relaxed, either you can say- yes, my mornings are rushed, I can wake up a little earlier and try to meditate, and I will train myself to be relaxed in the morning. I can do that. Or- No no, you don’t know how my mornings are. Okay, well then it’s better you meditate in the evening. So, it’s different things for different people.
उपविश्यासने – so now that the place is sorted, you sit comfortably.
And why are you doing this by the way?
युञ्ज्यात् योगम् आत्मविशुद्धये – For the purpose of आत्मशुद्धि |
But आत्मा is नित्य बुद्ध शुद्ध मुक्त आनन्द, so आत्मा does not need any शुद्धि, आत्मा is free anyway from पुण्य-पाप |
Here the word आत्मा refers to the mind for आत्मशुद्धि | How आत्मशुद्धि?
The more and more one’s mind is seen to be pervaded by भगवान्, the more and more one sees that one’s life is pervaded by भगवान्, the more शुद्धि there is.
Because whether my राग is fulfilled, or द्वेष is fulfilled e.g. I’m able to avoid the people that I don’t like, it’s all okay. Some situations are unfolding, certain things I can do, I can’t do etcetera. Okay, whatever it is, it’s fine. It is all ईश्वर |
So the residual रागद्वेष that is there, or the रागद्वेष that I want to fulfill is very important for me in my life. I trust that ईश्वर will help me align with धर्म, and also help me fulfill it. No problem. So I am meditating for आत्मशुद्धि |
There are two things we talked about- आत्मशुद्धि and आत्मनैश्चल्यम् (steadiness). Let’s say I am relatively free from रागद्वेष, maybe some two or three रागद्वेष are there. Can I stay with the chant? That one-pointedness, steadiness is very, very important. And therefore a repetitive thought is given in the form of a chant. Of course, a chant is really an invocation. It’s like if you want to call to someone. So I say- Oh, Sonal are you there? Oh, you are there. So it’s just a word, the name Sonal. But what I have done is I have invoked all of her. It’s not like the finger first came. The moment her name was said, all of her was there.
So मंत्र is like that. When you say ‘Shiva’, you are invoking all of Lord Shiva, for whatever you are seeking or not seeking, etc., for whatever that be.
So now, being ready to meditate, what else do you need to do? Okay, there are some more steps-
समं कायशिरोग्रीवं धारयन्नचलं स्थिर: ।
सम्प्रेक्ष्य नासिकाग्रं स्वं दिशश्चानवलोकयन् ॥ १३॥
When you sit, may your body/काय, शिर/head, and your ग्रीव/neck, like नील-ग्रीव we say for Lord Shiva.
So may all of it be in one straight line. This means basically that your back is straight.
This is a very important thing to be done. You’re not like sitting on a rocking chair, nor are you slouching. You’re sitting straight.
And you have to,
सम्प्रेक्ष्य – you look at,
the tip of your nose – नासिका-अग्रे |
So, if you try to do that, then you will say~ oh, I will become cross-eyed. No, no, no. Because if you do too much of it then your eyes start paining. What the point here is- that you don’t completely close your eyes that you go to sleep, because that’s our association. For years and years and years, if you close your eyes completely then sooner or later, because we are all so sleep deprived, we go to sleep.
So just a little sliver of light, a little bit. That’s why they say नासिकाग्रं |
Then of course Pujya Swamiji would joke. He said~ I’m being politically incorrect. People who have very tiny noses, what will they do? They cannot see the tip of their nose. Then, does that mean they cannot meditate? Or do they need to put something on their nose so that they can see it, like Pinocchio. No, no, they don’t need to do any of that. That’s the point.
So slightly your eyes are open, and you’re trying to focus. You don’t have to see the tip of your nose, you attempt to see the tip of your nose. It’s important for focus so that you’re not looking all over.
If you try to meditate with your eyes open, and that is also important, later on we will do it, then because of the power of associative thinking, you will not be able to meditate.
You just look at the wall in front of you, right now, wherever you are. You will find something that needs fixing. Something can be different about it etc. Or maybe not this wall, but maybe this other wall~ something. You know, all those books are lying there, oh I need to sort it out. So, associative thinking.
So that’s why we reduce all stimuli, and close your eyes. Because it’s the nature of the mind to jump. And as of now, we just want the mind to stay. So these are all initial preparatory steps.
प्रशान्तात्मा विगतभीर्ब्रह्मचारिव्रते स्थित: ।
मन: संयम्य मच्चित्तो युक्त आसीत मत्पर: ॥ १४॥
Then, being the one who is प्रशान्तात्मा, who is tranquil,
and who is विगतभी: i.e. who is free from fear.
Who has fear? The अहंकार i.e. the individual.
And the fear may be from a mosquito, or it may be from a person, or a situation, or whatever. We’re not going into the specifics.
But I the individual am threatened. There is a risk to something~ either my possessions, my loved ones, this body-mind and I don’t know if I can handle it. I am not in touch with the resources I have, with the support system I have, and my worry is that I will be just washed over. So, fear.
How has the कर्म योगी dealt with fear? Fear is one of the many emotions, I allow fear to be there. Why? Because fear is a part of the psychological order that is ईश्वर | Fear has a protective function to play. If you go to the edge of a cliff and you are not bungee jumping, or doing any other adventure sport, will you feel fear? Well you better feel fear. This protective mechanism is given to you.
So what has the कर्म योगी done – I feel fear, I can handle my fear most times, but I don’t resist the fear. I allow myself to feel it.
But just hearing that I’m getting more and more fearful. So, these kinds of things are better done in person when you do exercises like these. But you allow yourself to experience the palpitations going on- Okay, this is ईश्वर | But it has to be reduced to a relatively lesser level for me to say this.
We cannot say- oh the tiger is approaching me, this is ईश्वर | You can say that of course. Tiger is also ईश्वर, you are also ईश्वर, whatever happens is also ईश्वर | Okay, fine. So, at an absolute level this completely works. Even you running away from the tiger is ईश्वर | Don’t think that is not okay.
So relatively you have managed your fears. And you see it as ईश्वर all the way- this psychological order of cause and effect, some incident in your life, e.g. I don’t have enough money~ oh what will I do further, the rate of inflation, the cost of living etc. Oh my God, what will I do? What will I do? What will I do?
Enough. You say ‘what will I do’ 20 times and the heart will start with its palpitations. Anyone can try this if you want to feel anxiety.
The ज्ञानी will experience fear, which is more due to the limbic system, because the human medium is there. And so that fear is not a debilitating fear, it is the fear belonging to the human medium. But I don’t define myself by the fear. If I have to be eaten up by the tiger, so be it. If I have to be maimed by the tiger, so be it. If I have to escape from the tiger, so be it.
So of course you will respond appropriately to the seemingly fearful situation. But you don’t define yourself by the fear. The fear of course will be at a very minimal level, at a physiological very minor level, because the human medium is like that.
All along the vision is very clear that the tiger is also me. And if at all something gets affected~ body gets affected, so be it. That’s fine.
र्ब्रह्मचारि-व्रते स्थित: –
So र्ब्रह्मचारी ~ committed to the life of discipline. र्ब्रह्मचारी is often translated as celibacy, but if literally you are looking at it, so the one who walks the path of ब्रह्मन्, the one who seeks to know ब्रह्मन् |
So, therefore a disciplined life of श्रवणम्, मननम् i.e. listening to the शास्त्र, thinking about it alongside other things. This is the preparation.
So, having a relatively tranquil mind,
being free from fear because fear can keep us awake and preoccupied,
and with some discipline in one’s life,
may the person sit with मन: संयम्य i.e. समत्वम्,
and मत् च्चित्त: – may this meditator think of me. Me referring to भगवान् श्री कृष्ण, since Lord कृष्ण is speaking as भगवान् | So, may the person think of me.
And of course because of the संयम्य, the person has got the discipline of withdrawing attention from everything else.
So then as you start to chant, or you are visualizing because ध्यान श्लोक is there before you start to chant.
So, if you’re seeing Dakshinamurthy, Shiva, or Krishna, Devi etc. then the moment you visualize, your mind just goes there only, stays right there, not distracted. If it is distracted, no problem, just bring it back. That’s all. You don’t want to have a judgment that- Oh, my mind has been distracted. Or, even if we’re not distracted, we have this habit of commenting all the time. Yes, yes. I think this is good. This is good, very good. Well done, well done. You don’t need to do that either. Being free from the need to comment is important. Just stay with whatever is the chant or the visual. Allow your mind to go all over~ you might observe the hand or the eyes, whatever it is. And then you can start with the chant, जप |
So over these few verses, we see that even in getting to meditating, there are these preparatory steps. And the main thing is being a devotee.
You love your partner, or your child. Do you need to sit separately, and may you meditate on your partner, or your child? No. Because whenever you have a free moment, your mind just goes~ you’re thinking about your partner or your child. Right? So the one that you love, the one you are grateful to, the one you feel blessed by, your mind is likely to go in that direction.
Or, if it doesn’t go~ कर्म योगी, then you have to remind yourself about how grateful you are, how blessed you are, and so on and so forth. Then it’s very easy to meditate. You want to meditate. It’s not like- oh, it’s a burden. I don’t know what’s going to happen. Nothing’s going to happen. In fact, in meditation you drop all effort. Some little minimal effort is there, but it’s the dropping of effort. That’s scary for some of us. We are all control freaks- I don’t know what will happen.
Whatever happens you can handle it. It’s not a big deal, it’s your mind, it’s nobody else’s mind you have to handle.
No, no, no, no, I don’t know, I want somebody next to me if I am meditating.
So we can have these related fears.
So then He talks about how one can be absorbed in भगवान् in the context of meditation.
Next time we will do a guided meditation, and then look at the rest of the verses.
ॐ
पूषन्नेकर्षे यम सूर्य प्राजापत्य व्यूह
रश्मीन्समूह तेजो यत्ते रूपं कल्याणतमं
तत्ते पश्यामि योऽसावसौ पुरुषः सोऽहमस्मि ॥ १६ ॥
Remember this from school? That the Sun also moves. So it is really fascinating that the sun is also moving at 230 kilometers per second, i.e. the sun along with this entire galaxy is moving. This is why उपनिषद् refers to it moving in the sky/आकाश |
So while this is happening, and the earth is rotating around the sun, सूर्य भगवान् is also यम i.e. controller. So, there is the capacity to master, to control. Because of the sun we can say~ morning, night. A lot of our activities revolve around the sunrise and sunset. Before electricity, one’s whole life revolved around that. After electricity we have managed to extend the day to some extent, but still it is नियन्त्रण, the sun has that capacity.
So, this सूर्य भगवान्, You are:
एकर्षे, and
पूष – you nourish,
and you are the one that as though takes/embraces all that you see through रश्मि i.e. your beams of light, which are like your millions and billions and zillions of hands.
Whatever रश्मि falls on, blesses. So with a little light, the lotus is blooming. Then a little light, you get a reflection. With more light, some of the germs die. And then of course all the plants thrive, because they are able to make their food because of you.
So you are the one सूर्य भगवान् who is embracing everyone.
Of course, Mātā Amritānandamayī Devī has got a Guinness Book of World Records because of how many people she has hugged and blessed. So that is in terms of a person.
Here सूर्य भगवान् has been embracing everyone for we don’t know how long~ across युग-s. Because that sunlight/रश्मि as it touches you, we don’t know what all processes take place, but it blesses us. Definitely we know Vitamin D production happens. If you are living in cold countries, you just want to shed your clothes. So, in some places in the US or UK, they are saying~ wow, we are looking forward to summer. But for us summer means hot, but for them summer means pleasant. Of course now because of global warming summer has also become hot over there.
Then, what else? So one more prayerful request to सूर्य भगवान् –
तेज: समूह व्यूह – your heat that can sometimes be very oppressive, please you withdraw a little bit of that. Or, that it’s so brilliant that you can’t see it. So the form is so brilliant, that I want to be able to see your स्वरूप,
because it is कल्याणतमं – your most benign, graceful. Your form that blesses everyone with well being.
य: ते तत् पश्यामि – I will see that.
य: असौ
so again, just like we do in सन्ध्या वन्दनम्,
स: अहम् अस्मि – you are me, I am you.
So like that उपासन can be done.
Or this can be a prayerful request- that may I see सोऽहमस्मि, That पुरुषः that is very much there, that is the स्वरूप of सूर्य भगवान्, May I see that you are me.
And therefore, whatever stands in the way, may you take it away.
So this is more for उपासन |
Again, we can take it from the standpoint of ज्ञानम्- a prayer to सूर्य भगवान् that may you illumine my mind so that I’m able to see. So that I have अंतःकरणशुद्धि, नैश्चल्यम् and so on.
Or we take it as उपासन that I see that you are me, and I meditate on this again and again, and this will lead to क्रममुक्ति | It will lead me to ब्रह्मलोक straight route. That also is there in the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता |
So now, in the next verse, the reference is close to the time of dying. Then, how will the उपासक be? Or what can the उपासक do? The prayer of the उपासक, the one who meditates continues.
Why are we talking about उपासन in this उपनिषद्?
Because first the vision of the उपनिषद् was presented, the nature of the आत्मा was unfolded, and the kind of lifestyle of the संन्यासी was mentioned.
Then, for the one who is committed to कर्म, then may you also add उपासन to it. Because you want प्रवृत्तिमार्ग, so no problem, you can have क्रममुक्ति, and these are the kind of उपासन-s that you need to focus on.
So then, मंत्र १७ –
वायुरनिलममृतमथेदं भस्मान्तं शरीरम् ।
ओं क्रतो स्मर कृतं स्मर क्रतो स्मर कृतं स्मर ॥ १७ ॥
So now, अथ,
either after my death, or as I am dying, let वायु: i.e. This that moves and has its fivefold manifestation in the body. So what we refer to as प्राण is व्यष्टि | So may व्यष्टि merge with समष्टि |
अमृतम् अनिलम् – so that which doesn’t have any death. So, सूत्रात्मा, हिरण्यगर्भ, Cosmic Intelligence.
So that’s the prayer that I would like to merge this body-mind into ईश्वर | So let the व्यष्टि merge into समष्टि |
Let my breath merge with प्राण |
And इदं शरीरं भस्मान्तम् – Let this body be burnt to ashes.
And in the process, what is being referred to here is अग्नि |
So, during प्रलय we had said that the जीव is suspended, doesn’t have a rebirth. And even after, suppose the person has done lots of उपासन, then is present as dormant जीव | Everything is collapsed into this. Or, is in ब्रह्मलोक waiting.
So if has collapsed into just the जीव, not a proper full manifestation, then when प्रलय happens, or when I give up this body, then whatever is this physical form, let all of this merge into you. So, this individuality let it go basically. Because individuality means separation, means disconnection, and so on.
And I offer my शरीर into अग्नि |
So, अग्निदेवत has such an important role in Hinduism. There are actually 40 संस्कार-s, but we reduce it to 16. The last संस्कार, अन्त्येष्टि- that your body is given to अग्नि | It is a ritual, it’s not just routine burning of the body. There are very beautiful मंत्र-s that are chanted before it, then you make offerings- you put this ball of barley and rice on five parts. You invoke the grace of the पञ्चमहाभूत-s and you thank them- that you have sustained this body for so long and we are very grateful to you. Of course the family is supposed to do this. Properly, ritually, it must be done. And you express gratitude that what has come from you, the पञ्चमहाभूत-s, we are returning to you. This was just on lease. This body was taken on lease- sometimes few years, sometimes 75, 85, 95, whatever number of years, whatever we consider as a lifetime. And that good use, hopefully, has been made of this human manifestation.
So, भस्मसात्, may my breath merge with प्राण and this body let it be burnt into ashes.
But, ॐ,
may I स्मर/remember all my कर्म-s and may you also स्मर/remember all my कर्म-s.
Why अग्नि needs to be told this? Because remember अग्निदेवत is साक्षी during marriage, for this big great union that is going to happen between these two people, and then for all other होम-s. Again, अग्नि has been faithfully carrying all your offerings. Then पूजा | Of course nowadays we don’t do so much होम, unless it’s a specific reason. Earlier every day अग्निहोत्र was done. Nowadays also some people do, but a handful of people. But we light a lamp,अग्नि, only then everything begins, because अग्नि is साक्षी to the पूजा that you are performing. So, very beautiful.
So this शरीर that has been taken on lease, now will return to the पञ्चमहाभूत-s, and may this merging happen.
What else?
Then I’m telling you सूर्य भगवान्, also being referred to as ॐ here,
you please remember all the good things I have done.
So, in the उपनिषद्, the उपासक is also telling himself that remember भगवान् only. Don’t say~ oh, keys are not there, or take the keys.
So, we want to be careful about what we say, we never know which words will be our last words.
And we have seen this in the भगवद्-गीता 8th chapter, that what you will remember is what you have spent most of your life on, and for the one who has lived a life of कर्म योग, who is a भक्त at heart, who does everything for भगवान् only. On the face of it, yes you’re doing things for the family and for yourself, and then for the country, for society, but that is your यज्ञ for भगवान् | That’s it, simple. So then, naturally your mind will go to what you have been thinking of for most part of your life.
And so, the उपासक is saying that may I remember the right things when this happens to me.
Then in the भगवद्-गीता we have seen-
ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन् ।
य: प्रयाति त्यजन्देहं स याति परमां गतिम् ॥ ८.१३॥
Chanting ॐ, which is ब्रह्मन्, giving up the body, the one who departs remembering Me goes to ब्रह्मलोक |
Then finally the last मंत्र, again referring to अग्नि-
अग्ने नय सुपथा राये अस्मान्विश्वानि देव वयुनानि विद्वान् ।
युयोध्यस्मज्जुहुराणमेनो भूयिष्ठां ते नमउक्तिं विधेम ॥ १८ ॥
So addressing अग्ने, संबोधन,
please lead us (नय).
So, सूर्य may you lead. What?
That this path that is there, what is referred to as शुक्ल-गती |
There is a श्लोक in the भगवद्-गीता –
अग्निर्ज्योतिरह: शुक्ल: षण्मासा उत्तरायणम् ।
तत्र प्रयाता गच्छन्ति ब्रह्म ब्रह्मविदो जना: ॥ ८.२४॥
So here ब्रह्मवित् is not the one who knows the truth, but the one who meditates on ब्रह्मन् | This person goes to ब्रह्मलोक |
And what is the path that is taken? So it is the path where अग्नि ज्योति, the deity of the day. Then the deity of the bright fortnight, अह: शुक्ल: षण्मासा, so the one who presides over the six months of उत्तरायणम्, all they are present, they say we are taking you to ब्रह्मलोक, please come, you are getting a royal, golden welcome. So with that, one can go. This is mentioned in the भगवद्-गीता and reflects in the उपनिषद् also. That as the उपासक, the one who meditates, and the one who wants to go to ब्रह्मलोक, I’ve figured out that प्रवृत्तिमार्ग is what it is for me. I have done a lot of नित्य & नैमित्तिक कर्म | I have not missed पूजा for even one day in my life, or most days I have done. And नैमित्तिक कर्म, श्राद्ध कर्म, I have goaded my families to do it. I have done पञ्चमहायज्ञा for a good chunk of my life, so therefore अग्नि you know what all I have done for my entire life.
And we all know that the law of कर्म is not linear. It’s not that all good, good things are happening, so it will keep happening. Suddenly, some dramatic thing will happen. So we have all experienced that in our lives.
So अग्नि I am praying to You~ You please make sure that whatever mischievous things I’ve done, whatever पाप कर्म I have done, please don’t allow that to fructify. And so that is what he’s saying~ please remove our पाप, so the effect of that I don’t have to suffer.
विद्वान् देव वयुनानि – so You know what all that we have done.
And You lead us by the सुपथा – the right path, the good path, which is शुक्ल-गती |
Along with what?
We have some riches. What is our riches?
दैवी सम्पत्ति, not आसुर सम्पत्ति | So दैवी सम्पत्ति are all the good qualities. So basically we followed धर्म and therefore this has fructified and we have so much पुण्य | So that you please focus on. And you remove our पाप |
युयोधि अस्मत् जुहुराणम् –
युयोधि ~ remove, destroy,
अस्मत् ~ from our stock,
whatever पाप/एन: that is there, you please remove it.
So, just be kind. When we say God has been kind, but God is always kind. So why do we say God is kind? Because somehow पाप did not fructify, instead पुण्य fructified. I got some opportunity, I got a break.
And so to you अग्नि,
सूर्य and अग्नि are kind of synonymous,
भूयिष्ठां नम उक्तिं विधेम –
विधेम ~ we offer,
नम: ~ our words of नमस्कार,
to you अग्नि who has sustained us.
One may say- but you know this lifetime I did not do much. Doesn’t matter. You have done a lot of होम in previous lifetimes, that’s why so much पुण्य is there. Or whatever पुण्य fructified has brought you here. So the connection with अग्नि in the context of वैदिक कर्म, or even पौराणिक कर्म in terms of the दिया that we light every day. Not to mention अग्नितत्त्व that is present all the time in your body, which somehow is this brilliant thermostat. If you’re in a cold place, it warms up the body. If you are in a warm place, it makes you sweat. So that the body is always maintained at whatever is the normal temperature.
So, so hard अग्नि is working all day and night, and to that अग्नि, my नमस्कार again and again.
So, this नम उक्तिं विधेम, नम: again and again.
So with that the उपनिषद् closes.
And here the last मंत्र is the मंत्र of the meditator. The prayer is that- please, if I’m not able to get ज्ञानम्, at least via क्रममुक्ति you bless me, so that I don’t have to struggle. Basically you please be kind to me.
So when we look at the उपनिषद्, it is a very short उपनिषद्, a very different kind of उपनिषद्, only 18 मंत्र-s.
The first verse~ ईशा वास्यम् जगत् सर्वं | So the vision of the आत्मा as ईशा | And also referring to a lifestyle of संन्यास |
Then for those who don’t understand the self, or who have not made that commitment yet, then verse two talks about why and how कर्म must be performed until you die.
Then verses three to eight are referring to the consequences of not seeing the self, and on seeing the self/the आत्मा; the nature of the आत्मा is also revealed. In verse 3, this आत्महन: word was used- if one is so caught up with all kinds of other pursuits that there is no time, effort or inclination for inquiry into the आत्मा, it’s as though you are killing yourself, like a suicide.
Then, verses nine to fourteen are all talking about उपासन for the sake of अंतःकरणशुद्धि | This उपासन is also for the sake of going to ब्रह्मलोक, or we can use it for अंतःकरणशुद्धि |
And finally, the prayer to सूर्य भगवान् अग्नि, so that one can be awake to one’s nature, and/or do उपासन related to it. And finally, a prayer to अग्नि for the right direction,सुपथा, and blessings.
ॐ
Good discussion. Thank you.
The sixth chapter is called ध्यान योग, and we have not even started ध्यानम् because we are getting our attitudes and dispositions sorted first before we can venture into ध्यानम् |
So ध्यानम् is a sacred space and we want to be ready for it.
We all know that if I ask you~ don’t think about the monkey, you will only be thinking about you know what. And you will be thinking about all the monkeys you have seen in this world, perhaps the different breeds and so on and so forth. So, if you think that I am not going to be disturbed, suppose you say it to yourself, then you know what’s going to happen. So that’s not the right attitude.
Now, a few things Swaminiji wants to say about meditation before we do a guided meditation, and for that we just need to look at this verse number 15-
युञ्जन्नेवं सदात्मानं योगी नियतमानस: ।
शान्तिं निर्वाणपरमां मत्संस्थामधिगच्छति ॥ १५॥
Speaking about the योगी, the one who’s meditating, what does this yogi or the meditator do?
नियतमानस: युञ्जन् एवम् – so the योगी is connecting the mind.
And then why, and how? Because he/she already has a mastered mind.
Mastered mind means you can direct your thoughts for whatever is the pursuit. That the thoughts do not dictate what you need to do. So if you are on a holiday, you’re not thinking about work. Unless your work involves organizing holidays, then it’s a different matter. And if you want to focus, your mind can focus. If you want to relax, your mind can relax. If you want your mind to imagine, it can do that. If you want your mind to not be disturbed by the past, well because of the work that you have done in terms of processing different experiences, the past no longer disturbs you. Anyway the past cannot disturb you, honestly. But for whatever reason we believe that the past disturbs me. Well, the story about the past disturbs me; the past cannot. It is over. It’s done with, it’s gone. But my story about the past, and that story keeps changing if you have observed, that is what disturbs me.
So my mind is available for whatever is my pursuit, that is what we refer to as mastery.
Some people wrongly believe that the stopping of thoughts is meditation. Some people believe that having an empty mind is meditation. Sorry. Empty mind is a technique. But for us in वेदान्त, that’s not our objective. The mind is empty anyway, because it is resolved in deep sleep. And so what great wisdom did we gain by that?
Between two thoughts there is nothing, except you of course who watches the thoughts. And so what about it?
So this emptiness, which sounds very mystical, actually we don’t value it particularly in वेदान्त, because we don’t believe there is anything that’s empty, that is शून्य | शून्य if at all in वेदान्त-ic understanding is non-conceptual reality, that’s all. But there is no nothingness. Because to observe the nothingness, there has to be something, which is consciousness. So there can never be nothing.
Meditation is also not about having a quiet mind. When we say quiet mind, we are talking about a वृत्ति, a particular kind of thought, a peaceful kind of thought.
And yes, if you have a quiet mind, so what about it? You can quieten your mind through listening to calm music, or being in a very beautiful environment, or smelling aromatherapy oils, etc. You can do all that.
Meditation in the वेदान्त-ic sense is about changing your relationship with the mind. It’s not about having a quiet mind. It’s not about destroying all disturbances. And therefore, before we meditate, we want to drop judgment. Very often we interfere with our meditation by saying~ oh no, these thoughts are not supposed to come. Or~ oh, this sounds very nice, yes, yes, please come and now you please stay.
So, we are not judging~ Oh, I’m meditating well. Oh, I’m not meditating well. Nothing. You just learn to be. And for us to learn to be is very difficult. Why? Because I want things to be different. I don’t want my mind to think in the way it is thinking. I want some great elevated experience perhaps. And because we resist the way the mind moves, we have a judgement.
And so, when you sit in meditation, you are judging~ This is not okay. That is not okay. Ah, this is nice. That’s very nice.
And meditation is about dropping the judgment.
You begin to see how the patterns of your mind, in the way in which you interact with the world, you see that. And so as an activity it is meant for you to be comfortable with yourself, and that you can truly say it is nice to be me.
And wherever your mind goes, it is in the order of ईश्वर | There are no great elevated thoughts, and very depraved immoral thoughts that you cannot think about because you’re in meditation.
Because remember, the judgment comes up~ Oh no no, this thought is not okay, that thought is okay.
Let it be. Just letting your mind be.
So it’s like if you’re trying to be with a puppy. Your puppy will scamper around in one room. And you’ll just lift the puppy and put it in a place. Then again it will go all over. And again you do it. That’s all.
So, you keep bringing your mind back. That’s one type of meditation.
The mind wanders because we have not allowed the mind to wander enough. Or the mind wanders to places that have not been resolved. Or the mind is always in future mode~ planning, planning. What I’m going to do soon after the class. Well, you’ve already thought about it. There’s no need to repeat it again. But you’re almost reassuring yourself, reminding yourself, that you know don’t fall off, because you might want to just relax a bit. So no, no, no procrastination. You remember what all you have to do after class okay.
So planning mode, or going into past mode. These are all very natural ways, because this is how we are. And so we learn to be okay with this. This is the pattern. So therefore, just follow the movement of the mind. Wherever it has to go, let it go. Don’t have to judge it, just go along.
Through different types of meditations, and also the learning of the भगवद्-गीता, what has this योगी done?
शान्तिं अधिगच्छति ~ gains a शान्ति;
निर्वाण परमां |
So, gains a शान्ति which is not what is referred to as peace of mind.
Now peace of mind is a thought of शान्ति, so one वृत्ति |
So if there are disturbing situations around me, does it mean that the शान्ति वृत्ति gets displaced? It’s likely it will happen.
So, I was so peaceful and then I got a notification on the phone. So one more place in Ukraine has been bombed, let’s say. So now stimuli/information, then I get disturbed, then शान्ति is displaced right?
So that शान्ति of mind is a little fragile, because other thoughts can disturb it, because that peace of mind, it depends on disturbances being reduced, or no disturbances being there in my life. And the only place you have peace of mind is the cemetery. And the only place where there are no problems is the cemetery. That’s it. There’s no other place in the world.
Here, परमां शान्तिम् ~ this ultimate शान्ति, and ultimate निर्वाण |
निर्वाण is a Sanskrit word for liberation, Buddhists use the word निर्वाण a lot.
मत्संस्थाम ~ so this शान्ति that we are talking about is not वृत्ति-शान्ति, it is not a peaceful thought.
It is the शान्ति that is your स्वरूप, that is your very nature.
That, irrespective of the roles that you are playing or because of the roles you are playing.
And yes, there will always be some roles that are more challenging than the others. Some are easygoing, cruising, very nice, what we call low maintenance relationships, like you can let the other person be. You are fine, you enjoy, great, fantastic. But then there are one or two which are very high maintenance. Friendships can also be like this.
So, irrespective of that, I shift my attention to who I am, which is consciousness, which is चैतन्य | And I am that, that pervades the different roles.
So, the waves are tumultuous rolling, but my attention is on the water. So, let anything happen to the wave. Sometimes the waves appear calm, so yes there are some calm thoughts. And then there might well be a tsunami, because you are dealing with an abnormal situation, like let’s say an unexpected death of someone in the family. It is being called ‘abnormal’ because it’s not the norm that this happens on a regular basis. So if that is the situation, then it calls for an abnormal response, which may be lots of sighing and crying and wailing and being shocked and everything, and that’s okay. You allow yourself the space to respond in that way. If that’s your response, so be it, that’s fine.
So this शान्ति is seeing that you are ever untouched. Because you are the स्वरूप, that nature of the आत्मा that has been spoken of. That I am that आत्मा, I am that limitless being that is in and through every form, That is the basis of all forms. All forms have come from the formless that is me. And the forms continue to have some or the other problem, but I am okay. In fact, I am the very basis of all of that.
So that शान्ति is very different.
That is in spite of some memories of past life, and you know the deeper you go into meditation, some things like that come up. Some of the memories may be disturbing like violent deaths. Or Swaminiji knew someone who remembered that she worked with the British during General Dyer’s time, Jallianwala Bagh massacre, so she was like~ I was sort of responsible for allowing all these people to die. So she had so much guilt in this lifetime. So Swaminiji is just giving an example, that something may come up.
But for us शान्ति is not the absence of sound. Silence is not the absence of sound. All sounds, especially musical notes, they come from silence. All forms come from the formless. All manifestations come from that which is the basis of all manifestations. They are all unmanifest, and then some manifestation happens.
So, we are not aiming for freedom from thinking.
Because we have not trained the mind to think properly, we believe thinking is a great problem. And therefore people complain~ Oh, but you know, I don’t know why I overthink, I cannot stop myself. It’s like an addiction. It’s a drug.
Well actually, what is a राग for you is ‘certainty’. All of us, we want to have definite information and certainty. And the truth is that there is nothing that is certain. What guarantee do you have about anything? Even if you buy an appliance, whatever card you will get, a lot of conditions apply.
So this wanting certainty so that I feel safe, leads me to control the external, and definitely the internal.
I look around, I cannot control the external environment, so then I am trying to calm myself down, or tell myself~ okay, think like this, don’t think like that. Or this one is like that, that one is like this. So some commentary is on all the time, because I am trying to pacify myself, because I find that I cannot control a lot of variables.
And so this non-stop commentary and overthinking is because I have a very strong need for control. Some of us recognize it, some of us say~ no, no, I’m not a controlling person. Well, really, if that is true, you won’t be overthinking. You’re okay to go with the flow, whatever it is, I’m fine. I can handle it. Great. I can handle it. There are people around me to support me. And if not, then I can seek support, so on and so on.
So when we start to look at the mind in that way, then it is not a problem for me. In fact, it is the greatest gift that I have been given. It is a tool. It’s an instrument I can use to attain the greatest truth which is me only. Then there is a distance I discover between me and the mind. I am not dissociating from the mind. But the distance that anywhere is there between me and the mind, I start to discover. And as a result of which, more and more I will see that my mind is a विभूति, it is a blessing. I enjoy my mind. I don’t need great entertainment. You just have to look at your own mind~ highly, highly entertaining. And of course it is very helpful also.
So wherever the mind goes, I’m not even trying to control, let it go. And it travels within the order of ईश्वर | So again and again, the योगी unites his or her mind to भगवान् |
* Guided Mediation ~ Minute 23 to Minute 44:30 on recording *
नात्यश्नतस्तु योगोऽस्ति न चैकान्तमनश्नत: ।
न चाति स्वप्नशीलस्य जाग्रतो नैव चार्जुन ॥ १६॥
Verse 16 is talking about the importance of moderation in life.
In fact, the eightfold path which talks about moderation- right action, right living, right thinking etc. has a lot to do with these two verses- 16 and 17. Speaking about moderation, speaking about the golden mean or balance.
So the one who meditates on भगवान्, is not someone who eats too much.
Now for health reasons we have our thinking~ Oh, you shouldn’t eat too much, etc.
But for meditation, it is not a good idea. The one who eats a lot- basically extreme, any kind of extreme.
All of us are addicted to food.
Food is medicine. It is औषधम् | Even the word in Sanskrit is औषधि | औषधि is a word for plants, of course औषधम् comes from there. So food is medicine.
But if we eat too much then obviously you’re going to be sleeping and snoring, and it’s going to be sound meditation for sure. So, for someone who does a lot of that, and then you’re meditating, not a good idea.
On the other hand, if you think~ oh, I am going to starve myself and in great तपस्य I’m going to meditate, then that’s also not a good idea. Why? Because we want your mind to be active. We don’t want the mind to be dullened, because obviously when you’re not eating too much for long periods of time, then the activities slow down, and definitely thinking is going to slow down.
So both extremes not desirable.
So, न अति अश्नत: तु(indeed), न अनश्नत: ~ not for someone who doesn’t eat too much, nor for someone who eats a lot,
This योग, न अस्ति i.e. not there for that person.
And even the one,
अति स्वप्न शील: ~ So for the one who sleeps a lot,
again meditation is not recommended.
Why? Because one needs to have a little moderation in one’s lifestyle before you attempt to meditate.
And जाग्रत: न ~ even for the one who is always awake.
Always awake meaning doesn’t get adequate sleep.
Now, all of us will jump to judging how much we sleep. And most of us are sleep deprived for different reasons. Definitely entertainment is a big contributor. Or the fact that we take on a lot. And then what gets compromised~ sleep for sure.
And why do we take on a lot all the time?
Because there’s not enough moderation in the lifestyle.
Because there is अध्यास | That by doing this, I will be okay.
No, no I’m not doing anything for myself, you know I do a lot for others. Yeah, but I will be okay, only if I do a lot for others. If I don’t do a lot for others, I won’t be okay.
No, no, no, I am doing my responsibilities. In the name of performing your responsibilities, are you going crazy? Because particularly with Indians we see this. In the name of duty and responsibility, people literally kill themselves.
Sacrifice and duty orientation is very good, but the duty towards oneself, स्वधर्म starts here. That I have a right to look at what is appropriate for me in my life.
And like one of Swaminiji’s friends was told by her husband, that I married you, the person, I didn’t marry a cook, so you don’t have to be cooking all the time for me, I’m okay. No, no but I love you so much, and I cook so well, and I want to cook for you. Of course, but I have not married a cook. And a lot of other things that you want to do, please give it that time, that you need to.
But this duty and responsibility, we all know sometimes we overdo it.
And so, having moderation in one’s life, doing what is appropriate.
For that again a lot of विवेक is required, because what is appropriate in one phase, may be different in another phase.
So even about sleep most of us will wear it as a badge of honor that I can manage with six hours. In fact if somebody says I need my good eight/nine hours of sleep, so people will wonder~ like what? It’s not like you’re a trekker or something, or you’re into some great adventure sport. So many hours? What? Eight-nine hours, only babies sleep like that.
Even with the little commuting that has begun, or of course a lot of entertainment, or a lot of things that we do, 8, 9, 10 hours of sleep- no way.
Anyway, the point is that everybody’s body constitution is different. And therefore do what is required for you. For some people 6 hours is enough, for some people eight/nine hours. You have to figure out what it is for you. Generally six to eight hours, they say. Some people are able to manage with their practices with even 4 hours. But we don’t need to judge ourselves too much on the basis of the sleep we have.
That is assuming that we all get good sleep. Because if I’m not able to get to sleep, then it means that the mind does not know how to rest. And this constant thinking, thinking~ oh tomorrow I have to do this etc. It sounds constructive, but what is this obsession of? Well, you’re going to get to it anyway, if you’re alive tomorrow for sure.
But, we’re trying to make up for certainty. And the sense of wanting to be in charge and reminding oneself~ Yes, I am in charge, I am in control, by rethinking, overthinking the same thing again and again. And assuring oneself~ yeah, you got it, okay, all good.
So okay, you have some project once, twice, thrice you thought, enough. But I can’t help it, my mind is going in that direction. Relax. You have to keep telling your mind relax, it’s okay.
Meditation gets affected if there is no moderation in life, especially eating and sleeping. And that’s what is very simply presented here.
With regards to eating, how do I know how much to eat?
So there is one Sanskrit shloka regarding this-
पुरयेदशनेनार्धं तृतीयमुदकेन तु |
वायोः संचरणार्थं तु चतुर्थमवषेशयेत् ||
It provides some guidance. And what is the guidance?
That whatever is the food, अर्ध अशनस्य ~ so half of your stomach, assuming that the space in the stomach might be divided into four quarters. So half of the space in the stomach can be filled with food. Whatever be the food that you eat in your region, culture etc.
Then, 1/4 of it can have liquids~ like chaas, buttermilk, or water, or dhal or sambha, so some liquid. There are some people who say no liquid during eating, but you know according to Ayurveda, during eating if you have liquids, it is considered अमृतम् | After eating, is not recommended. Before eating, a few sips is okay.
Then, there’s still some more space in the stomach. Oh, then don’t feed more. That one fourth that is left, वायोः संचरणार्थं ~ for the movement of वायु in the stomach, अवषेशयेत्, please leave that much space.
How do I know? Oh, when you can do with another small helping, you say enough stop. So like that slowly, slowly we will have some moderation in eating.
Now with popular culture, there is a lot of judgment around eating. I can’t say no. Lays~ you can’t eat just one. So then we berate ourselves~ Oh, I can’t help it. Relax. You know, try. We just aim to have some moderation.
Same thing with sleep.
Then, how does this further help?
युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु ।
युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य योगो भवति दु:खहा ॥ १७॥
So when the आहार and विहार,
आहार ~ is all that you eat.
आहार is also what you consume. So don’t only think of what you’re putting into the mouth, but also what we see, what we smell, what we taste, hear, etc., we can extend आहार to that also. So let it be appropriate. Let it be moderate.
विहार generally refers to rest, relaxation, all other kinds of activities.
For that person who has आहार and also has विहार,
and who pays attention, who is deliberate, regarding the चेष्ट/effort required for different kinds of activities i.e. युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्म,
for that person who also has युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य | So स्वप्न here is not dreaming, but referring to sleeping, and waking up, so there is moderation there.
Then this योग, referring to meditation,
दु:ख-हा ~ the one that destroys sorrow.
हा means destroys.
So in any case, if there is moderation in my life, some balance regarding one’s own lifestyle, then the scope for disturbances is much less.
We all know what happens to us when we are sleep deprived over a period of time.
Let’s say two or three days you have not slept well. You’re definitely going to be irritable.
You don’t eat properly, then you are hangry, not angry. We know that. That’s why in a lot of meetings they will start with something to munch on. In India, don’t even ask, there is food before, after, and during meetings. Of course now things are changing, but still.
So, if you don’t get sleep and you don’t get to eat, then your mood is going to be affected.
And so recognizing this, and not saying~ oh, what is this every every four hours I get hungry.
That’s the order, you know. You can’t complain, that’s what it is.
There is reduced अध्यास | That’s what is being highlighted.
That I don’t go overboard regarding my different activities, because I see that yes, these things are to be done, it’s a part of my कर्म.
But ‘more of’ i.e. I overwork; all of us do this. So I will overwork and then I will just crash. And then I can’t even get sleep because I’m thinking about what I did, what I have to do tomorrow.
And then sometimes I am in this world where I’m not sure whether I have done that work/task, or I thought that I did the task, so that no man’s land happens often.
So, so much extreme. So much overworking.
So it may seem like common sense, but it’s very interesting that भगवान् is talking about this in the sixth chapter when it comes to ध्यानम् |
So even in the context of कर्म योग, when we are looking at our कौशलम् i.e. our competence, sometimes we may have a tendency to overdo.
More and more, what can I do? Etcetera, etcetera. And we overstretch ourselves.
And so therefore, relax.
That’s what is being highlighted.
And with this kind of a moderate lifestyle, then you are not creating disturbances for yourself that have to be managed in meditation.
Of course, in popular culture, meditation is that which will magically remove disturbances.
But the way we live, with reduced disturbance, performing our पञ्चमहायज्ञा and having समत्वम्, having an acceptance of this is what I do, what I can do at this point in time; I learn to accept people, situations and so on. And so it’s a life of least disturbance.
So naturally, when you sit in meditation, your mind will go wherever it needs to go. That’s it. And wherever it goes, it is ईश्वर |
So, can you see how this meditator who now seeks to unite the mind with भगवान्, really is able to see that I am ever connected.
And in time of course, one is able to go into निदिध्यासनम् |
So, I am that. I am that चैतन्य स्वरूप that is the same regarding this form and regarding भगवान् |
Same to same, as we say in childhood~ same pinch. So, same-same.
So me and भगवान् are same.
So there you can dwell on~ I am पूर्ण:, अहम् पूर्ण: | I am complete in and of myself. I am that consciousness.
So that we will get to it later.
But this is, whether you are doing जप, or you will just allow your mind to go wherever it has to and say that this is also ईश्वर | This disturbance is ईश्वर, this peace of mind is ईश्वर, and then the dishes that are waiting in the sink to be washed are also ईश्वर | And that very challenging relationship that I have to manage, and I’m not quite sure how I’m going to do it, and that’s also ईश्वर,
and it will all be, it will all be taken care of.
ॐ
Meditation or ध्यानम् is a मानस क्रिया i.e. it is a mental action.
The purpose of it may be different, according to different सम्प्रदाय-s.
For us, the purpose of meditation/ध्यानम् again can be manyfold. One objective can be for emotional growth. The other could be to connect with भगवान् | The third would be focus. The fourth would be expansiveness, or visualizing bringing in certain धर्म into our life. And all of this is really to aid 2 things.
The purpose of meditation for us, alongside many other activities, is अंतःकरणशुद्धि and अंतःकरणनैश्चल्यम् | Meditation is not a replacement for living life. Because there will be a tendency for a lot of people to escape into meditation, because they don’t want to deal with life. The अंतःकरणशुद्धि is being relatively free from रागद्वेष | And अंतःकरणनैश्चल्यम् is the steadiness, the one pointedness, the एकाग्रता | This समाधानम् is one of the qualities of अधिकारित्वम् that is required to stay with the subject matter. We all know that we have excelled in either a skill, or some knowledge gained when we have been one-pointed in our pursuit. And so it’s the same orientation that we bring into the वेदान्त pursuit which is एकाग्रता/one-pointedness.
And so, meditation can be looked upon, and is often looked upon as a mental activity, and that is fine. The purpose of it is that we somehow feel we magically close the eyes and then some great knowledge is going to dawn. But actually what is happening is we are just closing down further visual stimuli, so that the associative thinking that often happens, that is reduced. So that’s all.
When it comes to this transcendental meditation (TM), it is actually our traditional जप | And जप is a mental activity. It might also be like वाचिकम् कर्म if you are verbally chanting it. And then if you are doing what we refer to as Ashtottara Shatanamavali which is 108(अष्टोत्तर), नामावली~ like you are making an offering of a garland of names to whichever be the deity. So it’s almost like जप, but at the same time, you are also using your body/काय | So then it will become कायिका कर्म also.
So this mental activity is necessary for us to come to a state of being. We are already being only, but to slow down the chatter it’s helpful, and so we will encourage whoever wants to do this kind of thing. Because the way in which TM is structured, with all the rules and regulations, it proves to be very helpful to lots of people. And for someone who is not in the वैदिक् tradition, but who wants some benefits, and is able to access TM and does it, the person will gain a lot. So, we recognize that it has a value.
Now when it comes to the kind of thoughts we have, or rather the obstacles to meditation, Swaminiji wants to bring in one योग सूत्र here-
व्याधि स्त्यान संशय प्रमादालस्याविरति भ्रान्तिदर्शनालब्धभूमिकत्वानवस्थितत्वानि चित्तविक्षेपाः ते अन्तरायाः ॥१.३०॥
So it is talking about the obstacles to the mind, not necessarily in meditation. So the things that stop mastery of the mind. So what are these?
(i) व्याधि – disease.
(ii) स्त्यान – dullness/inertia.
(iii) संशय – doubt. We are all experts at this one, constantly doubting everything.
(iv) प्रमाद – procrastinating or being indifferent.
(v) अलस्य – laziness, always stuck in one’s comfort zone.
(vi) अविरति – being over excited about something and therefore you cannot focus on other things. It’s like you tell the child~ Okay, now let’s do your homework. But the child is so excited~ Oh, my birthday party is coming up, I want ‘unicorn’ as the theme. Oh, but your birthday is three days later, you know? No, no, but I’m so excited, that I cannot focus on anything else.
(vii) भ्रान्ति – error in judgment, born of course of अविद्या |
(viii) अलब्धभूमिकत्व – भूमि is ground, earth. For now we can take it as the ground.
So there are some people who are ‘tuturi’, meaning that they are not stable. They are like moving, you don’t get a sense of grounded-ness from them. They’re also like what we refer to as very ‘airy fairy’.
So not stable in one’s thinking. Not saying emotionally unstable. But there’s nothing to anchor the person.
And when all these things are present, चित्त विक्षेप अन्तरायाः i.e. these create obstacles for the person to focus, or to have mastery in any pursuit.
So all of us will be here, okay. Something or the other will be an obstacle. It could be disease, it could be feeling dull. Sometimes some people experience what is called brain fog. Either because of medication or something that has happened, and then you don’t feel fresh even after you’ve woken up after a good night’s sleep.
So disease of course has to be managed in whatever way is possible. But we need not make it the obsession of our lives. Sometimes a disease can be very debilitating. And even in the trajectory of managing a disease, there are stages. In time one may learn to deal with it though it might be there, or the disease may go away.
What do you want right now? If somebody tells~ I want to be free from the disease. I want to be free from fibromyalgia, let’s say. What for? Swaminiji will ask. Yes, the immediate purpose might be I want to be free from the disease. But let’s say you’re free from the disease, and so what about your life? What are you going to do with your life in any case, with or without the disease? Your life cannot be about managing a disease for sure. There’s much more to life than that. But sometimes the disease debilitates us so much. Swaminiji has known a lot of people who have come to वेदान्त seeking answers, and partly because they wanted to heal themselves of health conditions. And their whole life, because पुरुषार्थ निश्चय not being there, their whole life is~ I will try this alternative remedy, and that alternative remedy, and वेदान्त was also looked upon as an alternative remedy. And then the person says~ Oh, I tried you know, I am not the body and so on, but it works to some extent, the pain is too much, I can’t handle it.
So just clarity on what I do- Why do I do, what I do, on a daily basis is so important.
Swaminiji came from doing a session on living your life’s purpose and was telling the participants that before we go to the great, lofty purpose of life, what’s the purpose of my day? Let’s just start with something as simple, and as real as that. And looking at our roles, how we relate to people, whether धर्म is in my life, what is the nature of the pursuit, is it धर्म, अर्थ, काम, मोक्ष, whatever it is, some clarity there is so important.
The नैश्चल्यम् that meditation needs to bring, can only happen with जप |
So, when we are looking at the purpose of the day, or for that matter the purpose of life, or that for that matter the what I want to do with my life, if there is disease, I can get hijacked. And so we want to be clear. We will manage the disease, we’re not denying, if at all any disease comes, but let the management of the disease not become the end all and be all of life.
With respect to dullness, again we tend to numb ourselves. We don’t want to think, because we’ve not learnt to think correctly and objectively. And therefore thinking is like one big burden. So therefore there is dullness i.e. the mind doesn’t move. It’s like- umm, okay, maybe, etc.
So anyway, all these obstacles to the mind are self explanatory. But recognizing that these obstacles are there- disease, dullness, संशय/doubt, प्रमाद/indifference, अलस्य/laziness, अविरति/overexcitement, भ्रान्ति/errors in understanding, and not adequate stability, these interfere with the way the mind works, and therefore the mind is not available for my many pursuits.
So don’t feel bad because this is the case with everybody’s mind. It’s universal. That’s why Patanjali in his योग सूत्र- s mentions it.
And so how does one deal with it?
1. अभ्यास
2. वैराग्य
अभ्यास ~ So there’s repetition, again and again. Repetition is not only in one’s आसन or प्राणायाम | Even to bring धर्म into one’s life, one does not get dejected or discouraged easily. We often tend to do that, especially if immediately results are not available. Results possibly may not be available/visible, that’s okay. The commitment is that I will bring धर्म into my life. The others do, don’t do, what can we do? You do whatever you can.
So, in all areas of life there is repetition/अभ्यास, there is practice. But of course with practice comes monotony. And we love novelty. So राग is for novelty~ new, new, new. Which is the next new shiny object, which may include person, maybe गुरु also. So, something new, something exciting. So just to be able to stay with monotony and boredom. That it feels boring. Something, let’s say. Let it feel boring. No, but there should be some excitement. Ah, राग strikes again. There should be some excitement, says who? Let it be mechanical.
So what about it? No, I should look forward to जप everyday. Okay, some mood, maybe you don’t look forward to it. No problem. So the राग is for me to be a particular way. And then I resist the राग | Then I say~ oh, but why? Then you question your commitment. You don’t have to go there at all. You feel bored, let it be.
Being a bit stereotypical- like with a lot of women, some fight happens in a romantic relationship and they say~ I don’t know where our relationship is going.
How do you jump to that? We’re just arguing about what vacation plans have to be made. Why are you going all the way to that? Oh, you know, maybe we are not meant to be together… blah, blah, blah. Stop.
So, when it comes to moderation, which is what we were looking at last time, that having balance in life, ensuring धर्म in one’s lifestyle and being moderate in one’s eating and other activities, in one’s sleeping & waking hours, and so on.
So for that person who has moderation, who has done अध्यारोप-अपवाद |
Because why is there moderation in the person’s life? Not because of some phenomenal discipline. Discipline plays a role, we’re not denying it. But there is clarity in thinking that excess of any particular activity just because there is a राग is not necessarily the way forward. Because the reason there is a राग is because I have an extra value for it that honestly it doesn’t have. But it’s a hook for me. And therefore, excessively we work, excessively we do things.
Some of the participants, and this is a theme amongst women, the men ask different kinds of questions. So the women say~ you know, we are giving so much, but then we don’t receive enough, and am I giving too much, should I stop, and so on. Who is asking you to give so much? If you think that that is what is necessary, then please do, be objective.
So excess, no moderation.
In the name of care, we become a donkey. Like I will take on everyone’s burden. And then we make people under-responsible. By us being over-responsible, we make others under-responsible and then we complain.
So anyway, meditation becomes the destroyer of sorrow~ योगो भवति दु:ख-हा – ६.१७, for a person who has moderation and who has exposure to the knowledge.
If you look at this verse in isolation, then you think~ what is the प्रमाण? How meditation can become a destroyer of sorrow? So therefore you have to see what has gone before.
यदा विनियतं चित्तमात्मन्येवावतिष्ठते ।
नि:स्पृह: सर्वकामेभ्यो युक्त इत्युच्यते तदा ॥ १८॥
चित्तम् referring here to the mind.
When there is एकाग्रता/one pointedness/steadiness/freedom from distraction,
यदा विनियतं चित्तं आत्मनि एव अवतिष्ठते –
So this person who has the mind which is exposed to the knowledge, and who has the preparation of एकाग्रता/being focused.
One pointed means that very few things can distract you from this particular pursuit.
Distractions are there for everyone. Don’t think that the number of distractions have increased now. Every generation has had to deal with this. And the way to deal with distraction is to bring your mind back again and again i.e. अभ्यास, and also वैराग्य |
So you see the value of doing the inquiry of~ is this real, or is this not? And even before that~ is this helpful to me, or is it not? Leave aside नित्य अनित्य वस्तु विवेक for now, is this धर्म or is this not? Is this helpful to me, or is this not? Certain ways of being, certain patterns, let’s start the विवेक there, then maybe we can get to नित्य अनित्य वस्तु विवेक |
So the एकाग्रता that this particular कर्म योगी, who is a devotee, who is trying to bring कर्म योग into his or her life because the person has a value for मोक्ष, what about that person?
The person gains this composure~ आत्मनि एव अवतिष्ठते | So the person abides in oneself.
Now this abiding in oneself is the language of duality. But we are trying to signify that the योगी recognizes that I am the आत्मा |
So abiding in oneself really means that I am the आत्मा | I don’t anchor myself on things that are fleeting, अनित्य |
These things that are fleeting~ possessions, objects, relationships, situations, conditions, they are there, they are ईश्वर विभूति; I live in ईश्वर सृष्टि so the glory of ईश्वर, and I enjoy them for what they are. I don’t bypass this. I abide in the आत्मा | All these forms have come from me. If that understanding is there, then you can just revel and just basically have fun in life.
So this योगी has been at it for a while, and वैराग्य, this objectivity also has to be towards some emotions. In fact, if you’ve listened to podcast #184 this week, राग towards certain emotions is a very subtle राग ~ I must be happy all the time, I must be cheerful all the time. Like who said that by the way? No, I don’t like. Need not like it, okay. No, it should not be like this.
I place the राग on myself. Then of course I struggle to fulfill it. Because again, I am anchoring my happiness on fleeting objects, fleeting situations. Then I’m dissatisfied. Can you see the game we play with ourselves because of अविद्या?
So with this composure, this योगी, the one who is free.
First of all, the person is युक्त/accomplished. How come? Because the person is free.
नि:स्पृह: ~ पृह: means a lot of craving and all,
सर्व कामे भ्य: ~ with respect to all binding desires, the person is free.
Free as in the person has recognized that fulfillment of desire doesn’t necessarily mean that I will be fulfilled at all times, in all places, in all situations. Fulfillment of desire will give me some result, which is good enough for me. The fulfillment, absolute fulfillment that I seek will only come from knowing myself.
*Class Exercise*
So, talk in third person.
You are NOT the person _*insert your name*_ , you are the conscious person/being.
And you talk about _*insert your name*_ having two/three roles.
So you say two-three lines:- _*insert your name*_ does this & this in this particular role, but _*insert your name*_ does that in this other role.
And I am the person first, who fills up the roles and the nature of me is I that I am that conscious being.
When talking in third person, one uses *your name*, and not a pronoun (he/she). So, I am the being, and _*insert your name*_ is third person.
So, I-the conscious being, and I see _*insert your name*_ playing all these roles,
so what thought is there?
~ I’m actually aware that I’m not all these roles, and I still fill up these roles.
So, because we are so entrenched in our roles, and therefore whatever goes along with that, then we cannot see. We don’t want to also.
I conscious being, like how boring, tell me something exciting. Is this going to improve my life? Is it going to improve my relationships? Oh, we are so entrenched in roles.
Okay, so we want to feel free in our roles. That I can have a desire, that I could relate to everyone with a very expansive heart, and do whatever is required, धर्म | At the same time, I see myself free from it. Because roles include desires, right?
So even I-the-person, besides basics what do you really require? But in the role one requires a lot. Right?
So as a professional, of course you need an entire wardrobe, especially if you’re going to work. You can’t say~ oh, I’m going to just be very basic and I’m not going to. It doesn’t fit in the protocol, etc.
So, just say~ I the conscious being, and talk about yourself in third person, don’t use pronoun, use your name.
And just experience what it’s like to talk about you as a third person.
Okay, how was it? To talk about some entity? What did you experience?
~ I felt awkward.
~ I think for me, it was not at all as awkward but I feel like I’m proud of myself.
Stop. Okay, you are being asked to abide in I-conscious being, but you have jumped to identify with these great accomplishments. We are not denying these. But look at how this thing happens. Are you getting the point?
I am the conscious being that fills up the person-body/mind, that is the reality of the person, and that person actually fills up the roles. The roles are limited to two people. And then the issues of the role also belong to those two people, to that relationship. And yes, the person may be very, very proud of one’s accomplishments, and very well done, complete life, full life. I-the conscious being illumine all of this.
The attempt of this exercise is that we are able to see the distance that already exists between सत्यम् & मिथ्या |
There’s no distance as such, but in our mind because it’s so closely entrenched and identified, therefore this attempt.
Swaminiji would hesitate a little bit about suggesting daily practice if the person does not have enough exposure to वेदान्त; otherwise fantastic of course you can do it.
Because it’s really साक्षी भाव | You see that you fill up the roles, but you are more than the role. The role depends on you. You are not dependent. You are independent of the role and so on.
Without adequate वेदान्त exposure, if you do this, you will dissociate.
Seeing the distance that exists between you and the role is different from dissociation.
Dissociation means what? I am not associated with this. But as reality you’re shining the light on all the roles.
So, I am other than this is okay. But then I feel free from the roles, which is actually the truth. It’s not a method, it’s not a technique, you are actually free from the roles as you are right now.
But, I don’t know, I’m not anchored on something, so I anchor myself in the role.
Enjoy your roles. Don’t anchor your identity on your roles. The roles are great, maybe it’s a part of your identity. But what we’re trying to do here through the study of भगवद्-गीता is to see the truth of who we are. What is it that fills up everything?
So you can do this practice, but the moment you start to feel that you don’t want to engage with people, you want to withdraw from just your basic relationships, that’s when you know that this practice is not working for you.
And that’s why one should exercise some discretion.
So, you can say I the conscious being am illumining the role of *insert your name*, and *the role*.
Or you can also add one more step and say~ I-the person. So, *insert your name* is a simple conscious person. So leave aside conscious being for now.
Person, what is that? And she plays many roles. Now the moment you just refer to yourself as a simple person, what happens? What comes to you? Any reactions? Any observations?
~ Unburdened feeling, I suddenly just felt- oh wow, simple person that’s it.
~ Innocent.
Yes, innocent, connected with भगवान् |
So this person, who is this person? The person of course fills up the roles, okay fine.
Who is this person?
What is yours? This body-mind that we claim to be ours, did you create it? No.
So the person as a कर्म योगी is a devotee. The person is a loving person, because relating to भगवान् is not an exclusive relationship. It’s not like now I’m relating to भगवान्, then I’m relating to my children, and then I’m relating to someone else. No, it’s something that pervades all the roles.
I am a simple person. It’s good to be me. How do I feel when I say this? How do I feel when I say it’s good to be me, I am a person. Some responses may be gratitude. What else, anything else? Secure.
~ in the beginning it’s difficult to say that I’m happy to be me. Then, one get’s used to it.
So there is no judgment. I’m just a simple person. Whatever I am is all given to me~ body, mind. That’s it.
But suppose I feel shaky. Simple person? But, you know my identity is that of a work professional. How can I just be a person? I’m not contributing, I’m not producing anything, I’m not getting things done. So, the identity of doer is so strong, I can’t just be the person. Person is worthy only when person is doing~ कर्ता | Person is worthy only when person is experiencing~ भोक्ता |
So, even with respect to कर्ता-भोक्ता, we can just keep aside आत्मा-conscious-being; in my understanding I am the person and to the extent I recognize भगवान् in my life, I am a devotee. I am just a simple, loving person.
Then again things will start~ loving means what? But nobody understands my love for them. They are not loving towards me. So again we just sneak the way into the role. Can you see?
So loving? Does it mean romantic? Does it mean all other relationships?
I am a simple loving person. And that is enough.
Okay, so we dwell on that.
This is being free from desires, because you are in touch with the simple person that you are. In the roles there are desires. You are fulfilling some of them, and whatever is happening. The person, the consciousness that you really are, is always free from desire.
Even relatively speaking, the person is free from binding desires because the person aligns with धर्म, and then does one’s कर्म |
So such a person is looked upon as युक्त:/accomplished.
It’s very interesting that society/media thinks you have arrived only when you have acquired a lot.
And here भगवद्-गीता just reverses the equation, and says that it’s not about what you have~ acquisition or not. You are free from desires. So wow, just look at the teaching. This means that you’re not dependent on the fulfillment of a certain condition for you to be fulfilled. It doesn’t depend on that.
The role depends. So as a mother of course I’m banging my head how do I get through to my teenage son.
But as the person, you are free. You are free from the role, but you still fill up the role. Okay, both you have to consider.
So the person has lived a full life, there’s कर्म योग | And therefore, continuing कर्म योग there is freedom from longing for different kinds of objects- objects of awareness, or of desire.
Then how is the mind of such a wise person?
यथा दीपो निवातस्थो नेङ्गते सोपमा स्मृता ।
योगिनो यतचित्तस्य युञ्जतो योगमात्मन: ॥ १९॥
A metaphor of a lamp is given.
So this दीप:, न इङ्गते ~ does not tremble, and it is protected from the wind.
So the mind of the meditator/योगी, because of अभ्यास/repetition and also वैराग्य, in the practice of meditating,
how is the चित्त/mind of this meditator? युञ्जत: योगं आमात्मन: ~ who contemplates on oneself.
And when we look at a lamp, it appears static. But actually depending on the amount of oil that is present in the lamp, it continues to burn, burn, burn.
So the वृत्ति-s that are there, that come into the mind.
Understand वेद, वेदान्त is a means of knowledge.
वेद as a means of knowledge means that there are sentences, there are words. When the sentences are spoken, they create corresponding thoughts in your mind. So, when it is said that you are the आत्मा, the limitless being, it is meant to create a corresponding thought in the mind. This is true for any knowledge.
Now, this thought that is created in the mind, there generally are two operations that take place whenever you know an object. So this is our model for how we perceive things.
Science has its own model- light strikes the eye, and there is an image, and so on.
So in our model, the वैदिक् model-
(1) the mind with a वृत्ति/thought, as though goes out, envelops the object, and so I see the orange bolster. So for me to identify this is an orange bolster, the mind has to go out of the eyes, so to speak.
(2) Then, I know that this is an orange bolster.
So, first is the वृत्ति व्याप्ति | व्याप्ति means it pervades. The thought as though encloses, envelops, pervades the object – वृत्ति व्याप्ति |
And then when I say I know that this is an orange bolster, we call it फल व्याप्ति | That the result~ I know that I know; that I know that this is an object.
First is identification of object. Second is I know this object.
Now, when you are listening to the शास्त्र, and you hear that you are the आत्मा, then what happens? Is आत्मा an object for you?
Because वृत्ति व्याप्ति happens, your mind goes along with the words and the thought and the resulting understanding.
But does that create a फलम्? Are there two separate transactions?
I see the आत्मा, I am the आत्मा – फल व्याप्ति does not happen.
The result of the perception, which is a separate transaction, or a separate operation, does not occur in the case of your recognition of the आत्मा |
So in other words, the वृत्ति व्याप्ति~ you are the आत्मा, it is a resolving thought. There is no further thought operation after that.
If you didn’t understand, don’t worry okay.
What Swaminiji is highlighting is that the constant वृत्ति-s that happen in the wise person’s mind, or rather the योगी’s mind, that I am that आत्मा |
Or even if we say I am that person, that simple person, that is free from all the roles and all the roles depend on me, I am that simple person.
Or, I am that conscious being.
So again and again the same वृत्ति just like a flame that continues to burn because it has been protected from disturbances.
Now, you have done the protection from disturbances.
A lot of us think- oh, I don’t want to do this because this is so disturbing to me. Or, we think that we have to run away to a place to meditate because certain thoughts are disturbances to me. No.
For the योगी, the meditator, who has through the repeated practice/अभ्यास, वैराग्य and is able to bring the mind back, again and again, and now it has become so spontaneous that I can abide in~ आत्मा is me.
So the protection from the wind, doesn’t mean that the wind will overwhelm the lamp. We must remember to never stretch an example. It is meant for a reason, stick with the reason. Now if we want to stretch the example, we will say~ oh but if there is a strong storm, then the lamp is gone. Then that means that I have to protect myself from all disturbances. No.
All that this verse is saying is that just as you recognize protection from strong winds, like if the lamp is protected, it does not tremble. Likewise, a meditator who’s been meditating for some time on the आत्मा, or on ईश्वर, is so composed that it continues to burn. It continues to burn with the वृत्ति-s, with the related thoughts.
यत्रोपरमते चित्तं निरुद्धं योगसेवया ।
यत्र चैवात्मनात्मानं पश्यन्नात्मनि तुष्यति ॥ २०॥
This is a good verse for grammar. So~ आत्मा, आत्मानम्, आत्मना,आत्मनि for those who are familiar.
This relating to the previous verse.
When this चित्तम् is निरुद्धम् | You know the definition of योग ~ चित्त वृत्ति निरोध: | निरोध: can be translated as stopping. We prefer to translate it as mastery. Because, as mentioned earlier, meditation is not about having an empty mind. It is not even about having a still mind. Meditation is learning to transform your relationship with the mind. It can happen through other activities also.
So, योग सेवया ~ that by this constant सेव you are doing i.e. you are involved in this practice of meditation. When you keep at it, when that चित्तम्, that mind is mastered, then what happens?
Mastered means wherever you want the mind to go, it will go. You want to focus on a project, but you have to take care of ailing parents. Well right now you’re working on the project, so the role is different, you’re a work professional now, I focus. Sometimes of course situations can be very tough. Then, when I am with my ailing parents I am fully present there. Oh, but my work, I don’t know, deadlines… Stick with the role. Just be there, fully present. So just giving one example of mastery.
So now what?
I don’t even need to do the inquiry. The inquiry has already been done, there is clarity. And so,
यत्र च एव आत्मना ~ by myself.
Here आत्मना is not सच्चिदानन्द आत्मा | Here it is the person.
Then आत्मानं ~ so द्वितीय, I see the आत्मा by the आत्मा |
How can you see your eyes by your eyes.
The one that sees the आत्मा is the प्रमाता, the knower.
And by seeing what is there, what more to do?
A lot of people have this question- what will we do after self realization? What shall we do after self knowledge? Well the freedom has always been yours.
आत्मनि तुष्यति ~ the person abides in oneself. That I don’t need anything else to be full and complete.
अहं पूर्ण: | That is one of the words we use for निदिध्यासनम् |
So again and again, at the seat of meditation, I see that I am पूर्ण | That I am complete in and of myself. I am चैतन्य | अहं चैतन्य |
So you say that. Do I see that? If I don’t see that, then I need to go back to श्रवणम् and maybe मननम् because there will be~ Oh but me, this little one, in this huge universe, how can I be ब्रह्मन्? You know what has happened? You started, and then you went back into what Swami Brahmavidanandaji says~ ‘meat and potatoes’ thinking, meaning dhal & chawat as we are vegetarian. So therefore, you go back to what we refer to as अन्नमयकोश | So the moment you say but I am not feeling it~ Oh, मनोमयकोश | So immediately the jump has been to this. We have just done all नेतिनेति, but I don’t feel it you know. So again back I grabbed the identification of the mind. So this play keeps going on and on.
And so, आत्मनि तुष्यति ~ I revel in the fact that I am that आत्मा, that नित्य आत्मा,
That is the limitless being, that is the basis of all forms, that is the basis of the person, that is the basis of roles, and that is the basis of all galaxies.
So all the way, again and again I abide in it. And then of course there comes a time when you are always abiding in it. So there is no difference. But initially there is a little deliberate practice involved.
Because as we saw in the exercise, we are so entrenched in the roles that to say I am the conscious person, and that person X is different from me, it feels a bit odd, like how does one say that?
ॐ
So in this sixth chapter ध्यान-योग, the metaphor of दीप (a lamp) was given which has continuous वृत्ति-s/thoughts. The wick of the lamp is lit up and it doesn’t tremble because it’s protected, and it is a metaphor for the one whose mind is composed, so the mind of the योगी |
And what do we need a composed mind for? It is really to see oneself by oneself.
आत्मानं आत्मनि आत्मा तुष्यति ~ so you revel in yourself, you are able to see with your mind. So here आत्मा is used in a different meaning. And this reveling in oneself comes from knowing the truth of oneself.
If we have doubts about what the आत्मा is, then one will have doubts when you start to meditate. So, निदिध्यासनम् which is a kind of meditation where you are not expecting for anything new to happen, but you are going with a particular वृत्ति/thought and you see yourself as the meaning of the thought.
So for instance, we might take the word पूर्ण: | पूर्ण: , a Sanskrit word means complete in and of itself. So then, how will we go about it? We will say~ अहं पूर्ण: | Or I am पूर्ण: | We’re going with पूर्ण:, not saying complete, but you understand the meaning.
And then am I able to see myself as the meaning of the word?
So now when I say अहं पूर्ण:, then what comes up for me?
Without guided meditation, just thinking aloud collectively~ अहं पूर्ण:, I am complete in and of myself, I the consciousness that illumines everything, I am पूर्ण:| When this is said, what comes up for you? Are you able to stay with the वृत्ति/thought, or some questions/doubts come up.
~ No questions, no doubts.
~ Visual comes up of a yellow light.
~ It feels like an axiom.
If it feels like an axiom, am I able to relate to it is the question? Because axiom platitude is pretty remote, or something to live my life by. That I am that.
~ I see space.
So when I see space, here is where a little मननम् is required, that I am the basis of that space. So,
सत्यं ज्ञानमनन्तं ब्रह्म, and then, तस्माद्वा एतस्मादात्मन आकाशः |
So from सत्यं ज्ञानमनन्तं, आकाशः वायु: इत्यादि, all the पञ्चमहाभूत-s have come.
~ vast feeling.
~ affirmation.
~ belief.
Now affirmation, is it true or not? Sometimes, we want something to happen, we don’t fully believe it and therefore I will say some statement. Is it that kind of a statement, or it’s a statement of fact which I try to see.
~ sense of calm.
~ liberated.
~ false notions falling away.
Is that visual? Yes.
So different kinds of things may come up for all of us. You stay with the वृत्ति, you stay with it. And in any case, anywhere your mind goes it is in ब्रह्मन् only. Wherever- to Timbuktu it goes, or even it goes to intergalactic space interstellar, that is also in ब्रह्मन् only.
So we don’t have to worry~ Oh, my mind is going here, my mind is going there. Let it go wherever it has to, it’s okay, it is all ब्रह्मन्, it is पूर्ण:, I am that पूर्ण |
Suppose for someone the question comes up- Oh, how can I be पूर्ण? Suppose it will happen. The ones who have not articulated this will be the question. So then, the reason that question comes up is because you have gone back into thinking from the body standpoint. Because I’m this little, little creature, however big I am, but still little in the context of space, galaxy. And so how can I be ब्रह्मन्? This is what we refer to as मनोमयकोश, immediately I identified with the mind, or I identified with the body.
So then the one who meditates, who is the simple person, who is not playing any role, who is साक्षी i.e. witness consciousness with respect to the साक्ष्यम् | Here the साक्ष्यम्, the object of meditation is really you. Which you are we talking about? Not the personality, not the one with the name and the coordinates and the address and the relationships.
~ Oh, but that’s only coming in my mind.
Then please get in touch with the simple person. Because identities are so entrenched that I’m not able to drop it. I’m not ready for निदिध्यासन, let’s be very clear.
So then, if somebody says~ Oh, how can I use निदिध्यासन to improve the quality of my relationships?
You please come for a relationship workshop. Please do not use निदिध्यासन for this.
Because somebody might well say~ you know, when I feel complete, then it takes care of my sense of inadequacy. Then I will be able to better relate to people.
So some people with some little understanding here and there, they may try to use it, or rather misuse it. It is not meant for that.
सुखमात्यन्तिकं यत्तद्बुद्धिग्राह्यमतीन्द्रियम् ।
वेत्ति यत्र न चैवायं स्थितश्चलति तत्त्वत: ॥ २१॥
In verse number 20 i.e. 6.20, the चित्तम् that has been mastered with ध्यानम् is able to see oneself by oneself.
And what happens after, we always wonder~ but then what? After I’m realized then what will happen? After we get there, what will happen?
Oh, once you see yourself by yourself, सुखमात्यन्तिकं – you recognize a very deep and absolute सुखम् | सुखम् is happiness, simple translation. But this kind of सुख is अतीन्द्रियम्, it is not connected to your sense organs.
And how is it known? यत् तत् बुद्धि ग्राह्यम् |
So anyone who thinks that~ Oh, Kundalini will rise and Kundalini will bestow the knowledge on me. Here the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता is very clear, the ignorance lies in बुद्धि, what you have concluded yourself to be.
Because remember बुद्धि is the decision making function of your mind. So, so called self realization does not happen in your heart, or in your kidney, or in your spinal cord- Kundalini rising. It happens in your बुद्धि |
बुद्धि we use interchangeably~ it could be mind, it could be heart. Both. There is no discrepancy.
So, the I that is known, when I say ‘I am’, which is a statement of being self-evident self-illumining, and that everything else becomes evident to me. ‘I Am’. That ‘I Am’ is not referring to what you see in the mirror. That’s perception. How you look and appear and whatever else. That’s perception, and that’s just one aspect of you, your personality.
Then it is not even the ‘I Am’, the self-evident स्वत:सिद्ध, स्वत:प्रकाश: being, that you are चैतन्यम्, that is also not the result of an inference that you have reached.
So people love me, people care for me, therefore I am. Or I managed to achieve something in life, which society approves of therefore I am. ‘I am’ is not the result of any inference.
Nor is it a conclusion born of comparison, उपमान |
So when we really look at it, the सुख that we experience is born of स्पर्श/contact of the body-mind with different sense objects.
So I just had an ice cream – विषय सुख i.e. the सुख related to an object. Or you spent some nice time with a friend. That is also विषय सुख |
Or, I meditated, or I had a very nice, very relaxing आसन practice. That is योगानंद, योग सुख |
Or, because we enjoy our curiosity, we have a value for knowing more and you discovered certain things today in a domain that you are very interested in, whatever that topic of knowledge is. So this is विद्या सुख | सुख that is born of knowledge.
So like that there are different kinds of सुख/happiness.
Here, seeing oneself by oneself is recognizing that I am that सुख | सुख स्वरूप – this is my nature. What is your nature is intrinsic to you. It is not incidental.
Ice cream सुख, cryptocurrency सुख, person related सुख, spending time over coffee related सुख | Incidental- it all depends on an incident. And yes, the incident helps to manifest the सुख that you are. All that is great.
What all this is pointing out, and especially when you are able to see that I am that simple person, I am that consciousness that illumines the simple person, अहं पूर्ण:, there is no lack in me. All subject, all object, all forms are me. They come from me, and so on.
Then, when this is recognized by the बुद्धि,
then one knows/recognizes/वेत्ति,
अयं स्थित: न चलति – I am ever established, I am ever rooted in this,
and one cannot move away- न चलति तत्त्वत: |
So this is a concern that a lot of people have. In the class it all sounds okay. Soon after class, gone, everything is gone, and you are often wonder, for years you will wonder. Because the vision may not be clear, and otherwise you’re quite eloquent. And you can perhaps teach any kind of subject matter, but when it comes to वेदान्त you cannot. Because the vision is not entirely clear, and you’re not quite sure where/how the dots connect.
So you try to repeat, or you try to in the good old learning orientation~ what were the bullet points of the class. And then there is a sense of uncertainty. You may remember two-three things. And then you say~ Oh, but the class, it should be structured more. But it’s an unfolding class, it will not have a lot of bullet points. So you may offhand remember some story, or you may offhand remember some one line, and that’s about it. And then you say~ Oh teacher is useless, or something is wrong with me, I should be able to better grasp. And so I have moved away from what I understood in the class. Or this also happens during a camp, or after a camp. So you get back into whatever is your routine, and you feel like you’ve moved away. But for the one who is very clear about the reality, that all activities, all projects, all roles, all forms, everything is really sustained by you the आत्मा | So where will you go?
Either physically- whether you are on earth or you go into space, it is all the आत्मा anyway. And your thoughts wherever you go~ Oh, I have some immoral thoughts. That also. Moral thoughts, immoral thoughts, illegal, whatever kind of thoughts you have. And whoever you are thinking of~ Oh, I shouldn’t be thinking about this one, that one. All those thoughts, they are all sustained by तत्त्वम्~ reality.
And so He is just saying that for the one who is स्थित:, who is well established in oneself as consciousness, you can never move away from the truth that you are.
*Guided meditation- निदिध्यासनम्* ~ Minute 19:20 – Minute 31:20
यं लब्ध्वा चापरं लाभं मन्यते नाधिकं तत: ।
यस्मिन्स्थितो न दु:खेन गुरुणापि विचाल्यते ॥ २२॥
When you get a glimpse of the reality of who you are, that is this अत्यन्तिकं सुखम् आनन्द, then there is nothing that is better than that. As we say, tiger has tasted blood, and will want to return again and again to seeing a glimpse of who you really are.
So that’s what is being said that gaining that, यं लब्ध्वा, अपरं लाभं न अधिकं तत: – there is no other gain compared to this.
Because this gain is as though. It was not like I was अपूर्ण first. अपूर्ण means incomplete.
So at a personality level, it’s possible that I suffer from a sense of inadequacy. But that’s the personality, that’s some conditioning from the past, some childhood related situations, some sort of ideas, and these are all experiences that can be processed to come to a relative sense of okay, I’m okay. So, I’m okay is good enough for us.
So, the पूर्णत्वम् that you are is not opposed to these different kinds of feelings, sensations that come up from time to time and need to be addressed. In fact, there is nothing that is opposed to the reality that is you.
Still, what is being said is when one is established in this reality, that is you, then what happens?
Even if there is great दु:ख गुरुणापि | One of the meanings of गुरु is heavy.
गुरु is गुरु ~ Teacher of self knowledge. But गुरु is also heavy. So people who are learning Sanskrit, in the initial lessons you will read गुरु translation is heavy. Okay, so heavy here means very big. So even if there is a great दु:ख that comes, the person is not affected.
Now here we are not trying to be stoic. That~ Oh, I am consciousness therefore, nothing must affect me. No. Again you have converted knowledge into a rule that you should not be affected. We’re not talking about that.
It’s like this- So as a parent, suppose if your child is bawling her eyes out because the toy broke. And you in your great wisdom you feel sad that the child is crying as if disaster has struck. But for you, you’re not looking down on the child, that~ oh my God come on, don’t you realize it’s a toy. No. You also empathize, you also say~ yeah of course. And then we may say~ Oh, I’ll get you another toy, or we distract, or we stay with the child who is crying, hold the child, and all that.
So, the दु:ख is there because the situation that calls for some दु:ख is there, but it doesn’t affect you. The human medium is there so the capacity to experience all emotion is there.
Understand this well, the capacity to experience emotion is there, but does it have a staying power? It affects you, this is मनोमयकोश | मनोमयकोश means you identify with the mind and emotions only. I am my feelings full-stop.
So I am sad. The statement is ‘I am …’, whatever the emotion is.
Here, maybe there is something, maybe there is an event, some disaster that has happened, and yes most people are likely to have दु:ख | But you are not affected. Not because you’re a stone. You can experience whatever are the emotions, but you are not identified with the emotion.
Why you’re not identified? Are you dissociated? Not dissociated. But you see here that the mind has its emotions and that’s it. And I illumine all this, in fact this disaster, let’s say a tsunami, has also come from me only, because I am the आत्मा |
Whoa, you are to be blamed? No, this is my nature. All forms come from me.
Oh, then the Amazon rainforest. Yes, that also comes from me.
Oh, the galaxy. That also comes from me.
So, there is clarity.
यस्मिन् स्थित: न दु:खेन गुरुणा अपि विचाल्यते – the person is not affected if the person is established in this reality that is the आत्मा |
तं विद्याद् दु:खसंयोगवियोगं योगसञ्ज्ञितम् ।
स निश्चयेन योक्तव्यो योगोऽनिर्विण्णचेतसा ॥ २३॥
And there is something to be understood here. This is the third definition of कर्म योग |
Which are the other two?
(i) कौशलम् – योग: कर्मसु कौशलम् (२.५०)
समत्वम्- a gracious equanimous acceptance.
(ii) समत्वम् – सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्यो: समो भूत्वा समत्वं योग उच्यते (२.४८)
कौशलम्- a competence in धर्म based कर्म.
Now, the third definition of योग is here. And what is that?
तं विद्यात् – may you know,
that योग सञ्ज्ञितम् – this is called योग |
What is that? दु:ख-संयोग-वियोगम् |
So वियोग is separation or like a dissociation, moving away from,
from what?
दु:ख-संयोग – association with sorrow.
So this sounds very weird. Who in their right mind will be associated with sorrow? No one. But we are.
So tell me how?
‘I will be happy when…’
I will be happy when I go on vacation. But the way our company is struggling, every time I plan I have to cancel. Why? Because so many people are getting laid off. Or people are choosing to quit. So now my happiness is being held hostage. Only when I go on vacation I will be happy.
So now, this condition I have placed on myself, no one asked me to do it. But I did it. Because of course I have freedom of choice. The condition is actually a राग – Only when I go on vacation I will be happy.
I will be happy when I go on vacation. Or, I will be happy when this person understands. Then you will have to wait for a long time in your life.
So anyway, I will be happy when I go on vacation. राग | By all means go on vacation. But don’t hold your happiness hostage to a condition. Because we have become so habituated to being unhappy. It’s a habit to be unhappy. But, nobody taught me this habit. I learnt how to brush my teeth, and take a bath and all that but this habit who taught me?
Well it is thanks to अविद्या | Thanks to अविद्या, I start to put conditions on myself. So this is called दु:ख-संयोग – the association with दु:ख that we all naturally have is really got to do with our self identity. And for most of us, self identity is that I am this limited body mind only. As long as you have that, even if you are Elon Musk, you will suffer. Why? Because limitation. We can’t handle limitation, we are always going to struggle against it. And so you can learn to manage your रागद्वेष, but all of it is coming from where? From अविद्या |
So the दु:ख-संयोग, this natural association with दु:ख that we have. When somebody asks me~ how are you? We will, just as a matter of routine say~ yeah, I’m fine. Something we will say.
Then somebody says~ I am happy. Anytime you ask the person~ I am happy. Then you wonder, what’s wrong with this person? Actually there is nothing to wonder, we have to say there’s something right with this person. I am happy. Then we will ask~ Is it love or is it Dove (the soap)? You know one old advertisement there used to be.
So there has to be a reason why you are happy, you cannot be happy for no reason. Or what we say~ उन्मत्त: i.e. somebody who has a mental disorder. So that is what is said in Sanskrit सुभाषितम् | Only children and people who are crazy, they will just be happy for no reason.
Or, of course wise people are also happy for no reason.
So we have bound ourselves so much that even if somebody’s happy around us, we will say~ oh maybe the person is having an affair. You know something, or there is some mystery to this, there is some secret. The person was not like that earlier, so how come this person is happy all the time? When I look around, nothing is okay with that person. Everything is falling apart. But this person seems to be happy. See how we have habituated ourselves to feeling unhappy?
And there are always different people to blame, or different conditions to be blamed. All that goes on and on and on. So we may couch our language differently. But there is no respite from recognizing something or the other is responsible or is worthy of being blamed.
So this रागद्वेष that we are placing on people and conditions around us, coming from अविद्या, not knowing who I really am therefore, I need X-Y-Zed to complete me. This is दु:ख-संयोग | This is our natural association with दु:ख Why? Because of self identity.
So when it comes to one definition of योग, of course people would have heard uniting the body with the mind, uniting जीवात्मा and परमात्मा, and so on. Now, any kind of uniting implies there are 2, at least. But here He’s not talking about any uniting. He’s actually talking about dissociating. Dissociating as in whatever comes together, sooner or later will fall apart.
In one narrative, Lord Raama talks about his relationship with Sita Devi, saying that for some time we came together, like logs floating in the river we traveled a certain distance and then it was time to part.
But recognizing that any relationship- mother-child, partner, friends, of course it goes through different phases, so there is a coming together, there is falling apart, and so on and so forth.
So in terms of our different relations, this association and moving away from association happens all the time.
Even if you say till death do us part, it’s only for this lifetime. And even then it’s possible you have a long distance relationship, or people are traveling, so not always together.
So now when it comes to this दु:ख-संयोग, to have the honesty to recognize how I am building up my दु:ख, we have to see this. And to see something clearly, without blaming, without getting exhausted, is quite an art. Because this is what objectivity is. You just see what is, you’re not building up reaction.
Oh, this is how I build up दु:ख, that’s why even more I have दु:ख now. I am so sad. Earlier I was okay. Now with all this वेदान्त now, you are forced to look at oneself, and one’s patterns, and also seeing I take responsibility. Because it’s कर्म योग | So taking responsibility for my कर्म and not ducking under any issue. Not saying~ Oh my Raahu is like that, what can I do? What? What kind of an excuse is that? Raahu is only reflecting your कर्म | Raahu is not making you do these things.
Or what to do, my father was like that, so I got this habit. No. You take responsibility.
So without getting exhausted, we have to see how I build up दु:ख |
And here we go back to one of the योग सूत्र-s which Swaminiji mentioned prior-
अविद्यास्मितारागद्वेषाभिनिवेशाः क्लेशाः ॥ २.३ ॥
The five sources of क्लेशाः are अविद्या i.e. ignorance and its crop- अस्मिता (I-notion), राग (binding desire/attachment), द्वेष(aversion), अभिनिवेशाः (fear of death).
So just looking at how रागद्वेष works. So I do this, and I am objective to it.
So again, and again what is to be done?
निश्चयेन योक्तव्य: |
So that may you do this practice. What is the practice? योक्तव्य: किम्? What is to be done?
अनिर्विण्ण-चेतसा ~ so with a mind that is steady, that is not easily discouraged. Again and again this दु:ख-संयोग that is there in one’s life- ‘I will be happy when…’ is an example of दु:ख-संयोग | That I am placing a condition on my happiness. Or I will be happy when the world is in order. Well actually how do you know the world is not in order already? The world is in order. And the disorder is also a part of the order. All thanks to us only. We are the ones who have contributed to global warming and all mayhem. It is very much in order.
I am, the world is.
Whatever conditions we are placing on it, you go one level deeper and you see that it’s रागद्वेष, so it is अविद्या | You own it up. And then again and again you say that all this दु:ख-संयोग is related to my conclusion about myself, does it stand up to scrutiny? I am this limited body mind only, is it absolute reality? Because body mind is incidental, I consciousness am intrinsic and I cannot even give up that.
For संन्यास suppose you say~ oh I want to give up. But you cannot give up your own nature. So you are consciousness anyway. Even if you wanted to, you can’t give it up.
So this योग, दु:ख-संयोग-वियोगम्, dissociating from the natural association with sorrow that we have because of रागद्वेष, अविद्या and so on,
may you pursue this.
So may you not approach it in a symptomatic way. I’m feeling a little sad, I distract myself. Over, situation handled. Sometimes we do that.
But go one level deeper.
Oh, my parents are like this. My situation is not so good. Okay, that’s कर्म, that’s the law of कर्म | It’s all पुण्य, पाप coming back to me, my own कर्म is coming back to me. Oh, I feel so sad about that. Yeah, of course there will be these reactions.
Law of कर्म is sustained by whom? ईश्वर | What is ईश्वर’s स्वरूप? Consciousness आत्मा, that is me.
The स्वरूप of ईश्वर is आत्मा consciousness that is me.
So again and again, I am able to see this. Yes, all these situations have to be handled. We are not denying it. Please do so with कर्म योग बुद्धि: | But don’t make that as an excuse. Oh, once I will deal with my situation then I am ready for आत्मा विचार | No. Let both of these go hand in hand. Because otherwise you are just building up दु:ख-संयोग | There will never be a situation when everything is perfect in your life, and this is not a curse okay. Something will be there- the walls are cracking, and something requires some help, or some problem with the job, or you are okay but the people around you are sick and you have to look after them. So, not all things will be perfect as you envision. But that’s not our aim. We have stopped, or at least we are trying to be less of control freaks. That despite everything I am okay. Because that दु:ख-संयोग, again and again I am doing वियोग i.e. I am moving away from it, moving away from the buildup of दु:ख |
So it’s an important definition.
ॐ
This is actually slokas 18-20
As a part of संध्यावन्दनम्, certain मंत्र-s are chanted related to सूर्य भगवान् |
The discussion of संध्यावन्दनम् is related to the मंत्र we are going to look at in ईशावास्य उपनिषद्, which is a kind of सूर्य उपासन |
So what is already existing with respect to संध्यावन्दनम् is being shared. And there are मंत्र-s in संध्यावन्दनम् that say- You(आलम्बनम्) are me.
There is one मंत्र, ‘असावादित्यो ब्रह्म, ब्रह्मैव अहमस्मि’ which can be used for उपासन | Or, once one has ज्ञानम्, this मंत्र can be used for निदिध्यासनम् |
And then the गायत्रीमन्त्र can be used for praying for clarity in thinking. And it also reveals the ऐक्यम् between जीव and ईश्वर |
Also there are मंत्र-s to the different deities (गायत्री-माता, सवित्रि-माता and सरस्वती-माता) where the आवहनम् is done in one own self.
And we remember the ऋषि-s who gave the मंत्र-s.
Prior, the different उपासन-s have been spoken of pointing to the fact that these are forms of meditation, forms of मानस कर्म, and the result of these kinds of मानस कर्म was also mentioned. What was highlighted was the results are limited, and words like तमः and अन्ध: were referred, very strong words, pointing to the fact that higher degrees of pleasure and comfort are not the truth. And so you have to come back. Or you can stay suspended during प्रलय, you may not have many rebirths, and therefore you will not go through the suffering that comes with living a human life or animal life or whatever it is. But still मोक्ष is not there. क्रममुक्ति is there, that there are very good chances that when ब्रह्म-जी is free, He will teach you and you will get to know the truth, one fine day, maybe after millions of years.
So all this has been highlighted for the one who revels in कर्म and who is preoccupied, perhaps obsessed with कर्म, and says~ you know what, मोक्ष can wait, let me just enjoy my life, and alongside I will also do this कर्म-उपासन | I will meditate. I love meditation. ज्ञानम् I am not interested in. I want to have भक्ति, I don’t want मुक्ति |
So a lot of भक्त-s say this~ I want भक्ति, I don’t want मुक्ति | And so one wonders~ oh really, am I missing out something? But really in मुक्ति there is भक्ति; those भक्त-s who know this, do not say.
So, in the vision of वेदान्त for us, the highest form of भक्ति is ज्ञानम् | And in ज्ञानम् itself, there is भक्ति |
So भगवान् श्री कृष्ण makes it very, very clear in Chapter 7 where He’s talking about the four types of भक्त-s/devotees, that the highest भक्त is a ज्ञानी | The love for Me-भगवान् is so complete that there is no separation. That I am you, or He is me.
Now, the last few verses are there. And so having done the same kind of उपासन-s, perhaps for ज्ञान-योग्यता, where the primary purpose has been अंतःकरणशुद्धि | So, more and more I am able to appreciate ईशा वास्यमिदं सर्वम् because of my उपासन and a lot of रागद्वेष-s that bothered me, that I had to fulfill for the sake of completeness, now it has all been reduced to preferences. It’s okay, it’s all manageable, they don’t preoccupy my mind all the time like they used. So some शुद्धि has happened i.e. steadiness because of certain practices- जप, उपासन and all.
So then what? Then is मंत्र # १५ –
हिरण्मयेन पात्रेण सत्यस्यापिहितं मुखम् ।
तत्त्वं पूषन्नपावृणु सत्यधर्माय दृष्टये ॥ १५ ॥
So, Oh पूषन् – सूर्य भगवान् is being referred to here.
पूषा is also heard in the ‘भद्रं’ शान्तिः मंत्र – ‘स्वस्ति नः पूषा विश्ववेदाः’.
So words are being referred to for सूर्य भगवान्, and that we will explain later.
But what is being said is, that addressing सूर्य भगवान्,
हिरण्मयेन पात्रेण,
the सत्यम् that you are – सत्यस्य,
अपिहितं मुखम् |
So, it is as though, the सत्यम् that you are i.e. your स्वरूप,
is as though अपिहितम् – covered/concealed,
by हिरण्मयेन पात्रेण – by this golden vessel,
as though.
Golden meaning resplendent, illumining, shining.
And so I pray to you सूर्य भगवान्, you please अपावृणु – so, you please open,
what we are referring to as अविद्या |
So, you please remove this concealed cover, whatever पात्र is covering.
So that, me who is a सत्यधर्माय – meaning that I have lived a life of धर्म and I am describing myself as सत्यधर्म |
दृष्टये – May I see,
the स्वरूप of you,
because in seeing the स्वरूप of you, it is me.
Now, there are 2 interpretations for this मंत्र –
(i) This is what Swaminiji said prior, which is that we can look at it as a महावाक्य |
(ii) Or we can look at it as उपासन & क्रममुक्ति |
(i) महावाक्य
What is the nature of सूर्य भगवान्? सत्यम्-ज्ञानम्-अनन्तम् | But there is this हिरण्मय पात्र | हिरण्मय means golden. This golden vessel is standing for what? All kinds of things that seem to take my attention away from your स्वरूप | So all our धर्म, अर्थ, काम pursuits can distract us so much that the मोक्ष pursuit is totally lost.
There are always emergencies, or things that have to be done. What did Sita-माता get tempted by? Not an ordinary deer, but a golden deer. So this fascination for gold has been there since the longest time. And gold means any new shiny object- latest iPhone, latest car, latest something…Or new वेदान्त class. So something new, something exciting, something that breaks the monotony will be attractive. Like new series trending now on Netflix. So, cleverly Netflix says what everyone is watching. It such a clever strategy. I don’t want to be left out. I have FOMO (fear of missing out). So Netflix will tell me what India is watching, or whichever country. The top trending 10. So then whatever is number one, let me actually see the trailer. Or trailer is so well directed, I think I am going to watch the entire series.
So this हिरण्मय पात्रम् depending on our संस्कार-s, they can distract us and they will be different for different people, again depending on age and stage of life.
So now the prayer to सूर्य भगवान् is that You please bless me with ज्ञानम् |
When we are talking about कर्म योग, the disposition has to extend to your मोक्ष pursuit also. So प्रसाद बुद्धि with respect to what you are receiving in the teaching. प्रसाद बुद्धि with respect to how you are growing as a person. प्रसाद बुद्धि with respect to all the opportunities for learning that are currently available to you. And along with that, the कौशलम् for whatever is required. Both have to be balanced out.
In some stages, some phases, the emphasis on कौशलम् will be higher. Why? Because of that deliberate practice things become more spontaneous. So initially, maybe some extra effort will be required, but the same level of effort will not be required later, on certain matters. So it’s all different for different people.
And having been exposed to the शास्त्र through श्रवणम्, मननम्, and some amount of निदिध्यासनम्, still I am not clear. I have really tried you know. So a lot of कौशलम्, I have aligned myself so much with धर्म, I am so together as a person. सत्यम्, I value, I practice. I am following धर्म to the best of my capacity- पञ्चमहायज्ञा, all my roles, all that, and I continue to be listening to the शास्त्र,
so then, सूर्य भगवान् please do not deny me your स्वरूप | So please bless me.
This is our first interpretation.
(ii) Second interpretation- in the light of all that has gone before, the उपासक is speaking. For the उपासक who is interested in मोक्ष, but somehow is too caught up with all the responsibilities and says~ you know this जन्म, not possible. So what shall we do? And so whatever time I get, I will meditate on सूर्य भगवान् | And some of what was mentioned at the beginning of this class, like how it is done in संध्यावन्दनम्, that you who are me, that you invoke सूर्य भगवान् or देवी-माता onto yourself i.e. अहम्-ग्रह उपासन or अभेद उपासन | So भगवान् is not invoked on a मूर्ति or an image outside, but on yourself. So that is the उपासन that can be done. That सूर्य भगवान्, you are me.
Or how we say in ललितासहस्रनाम – अहमित्येव विभावये भवानीम् | So, the part of the ध्यान श्लोक – अहम् इति एव विभावये, that I am that illumined self that is भवानी, that is the देवी | So I am देवी, that is the ध्यान श्लोक, together with other verses, all description, but basically the देवी is me, I am देवी | Even if your partner/husband calls you देवी-जी or not, you are देवी | So, I am देवी can be उपासन, you visualize that.
And then, in the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता we have seen in the 8th chapter-
अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम् ।
य: प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशय: ॥ ८.५॥
There is no doubt about what?
अन्तकाले – At the time of death, the one who departs,
स्मरन् – What is he remembering?
Once when Swaminiji had to take her mother to the hospital, it was an emergency as it was thought that she had got a stroke, but it turned out to not be a stroke, it was hypoglycemia. Then, before she became unconscious, she said, ‘take the keys’. Now obviously Swaminiji would take the keys, but you know how mothers are~ take your umbrella, or take the keys. So here she is being wheeled out in a stretcher, and Swaminiji is locking the door, and she says~ ‘take the keys’, she remembered, and then became unconscious.
So, Swaminiji talked with her- suppose those were your last words, like what is this? If you had not come back to consciousness, then~ ‘take the keys’.
So, what do you remember when you will give up the body?
Well you remember what you have been thinking about for most of your life.
So if the उपासक has been doing so much उपासन on different deities, here in this मंत्र maybe सूर्य भगवान्, then 8th chapter भगवद्-गीता also speaks about withdrawing your attention from the sense organs, and then putting your attention on your head, where the सहस्रार चक्र is, and saying/chanting Om.
So in the second interpretation of this मंत्र, what is being said is that it’s a prayer to सूर्य भगवान्, that may you please remove this हिरण्मय पात्र, so that I will get straight शुक्ल गती |
So remember क्रममुक्ति | क्रममुक्ति means progressive मुक्ति | Of course मोक्ष is not progressive, but I don’t have to keep coming back again and again on Earth. I will go straight to ब्रह्मलोक because of the पुण्य that has been generated because of कर्म and उपासन | And then once in ब्रह्मलोक, I don’t have to come back to मध्यलोक | मध्यलोक is where you keep dying, the mortal लोक which is the earth.
So it’s saying that~ okay please, I have been this सत्यधर्म | I’ve been practicing उपासन | And I have worshipped you so much every day- morning, afternoon, evening, or as often as I could, and so now I have this entry visa straight to ब्रह्मलोक, so you please bless me, because I have adhered to living a life of धर्म, and this lifetime I have not been able to do adequate श्रवणम्, मननम्, निदिध्यासनम्, so at least you straight away take me to ब्रह्मलोक |
That is the prayer, second interpretation.
Then continuing मंत्र १६ –
पूषन्नेकर्षे यम सूर्य प्राजापत्य व्यूह
रश्मीन्समूह तेजो यत्ते रूपं कल्याणतमं
तत्ते पश्यामि योऽसावसौ पुरुषः सोऽहमस्मि ॥ १६ ॥
So referring to सूर्य भगवान् – So पूषन्, ‘स्वस्ति नः पूषा’ (शान्तिः मंत्र).
So पूषा means the one who nourishes.
So the मंत्र really means, referring to सूर्य भगवान्, the one who nourishes, the one who travels.
Travels, the one who is alone in the sky. Recording 11b video has the link to the video about सूर्य भगवान् traveling.
The one who is यम, who controls.
The one who is the son of प्रजापति, etc.
So, some words are used to refer to सूर्य भगवान् |
So please may you withdraw the extreme brightness so that I can see your form, सूर्यनारायण |
And I want to be able to see that you are me.
So now, the way we see the स्तोत्र-s also, we acknowledge the greatness of whichever is the deity.
So here we cannot imagine life on earth without the sun. The more you know, whatever we have learned in school science was very very basic.
So, sunlight takes 8 minutes to travel to the earth. But then there is no life on other planets, because of the distance with respect to the sun. And the distance is just right that it doesn’t kill life on earth. Some bacteria of course it kills, but it allows others to flourish and thrive, all life forms- small fungi, all microbes and fishes, all aquatic animals, definitely plants, definitely human beings. Vitamin D, which most of us are deficient in, because we don’t have enough exposure to the sunlight, so we have that.
And newer researchers say that if you want to regulate your sleep, then as soon as you wake up, you have to see sunlight, because of course it’s not too harsh, it’s mild. Because the cells in the body need to know that it’s time for action, because it’s the beginning of the day. Because understand this, there is complete darkness for the cells in the body, because it’s completely covered by the skin and whatever else- tissues and muscles and fat etc. So it’s complete darkness. And the light is very nourishing. It can be harsh under certain conditions, we are not denying that, but a lot of life happens because of sunlight.
And so, here we are just talking about one aspect of सूर्य भगवान् | And we have been conditioned to think of सूर्य as inanimate. But what makes सूर्य shine so brilliantly, and bless? सूर्य भगवान् only.
So this सूर्य which is पूषा, पूषन् and,
एकर्षे – who is alone in the galaxy. So alone in the galaxy means there is a lot of distance between the Sun and all the other planets that rotate.
They say that the Sun also moves in the Milky Way. And so let’s see this video on the Sun’s travels-
The two definitions of कर्म योग that we have seen in the second chapter are addressing our resistance to life and our reluctance to align with धर्म |
What is the need for कौशलम् ? My रागद्वेष-s overpower me so much, that I am so consumed by them, and very likely that I perform acts of अधर्म | If I’m able to align रागद्वेष with धर्म, that’s fantastic. But often it’s a struggle.
What is the need for समत्वम्/equanimity/gracious acceptance? No need. Let us fight and resist every situation all the way. Let’s do it, let’s go all out for it. But then you are in conflict with everyone. Definitely in conflict with oneself. Never happy with oneself.
And therefore, in meditation, or even otherwise, when I suggest that we say ‘it’s good to be me’, it’s a struggle to say it. Why? Because there is a resistance to who I am or how I have become, or I have created a divide between who I currently am and who I want to be.
So unless we appreciate the impact of resistance in our lives, we can never appreciate the need for acceptance. What is this resistance doing to me? Resistance means, ‘This is not okay. That is not okay. You are not okay. I’m not okay. Nobody is okay.’ And from several standpoints, it could be well true.
Economically, countries are headed towards recession. It’s following a certain cycle of course. Yes, there is cause and effect. Yes, it’s not desirable. So if we look around there are enough reasons to declare things are not okay.
The purpose of our studying भगवद्-गीता is not to find a way to deal with our problems, but to actually question- what I thought was a problem, is it really a problem?
That the sadness, the sorrow I experience, is it valid? Is there a reason for me to have sorrow?
From the psychological standpoint, of course there is reason for sorrow- People don’t appreciate me. I have misunderstandings with people. I wish they did more for me. Or life feels like a burden. I only have to do everything etc. But the conclusion- that I am this much only. I am this body-mind only. That conclusion and the attachment to that identity as a human being, that identity, is it based on reality? That’s the inquiry. Because sorrow is not for आत्मा | Sorrow is for the person. Who is the person? जीव |
Although being आत्मा, although being the limitless being, associated with body-mind takes oneself to be this much only. So yes body-mind is limited, and struggling in a limited world is trying to achieve the infinite through finite means. So, of course there’s going to be struggle and of course there’s going to be sorrow. The inquiry is- is this body-mind real?
And for us reality is that which cannot be negated at any time. What a brilliant definition! अबाधितं सत्यम् | You cannot do बाध of it, you cannot negate it. That which always is, which is you.
Oh, but why I don’t see it? Because there is दु:ख-संयोग ~ because I am associated with sorrow. Oh, but what are you saying? Who in their right mind is associated with दु:ख? I don’t want sorrow. No, you may not want sorrow, but your identity is of a limited being. And limitation means sorrow. That’s why you struggle against it. If sorrow was your nature/स्वरूप, then we can all commiserate in our misery and say- Oh, you are only this much sad, let me share some of my problems, you can be more sad. Let us all be sad together, how wonderful life is. We are so connected with our sadness, it’s so natural, oh it’s just so beautiful. But, we don’t do that.
Instead we struggle against sorrow, because we struggle against limitation. We don’t want to be bound and it started when we were wrapped with that cloth as soon as we were born. Even then you’re trying to break free. The body has barely just come out into the world. But still, you don’t want any बन्ध, any bondage, any sense of limitation.
So the दु:ख-संयोग that is there, योग involves वियोग from दु:ख-संयोग | वियोग meaning move away, dissociate from, see that you are more than the body and mind. Because I am body-mind, there is sorrow, there’s no way you can avoid it.
But in वियोग, वियोग means separation/dissociation. What is to be separated? This association with दु:ख i.e. दु:ख-संयोग | You have to see the distance, the natural distance that exists, the distance of awareness, which actually is no distance.
I-consciousness am aware of my identity as a mother, I am struggling in my role as a parent. You could be a pet-mom or you can be a child’s mom. Either way, there is a little bit of a struggle.
So role identity. That role is me. Of course you’re going to struggle. And then the sadness, the helplessness of that role will permeate other roles also. Why? Because I am not able to see that I am independent of my roles. The roles depend on me. I am independent of my roles. Again and again, you want to be able to see this. This is called दु:ख-संयोग वियोग |
Let’s start there- I am more than my roles. For those of us for whom our roles are our identity, either it will be the parent-identity which is me- like that’s me and that’s it, or it will be the work-identity. So if I am not working, I feel useless because of the whole frenzy towards productivity. I need to deserve having a vacation or rest. How can I just sack out? No no no, I have to earn my rest. So, this work identity is very strong, meaning that’s who I am. If I shift identity, then I’m really uncomfortable because I don’t know who I really am as a person.
This one person that Swaminiji knew, who had retired from a particular setup, he had his send off with a nice farewell ceremony, but he kept going back to that setup saying that- oh, let me ease you all into my responsibilities. And he did that for five years. And it was not senior management or any such. But I am uncomfortable being just a simple person. I’m only okay in that work role. Or whatever role, whichever I’m attached to. And so I’m uncomfortable being with myself, so let me just try to find something to do and make myself useful.
So, दु:ख-संयोग वियोग is seeing that I am more than the roles. Then in all the roles, further identity is what? I am the doer. I have done so much, but they don’t acknowledge my great contribution. So, कर्ता identity is very strong. भोक्ता also. So I feel unfulfilled after all that I have done, or I feel very, very fulfilled, either way. So, कर्ता-भोक्ता (doer/experiencer) identity is very strong. So, वियोग even from that. I am more than the कर्ता and the भोक्ता, I am more than the doer and the experiencer.
So in other words, I am that consciousness that is not a property of any of these. In fact, all roles and these identities, and actually all forms, they are in me. So through आत्मा विचार then there is a little more clarity. Then, again and again this योग is to be pursued.
We are not talking about withdrawing from life. वियोग is not withdrawal from life. You are fully involved in life. At the same time, you see that you are more than all of this, and therefore कर्म योग is effortless. Initially, it starts with kicking and screaming and resisting. But more and more you see ईश्वर in your life then you are just a very delighted instrument and you allow lots of things to flow through you. It’s just fun, you enjoy. Life is not a burden. It is a blessing all the way.
So this is to be pursued without feeling discouraged. When you think of the lifetimes of संस्कार-s and रागद्वेष-s, then you say~ oh, that’s all I have to deal with. It’s not bad. I think I can do this. And again, recognize that रागद्वेष doesn’t have the same level of reality that you have. So sometimes our रागद्वेष seem so real, but in time we have to recognize that this is all just मिथ्या | So in the light that I am, I shine the light on the रागद्वेष | They exist because I exist. And even the राग, even the द्वेष, all the way it is ‘is’ness, आत्मा स्वरूप |
I can afford to have a few more more रागद्वेष-s, so what? Depending on everybody’s background, we will have some रागद्वेष-s and it’s okay. You may want your coffee in a particular way. It’s okay. You don’t have to make a list of all your रागद्वेष-s and tick off the boxes, with a very serious approach to my रागद्वेष-s. What is this रागद्वेष utilization for? Do you see the truth of who you are? Or are you using your रागद्वेष as another self improvement project? Because it feels like~ oh yes, I am devoted to personal development. And I have worked on myself. So again, I have this great sense of achievement. So a lot of workshop junkies are like this~ I did this, I did that etc. And so I have done so much work on myself. I have worked on my marriage. I’ve worked on my finances and my career and so on. So, कर्ता-भोक्ता identity is very strong.
Then, then what? What is the reality of that? I-consciousness, so वियोग | I am that which is in and through all of this.
सङ्कल्पप्रभवान्कामांस्त्यक्त्वा सर्वानशेषत: ।
मनसैवेन्द्रियग्रामं विनियम्य समन्तत: ॥ २४॥
शनै: शनैरुपरमेद्बुद्ध्या धृतिगृहीतया ।
आत्मसंस्थं मन: कृत्वा न किञ्चिदपि चिन्तयेत् ॥ २५॥
All desires are born of संकल्प | संकल्प means- may this happen for me. So you state whatever is your intention. May there be peace in my life. May I have happiness and health, so on and so forth.
So give me some statements of I want-
~ I want stability in my job.
Okay, let’s proceed. I want stability in my job because-
~ then I don’t have to constantly be second guessing if I’m going to have it tomorrow, or not.
I don’t want to be second guessing, because-
~ it takes a lot of energy from me.
I don’t want to expend so much energy because-
~ then I’m not able to focus on my actual job duties.
I’m not able to focus because-
~ because I’m constantly thinking about the future. Instead of what I’m doing right now.
Continue-
~ I mean, it’s all because I am enveloped in this identity.
Brilliant.
Okay. All of you, I will suggest you do this. I want ________, whatever comes to the top of your mind, and trace it at least three-four levels. And you will find that whatever you are seeking, the संकल्प that you are seeking, which is all valid in the realm of धर्म, अर्थ, काम, and you are pursuing it, all that is great. But this can continue lifetime after lifetime after lifetime. Where does it end?
So just for a moment we shift and we say- I don’t have stability. I want that because for me that is a sign of happiness. And so what it implies is that I am not okay as things are. So, aspirational all the time. I am not okay as things are. And that is a sign of कर्ता-भोक्ता identity. Yes, definitely I am this human being. And I want infinite happiness from finite moments. Maybe I am looking in the wrong place. Maybe my search needs better direction.
What do you want?
~ clarity of mind, good decision making
I want good decision making or I want clarity of mind to make the right decisions because-
~ because I want security in my life.
I want security in my life because-
~ so my kids can have a good future.
If my kids have a good future then-
~ then they will have security in their life.
So their security is tied up with my security. And will I ever know whether we are secure enough?
~ No.
Think about it. Maybe you can plan, and you can have a fantastic financial plan, and home plan, all kinds of plans you can have. Then maybe we can ensure complete security for everyone. Possible?
~ I think COVID showed that planning doesn’t help much.
You can plan to be ready for everything. That’s the only thing you can plan.
That’s what कर्म योग helps you to do.
So the self mastery that we refer to again and again, is that I can handle anything.
Of course all parents definitely want their children to be secure and so on. But to tie up your security with your children’s security only, is a recipe for a lifetime of insecurity. Because when can you truly feel secure? As long as you are a parent, never. Never because it’s like school- God knows what will happen in school, bullying and all, I rather homeschool. Some parents take that decision. And then after that- college, are my children, okay, they are not. And then, marriage- if they choose to marry, not marry. Big decisions- To have children. Then they went on holiday to Alaska. Now what shall we do? I hope an iceberg doesn’t fall on their head.
Where does it end? It never ends. It can end if you see that children have come through you, they have their journey, you have your journey. And yes, the journey definitely coalesce to some extent for some time. And ईश्वर is taking care all the way. You can rest in security that I’ve done my best. I continue to do my best and they will be looked after. We can seek security only in ईश्वर |
If you seek security in your plan, or on a particular stock price, or a relationship being in a particular way, sooner or later, you’re going to be disappointed. And you actually think that they are to be blamed. But actually we need one level of metacognition, we need to think about our thinking- that all these people that I hold responsible and I’m blaming, actually maybe it has to do with my रागद्वेष | And all this has come from अविद्या |
I’ve taken myself to be this much only because I don’t know who I am. And therefore I’ve caught on to these four people in my life. And my whole life revolves around them. My security is totally invested in them. And therefore every time my heart is having palpitations- phone call, no phone call. And then we may say~ well, it just comes with the territory. No it doesn’t.
You can grow so much that you can love and be secure, and also contribute to your children’s security, to their sense of security. Otherwise, our insecurity rubs off on children. What will happen, what will happen? You have not done your homework. What will the teacher say? And okay, valid question. It’s a good thing you are pointing out action-consequence to the child. But again and again, you’ll say~ what will happen, what will happen. Children are going to be hearing what will happen, they are not hearing that we need to prepare for every eventuality, which doesn’t mean that I have to be hypervigilant.
I can deal with anything.
A 4-year old child just needs to be able to deal with life in pre-school, that much. Age appropriate skills are required. You don’t have to tell the child~ oh, what is birth & death? No. Just keep your toys away. Use your things properly. Share your toys with others. What else? Life is so simple. So, age appropriate.
So now I am getting myself wound up all the time because I think I cannot deal with situations. We look down on ourselves. We underestimate our capacities. You only have to look at your own life. Of course you can look elsewhere for inspiration also. But all the things that you thought you wouldn’t be able to handle- Wow, you just sailed through it, and you have emerged triumphant. If each of us writes a story it will be a best seller. If it is written well of course. Because everybody’s life story has had enough twists and turns. You are the protagonist, you are the hero/heroine of the story. Still, we will say- oh I don’t know, what will happen? Hey, whatever happens I can deal with it full-stop. That’s it, stop. We have to learn to put the full stop, not keep adding a comma. Because a comma is endless. It can go on and on. The sentence can become a paragraph, it can run into pages about this also and that also and so on.
And so, the कर्म योगी rests in the lap of भगवान् and recognizes that all that I have is given to me. I make the most of it, I offer my कर्म unto ईश्वर | I learn to accept that I cannot accept. I accept my resistances. And people are trying their best, I am trying my best. I am trying. I am firm, I am gentle with myself. And I also recognize that all this drama of the pursuit of wealth and pleasure and धर्म is valid. I am also invested in the pursuit called मोक्ष | And in that pursuit, I am seeing myself as free from desire.
So I also recognize that because of रागद्वेष that I cannot help but worry, because of all the things that I want. And so I shift my attention because I am a कर्म योगी | This is how I approach my different situations. And in all the different situations, through all my roles, through all my responsibilities, through all my experiences, what am I trying to do? I want enough self mastery. What for? So that the truth, the reality of who I am is clear to me. That calls for some clarity. पुरुषार्थ निश्चय | We have seen this in the second chapter.
So that पुरुषार्थ निश्चय itself takes many years. Because we are struggling and struggling and struggling with धर्म, अर्थ, काम. And Swaminiji is not saying that we don’t need to struggle, but we have to see that धर्म, अर्थ, काम means struggle. And of course there are phases and you can manage it, it’s okay. You win some, you lose some, it’s okay.
But life is far too precious to just get caught up in your to do list, and what you cooked and what you ate and what you drank and what somebody else ate and drank and so on and so forth.
And the recognition that I am okay, in fact, I am the limitless consciousness, but I take myself to be lacking all the time. Wrong idea, error, भ्रान्ति |
So, recognizing that all my desires, all my संकल्प-s has come from a sense of incompleteness because I have taken myself to be incomplete, because I have taken myself to be body-mind only, because I have अविद्या/ignorance.
Therefore what? कामां त्यक्त्वा | So give up those desires for the time being. At least at the seat of meditation you say- now, for the next 10-20 minutes, I am going to focus on this ध्यानम् |
So because right now I’m a simple person, we will pick up the burden if we want to later. Not now.
सर्वानशेषत: – So giving up all of this. All the various desires, so many to do lists etc., etc.
and,
विनियम्य मनस एव इन्द्रियग्रामं – this group of sense organs and organs of action, the कर्मेन्द्रिय & ज्ञानेन्द्रिय, so the sense organs of knowledge & sense organs of action,
how? By your mind.
This can be another संकल्प | That for 20 minutes, I am going to be focused on this meditation. I suspend whatever else I need to think about. Or I have certain tasks, I will do it later. Not now.
And then what shall we do?
शनै: शनै: – slowly, slowly,
उपरमेत् – so may one resolve the mind, that is scattered, that is caught up in roles, responsibilities, insecurities.
बुद्ध्या धृतिगृहीतया – may you hold your mind, may you resolve your mind with धृति: | धृति: is fortitude, perseverance. Or rather focus, that you are committed to something, you will see it through.
धृति: is not that you have to clench your teeth and your fist and say~ oh, I’m going to be focused in meditation. You’re getting too stressed out okay. Meditation happens when you drop the sense of doing. If you have this identity- I am a meditator, that’s it, no meditation will happen because you’re going to keep evaluating your meditation. Am I doing it correctly? Am I remembering all the instructions I have received? Then okay, something is happening right now. Oh, maybe that’s not right. That’s not supposed to happen. So please relax okay, this is not meditation, this is you fighting with yourself.
So now may you resolve your mind. In what? Not your to do list. In the आत्मा, in the nature of the आत्मा |
So, because the nature of the आत्मा is understood through the previous teaching, so may you see that all thoughts, all cognitions, where do they come from? They come from me.
Oh, no, no, they come from the mind. Yeah sure, but the mind is illumined by whom? By me.
Then, some thoughts stay, some thoughts go, some thoughts just persist. They are on loop. Although you have not pressed the button, but still they are on loop. That also, who illumines? Oh, I illumine.
Then, what else shall you do?
आत्मसंस्थम् – by being established in the आत्मा,
न किञ्चित् अपि चिन्तयेत् – So in Sanskrit, we use the word चिन्त for thinking also, in Hindi we may say that चिन्त means worry. But चिन्त in Sanskrit is thinking also.
So may you not think of anything else.
When you are thinking about your loved one, that’s what you’re thinking about. That’s it. You don’t need any other instructions.
Right now you’re thinking about your son, so don’t think about your work. No, I don’t need that instruction from you. Right. Why? Because your mind naturally goes to what you love. Yes. Or it will go towards whatever you consider is incomplete, because you’re seeking completion, some sort of completion.
So, recognizing that in every triad,
triad means the one who is the meditator and the object of meditation being the आत्मा | So, subject-object relationship is there, and the process of meditation. So,
ध्याता – the one who’s meditating, the meditator,
ध्येयम् – what you are meditating on i.e. I am the आत्मा |
That I-the meditator is meditating on the आत्मा which seems remote. Because I, identified with body-mind is meditating as though on the आत्मा, that is the limitless, and in that process ध्यानम् is taking place i.e. some sort of meditation is taking place.
What is the स्वरूप of each of these? What is it that cannot be negated about the ध्याता/the meditator? Is-ness that is consciousness?
Then the object of meditation, आत्मा, but even let’s say some person, some form is there, then what is the स्वरूप of that object of meditation? Or your idea of आत्मा ? It is is-ness. But that is-ness is not inert, is-ness is consciousness.
And then this so called process of meditation, ध्यानम् | What takes place when one is meditating on the आत्मा, or any object? The resolution, the non- separation of the object into the subject. What is the स्वरूप of that resolution? It is is-ness consciousness.
So you take any triad. Triad means subject, object and the experience. So, whether you are the knower, and there is the known, and the knowledge. Or you are the experiencer, the object of experience, and the experience itself.
Any of this you take, where will you go? You have to return to yourself only.
So आत्मा, the स्वरूप the consciousness that is in and through all of this.
So that is what is called आत्मसंस्थं मन: कृत्वा |
Because here, for the doer, this is one more thing on my to do list. How shall I abide in the आत्मा ? आत्मा project. Okay, so I will do my research. How to abide in आत्मा ? Abide means I have to go under आत्मा, above आत्मा, below आत्मा, inside आत्मा, आत्मा inside me, what shall we do? Anyway आत्मा is so elusive. So here resolving the mind is recognizing that I am that from which all emerges. All the thoughts emerge, the mind actually I illumine. Because the mind is not there in deep sleep. Thank God for that. It is resolved, it’s dormant. So again and again I return, as though, because as though I have moved away, to that which is between two thoughts.
This is what we do in जप. So you say- Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namah Shivaya. A deliberate thought related to the मन्त्र is given to you. Then, between two thoughts, between two sounds, what is there? Nothing? No, no. You are very much there. You. Who is that you between two thoughts? Don’t say another thought. Between two thoughts, did you die? No, no, I registered that there was no thought. So the one who registered.
Or because thoughts are so fast, so almost instantaneous, one thought and the other and so on.
Between two thoughts. You are there. Who is that you? Is it the mind?
But I am able to see that there is nothing between the two thoughts. I objectify the absence of the thought.
Who is that I? Is it the mind? The mind can’t do it. I-दृग्, the seer am able to see the absence of the thought, अनुपलब्धि as a प्रमाण | Then, that I is actually consciousness, which cannot be located.
It feels like it’s located in this body-mind because we have taken the skin to be an indicator of separation. Yes, it has a functional relationship. It has a function of separating, as though, so that the body is protected. That’s all. Nothing more than that.
I am the one that is between two thoughts.
Then, am I there when even the thought is also there? Yes.
When the thought is nice, not so nice. I am always there, is-ness consciousness.
Again and again I abide in the आत्मा |
Don’t think about anything else at least for some time.
Then now if you attempt this, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण knows exactly what happens-
यतो यतो निश्चरति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम् ।
ततस्ततो नियम्यैतदात्मन्येव वशं नयेत् ॥ २६॥
If you are going to try to meditate on the आत्मा, definitely मन: is चञ्चलम् and अस्थिरम् |
चञ्चलम् – It changes, kind of fickle, not steady.
अस्थिरम् – not stable either.
So if you say- I can’t meditate, wonderful. That means you are normal. Because your mind goes all over. Very good. We don’t want your mind to freeze. So let your mind go all over. That’s not our problem.
Recognize this well, for any learning to happen your mind has to move. It cannot be frozen. Because you have to go with whatever you are learning. And for that you are moving from let’s say one idea to another to another. Mind has to move, that’s great. In fact, we may complain- Oh my mind doesn’t move as fast as I need it to. So the mind moving is not a problem. The nature of the mind is to be a little unsteady. It’s okay. So what भगवान् श्री कृष्ण: is saying is that for some reason- यत: यत:,
निश्चरति – it travels.
It goes to Mauritius, maybe it goes on an intergalactic tour, somewhere it goes, wherever, or what’s happening in the other room. My children have not emerged. The door has been locked for so long. I wonder what is happening etc. So wherever the mind goes, what do you need to do?
ततस्तत: नियम्यत् एतत् आत्मनि एव वशं नयेत् – Then bring the mind back.
Okay, bring the mind back, नियम्य – with a sense of mastery, just bring your mind back.
So when you’re training a puppy, the puppy doesn’t know. It’s all over, running around. Then what do you do? And it’s not like the puppy has gotten used to your commands, your instructions. So you just lift the puppy, and you keep. Again, again the puppy will go. Why? It is enjoying the freedom. It is scampering around, cute little thing is scampering around. Again you pick, again you keep.
So this again & again that you do, that is the discipline, that contributes to your self mastery.
Don’t think I have to have a mastered mind, and so when I meditate, I must only think about the आत्मा | You will think about everything else except the आत्मा | And then you will beat yourself up because I’m not thinking about the आत्मा |
So here, that’s why note that all the things about कर्म योग has been spoken about in so much detail, so that we have a firm and kind and compassionate and yet gentle approach to ourselves. We react so much to who we are all the time. And so immediately one judgment will come- Oh, I’m so distracted. Oh, I’m not able to do this, etc.
So that’s why भगवान् कृष्ण: says- Relax. Just bring your mind back, that’s all. And you will have to do it again and again.
That’s why repetition is not monotony. For years this will continue. Your mind will go all over, you just bring it back. That’s the discipline. Don’t overthink it.
Oh but today I was not distracted, then maybe a little more, but why I’m like this. Don’t resist. This is the nature of the mind. Bring it back. And then sometimes it helps for the mind to just go all over. Maybe you’re not ready to meditate. And this can apply in many instances. So first sort out your life. Relatively sort out your life, then you are ready to meditate. Otherwise, people could get into severe problems in the name of meditation. Okay, that’s why meditation comes much, much later, not immediately.
The first step of spirituality is not meditation.
Then what is a result of this kind of meditation, when you keep bringing your mind back again and again? Again and again to whom? To yourself, the one that objectifies the mind.
प्रशान्तमनसं ह्येनं योगिनं सुखमुत्तमम् ।
उपैति शान्तरजसं ब्रह्मभूतमकल्मषम् ॥ २७॥
उत्तमं सुखम् – so the greatest happiness reaches this योगी |
And the योगी is being described here.
The one who has प्रशान्त मनसम् – whose mind is tranquil, peaceful.
And two more words are being used.
For whom the रजसम् – the drive towards activity, ambition, I have to do, lots to do etc. That, to some extent has resolved.
Ambition is good. रजस् is good. It needs to be backed by सत्त्व | That yes, you may have lots of ideas. Yes, you’re working on lots of projects. And it is all in ईश्वर’s lap. He is taking care of you. Drop the work identity, that’s it, stop. Right now you’re meditating, or you’re dwelling on the nature of the आत्मा, so focus.
Otherwise it will be like that fisherwoman who is on a mission- I am carrying my fish basket. She’s traveling in the train. And I have a sense of purpose. I’m traveling from A to B. It is going to take 35 minutes.
So somebody in the train says- The basket is heavy, why don’t you keep the basket on the floor?
No, no, it’s my weight. It’s my burden. It’s my basket. I own up all my कर्म | I’m a कर्म योगी let’s say.
But in this train, the train that is taking the weight of you with the basket, can also take the weight of the basket. The train stands for ईश्वर holding us on our journey.
But I am responsible for my basket of कर्म | I cannot keep it down.
Keep it down. Even if you are carrying it on your head, or you’re keeping it down, anyway it is all pervaded by the law of कर्म, ईश्वर all the way.
But I am so used to being wound up. I have to do, you know I have to deal with life, and so on. So identity, and doing something.
I don’t keep the basket.
So I keep the basket शान्तरजसम् | Of course I have lots of roles. Of course I have lots of responsibilities, that’s not a problem. I have recognized the privilege of performing responsibilities.
You know whenever it gets too overwhelming it’s good to say- Don’t do it.
No, but if I don’t do it, nobody will do it.
Well let it be. Let nobody do it.
Then what will people say? I don’t want to be irresponsible.
That’s okay. Let it be. So what about it? And if you keep doing this, then you recognize that responsibility is such a privilege. It’s not a burden. You chose and you continue to choose to play that role and with the role comes responsibility, that’s it.
Oh but…
Stop whining like this. Don’t do it. And then you recognize that actually I can drop the role. Maybe I need to drop the role if it is becoming such a burden for me. We almost trap ourselves into this burden of responsibility. But responsibility is something you get to do. You don’t have to do. Recognize the choice involved. You GET to perform your responsibilities. You DON’T HAVE to perform your responsibilities.
This is कर्मण्येवाधिकार:(२.४७) – you have choice.
You can do things differently.
शान्तरजसम् | So all the insecurities, anxieties around what will happen- I did this, I did that, I did not do, I’m guilty etc., all that resolved to some extent. Just put it in ईश्वर’s lap. That’s it. Let him take care. So to some extent all this has been resolved.
And, ब्रह्म-भूतम् अकल्मषम् – so this meditator who again and again has brought one’s mind back to abiding in the आत्मा |
For whom the nature of the आत्मा is clear.
What has happened to that person? That person has become ब्रह्मन् | Become ब्रह्मन् means that it seemed remote, so therefore, as though become ब्रह्मन् through अकल्मषम् |
अकल्मष is all kinds of defects. Defects or impurities, रागद्वेष and so on. So relatively free from रागद्वेष | And therefore the ज्ञानफलम्, the joy of seeing that I am this, I am the आत्मा, that is fully available to me. Otherwise, it almost seems like there are two parallel tracks. On the one hand, I see the truth of the आत्मा and on the other hand, I also see my रागद्वेष-s are as real as the आत्मा |
And so again I as though take my stand on the आत्मा, and see that this रागद्वेष is a form, and maybe right now, fulfilling it, aligning it with धर्म is necessary for my emotional growth. I do not have to look down on myself because I have these रागद्वेष-s. They have been there for lifetimes. I will deal with it and in time I will be able to see that it is all मिथ्या, I am the one that illumines this.
So with this correct approach,
उत्तमं सुखम् – the greatest or the most exalted happiness,
reaches this meditator. Reaches this meditator how? Home delivery? No. So reaches why? Because I had denied myself this सुखम् |
Now here सुखम् we are not talking about experiential happiness. Later also it is said अत्यन्तं सुखम् (६.२८), and earlier it was said अत्यन्तिकं सुखम् (६.२१).
उत्तमं सुखम् is referring to स्वरूप-सुख, the is-ness consciousness that is present in each and every experience. And definitely present in सुख experience also.
So that my स्वरूप is सुख, it is आनन्द, that is recognized by the योगी who is given to ध्यानम् |
युञ्जन्नेवं सदात्मानं योगी विगतकल्मष: ।
सुखेन ब्रह्मसंस्पर्शमत्यन्तं सुखमश्नुते ॥ २८॥
So this योगी, who again and again,
युञ्जन् एवं सदा आत्मानम् – again and again is uniting the mind with the आत्मा |
Now because we take the mind to be so real, therefore this kind of language is being used. Because it actually sounds ridiculous. I am the आत्मा, what am I uniting the mind with the आत्मा?
But our identity is- I am the mind, I am the meditator. Okay, let’s go with that.
So I am uniting the mind, with the object of meditation here being the nature of the आत्मा, so पूर्ण: and so on.
Again and again युञ्जन् एवं |
And the word that is being used to describe the योगी is विगतकल्मष: | कल्मष: – impurities, or रागद्वेष, or hurt, guilt, anger, sadness, that we all accumulate over the process of living, and even our many conflicts related to अधर्म | All of that more or less is being resolved. So then that is not a source of disturbance for you. Because otherwise, the moment you close your eyes, you will only think about the conflict, because that’s what happens all the time.
And so, because more or less the person has resolved certain conflicts, or is in the process of resolving,
and trusts that I can deal with everything because I am a भक्त always connected to ईश्वर |
So for this योगी ,
सुखेन ब्रह्म संस्पर्शम् – there is a contact, स्पर्श is touch, so contact with ब्रह्मन् as though,
अत्यन्तं सुखम् अश्नुते |
So this so called contact with ब्रह्मन् | Really, you’re never away from ब्रह्मन्, in fact you are that ब्रह्मन् | But you see yourself away, you see yourself far away from the truth that you seek. And therefore the word संस्पर्शम् is being used.
So from recognizing that I have been struggling all along, but actually I am this limitless reality, which is the nature of आनन्द सुख | All along, this is what I have been. And I took these limited identities to be reality and therefore suffered and now I see- Oh, these identities are all मिथ्या, they depend on me-सत्यम् |
So there is great relief. And the freedom that one experiences is really the स्वरूप |
It is the fact that you are मुक्त:, you were ever मुक्त:, ever-free. You were the one that was holding on.
It’s like this person who was floating in the river. He had started swimming, and then there was heavy rains & flooding. And so he is going to drown. And then he’s holding on to what he thinks is a log, but actually it’s a bear, because he just grabbed on to whatever was floating in the river there. And then he’s saying- oh, I’m not able to let go, even now that I discovered it’s a bear.
So, I think that responsibilities, roles, they don’t let me go live my life and so on. Actually, I am the one that’s holding on. Because of this need for security all the time, seeking security in what is insecure anyway.
So this सुखम् अश्नुते- the person gains happiness. And this gaining of happiness or स्वरूप सुख is actually the dropping of अविद्या(ignorance). Because there’s no gain as such. You actually drop unhappiness born of अविद्या | So it’s a different kind of a gain, it’s an as though gain.
Then in श्लोक २९, a very beautiful verse which is a महावाक्य | So the result of this dwelling on the knowledge and the vision of oneness is being referred.
ॐ
The next two verses are very important verses because they are revealing the existing oneness between you-the individual and ईश्वर आत्मा | So, we will see that.
And also talking about the culmination of ध्यानम् | So any meditation starts with the premise of duality. The meditator is meditating on the object of meditation. Of course in classical meditation in the वैदिक् tradition, the object of meditation is almost always ईश्वर | It could be different deities. And whether the activity of meditation culminates in समाधि, or what has been heard in the teaching becomes clear in meditation; so two options are available. Nothing new will happen in meditation. The obstacles that one was facing, that is what fades away. Why? Because through a conscious process, you have managed to quieten the mind down. Otherwise during the day when we have lots of things to get done, we may or may not make the effort to be relaxed. But in a relaxed mind, one can see the vision all the time.
सर्वभूतस्थमात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि ।
ईक्षते योगयुक्तात्मा सर्वत्र समदर्शन: ॥ २९॥
This person who is a युक्तात्मा, someone who is together, someone who has practiced कर्म योग in the sense of bringing that disposition again and again into one’s life.
What does the person see- किं ईक्षते ?
सर्वत्र समदर्शन: |
सर्वत्र ~ everywhere,
समदर्शन: ~ that all that is here is same, or the vision of sameness.
What is this vision of sameness? He explains-
सर्वभूतस्थं आत्मानम् – in all beings, the wise person sees आत्मा |
And/च,
सर्वभूतानि आत्मनि – in the आत्मा, all the beings are seen.
In the limitless आत्मा that is you, all the beings are seen.
So how to see? How to have this समदर्शनम्?
Understand one thing, we use the word दर्शनम्/seeing/vision, so words like that to indicate that it is direct and immediate. You see something, it’s almost like an instantaneous process. You may or may not know what it is, but you see you see, so it’s immediate.
So दर्शन: – that one sees the vision of sameness.
Our orientation is based on experiences. And what does our experience suggest? That everything is different. In school, we used to have this question, e.g. differentiate between an apple and a mango. Rarely we were asked to focus on what is similar between two things. Anyway the orientation is to see how different you are from the other. And then school also adds to it.
In one family we know how different people are. You yourself, the different moods that one goes through in the day. Again there is difference. Not to mention the immense diversity that is available on this planet. So amongst human beings itself there are so many differences. And this is just talking about appearance- the color of the skin, the shape of the nose. People may look similar, but completely identical is very difficult. Just look at the glory, this is ईश्वर सृष्टि, that just in the small space of the face, the wonder of the level of variety & diversity that is possible.
So the orientation is that everything is different. And naturally different form implies a different function. Even you as a professional, you at home, you with your children, you with your parents, there’s so much diversity, even for a single person.
Then through the inquiry of वेदान्त, when we are looking at what is that one thing that makes up this entire जगत्, because we are trying to define what is the nature of this जगत्, this world. Can we say trees? But trees are cut down routinely. Can we say water, air? No, changing, changing. We all know how much we are contributing to pollution. Sky? We can say पञ्चमहाभूत, the five great elements.
Then, but what is the building block of all these forms? Building block we may say it is पञ्चमहाभूत – space, air, water, fire, earth. Permutations & combinations of these. And what is common amongst all the names and forms is that everything seems to be intelligently put together. Even if you leave things and you allow entropy to take over, still there will be a pattern, there will be a method.
If you look at a typical teenager’s room, the teenager knows exactly where what is. The parents will never be able to figure out where something is, but the child knows where what is. There is a method to that madness. Everything you look at, just in the way in which a leaf is designed, the way in which valleys are formed, mountains are formed, the way the leaves are engineered for making their own food and so on. You just look around, there is so much intelligence. And we know that anything you see which has been put together implies a creator. Even if you are an expert in the theory of probability, things assembling themselves without intelligence is not possible.
And so, where there is intelligence, which means that where there is any object, small or big, there is the presence of a conscious being. And even the way in which the material is assembled implies intelligence behind it. And we have seen earlier that ईश्वर is the singular source of both the material and the intelligence.
So now we have all these different objects. We have all these people in our lives, other people’s lives, countries, continents, maybe aliens/extraterrestrials, across galaxies all different forms. They are कार्यम् | कार्यम् means effect.
And who is the कारणम्? Who is the कर्ता? Who is the creator of all of this? So we will say जगत् कर्ता, ईश्वर |
But where the कार्यम् is, where the effect is, there alone कारणम्/cause is.
So remember pot and clay. Is the clay away from the pot? Pot is जगत्/creation. Where there is pot, there is clay; or same for any other material. Where the effect is, there alone the cause is. So this means that the cause is in the effect. Only with reference to this relationship we are saying this is the effect. But if one asks, निश्चितं वद/tell definitely, is this pot or is this clay, pointing to a pot, you can’t say- no, it is pot and clay. Both cause and effect, no. Where there is pot, there is clay. Where there is name and form, नामरूप, there itself is the cause, the reality.
सर्वभूतस्थं आत्मानम् – in all the beings, there is the आत्मा |
आत्मा, what is that? So आत्मा is me. I limitless. In all the beings, not only वेदान्त students.
सर्वभूतस्थं आत्मानम् |
Then, how to know that? I didn’t even know that. I know there is blood and tissues and bones and fat. But in me there is something called आत्मा? Yes. But that आत्मा is not an object. So आत्मा-I is present in all the beings.
But I is present in only this body-mind? No no no.
If you say I is present in this body-mind, you are referring to the अहंकार | The I-self concept that is associated with this body-mind, happens to have a name, some history, and of course there is some geography in terms of where you were born, where you have moved, and so on and so on.
The आत्मा that is in you, what is the nature of that आत्मा ? It is नित्य | नित्य means always there.
Then, is it the body? Because we know that body has date of birth, date of death, and one dash in between which indicates all your entire life. If and when your obituary is written, your entire life will be encapsulated by “Date of birth – Date of death”. So, that dash (-), that’s your life. Now that life, that’s आत्मा? No no, those are a series of events.
सर्वभूतस्थं आत्मानम्, how?
So आत्मा that is limitless, that is present in the body-minds. What is it that is present? It is me.
So, that आत्मा that is you, is it subject to changing? Young-आत्मा, old-आत्मा, middle aged-आत्मा, suffering from midlife crisis-आत्मा?
No. Because आत्मा is eternal, not subject to time, and therefore there is no aging for the आत्मा | For the body-mind there is, sure. Even for the mind there is no aging as such. So then आत्मा is not a property of me. आत्मा is that which always is.
Is it a part of you? If it is a part, it can be amputated. Or you can enhance it. Maybe you can undergo cosmetic surgery or something. No, आत्मा is not even a part of who I am.
Then is the आत्मा that is you a result of some process that you have undertaken? Perhaps silent retreats in some silent valley, chanting of मन्त्र-s, lots of meditation, receiving special दर्शन् from गुरु & भगवान्, and all that. No.
That आत्मा I always am irrespective of any साधन I do.
सर्वभूतस्थं आत्मानम् |
So that आत्मा, limitless आत्मा which as though seems confined by the boundaries of the skin, is not a part of me. It is not a property that is subject to changing, and आत्मा is not even a product of any changes that I undertake in this life.
So that which always is, that which is present in me.
Neither कारणम् nor कार्यम्, neither cause nor effect.
The body is a कार्यम् | The body is a कार्यम् means that the body is an effect. The cause is one’s कर्म, अविद्या, and so on. But the manifestation that is there, that is all the way, it is ईश्वर |
So now, I am that आत्मा that is aware of all changes in my life- यौवनम्(youth), जर(old age), so different stages. The one that is there in between two tasks, in between my To-Do lists, the one that is there between two thoughts, as instantaneous as the thoughts may seem, the one who is present always.
Okay, but it kind of feels local.
So आत्मा is present in me, and so what about it? I’m still struggling with my life. No, no, no.
सर्वभूतानि आत्मनि-
So the आत्मा that you are, limitless आत्मा |
Limitless means what? No Limits, no boundaries, no lack. Our orientation may be that of experience, so we give reality to only experience. Right? Experience becomes our reality.
But here the experience of being bound, localized, is negated by the second part of that first line, which says in the limitless आत्मा, all forms exist.
So in I-the limitless, this body-mind and all the forms that are there on this earth and wherever else, these exist.
It is said so that we don’t localize आत्मा | Because how can you localize आत्मा? आत्मा is limitless. But we tend to localize आत्मा because my experience is only of this body-mind. I don’t know what you are experiencing. I don’t know which part of the world you are in. And what is the weather like over there? I don’t know.
The limitless आत्मा, being obviously limitless, has no boundaries. So all forms exist in आत्मा |
Much like there is space in the pot- so there is आत्मा in the pot. And in space(आत्मा), all pots exist.
Both, from a standpoint of course, are true.
I-आत्मा have no lack.
When I say I, is it lost in the folds of my stomach or my belly?
If it is that means that the moment I say “I”, that I’m so identified with this name and form that I cannot but help think it is अहंकार | That’s it. That’s who I am.
It is really I who is aware of this अहंकार also.
So if one is asked to please tell some qualities that you have, you will say a few words describing the person/personality.
We’re not talking about that “I”.
I who is aware of all these qualities also.
So when we use the word ‘I’, it is as though a combination of आत्मा that is limitless and name & form i.e. this limited form- body mind senses etc.
Actually, it cannot be two because remember this body-mind has come from पञ्चमहाभूत- space, water, air etcetera.
So आत्मा is the cause, body-mind(name and form) is the effect.
So, when I say ‘I’, it is आत्मा plus as though name and form.
Name & form- we have lots of descriptions for it and we have lots of judgments for it also.
There is not anyone who is completely content with this name and form~ so could lose some weight, at least the aging you know the hair need not gray so fast. Otherwise things are okay. Or maybe the skin could glow a little more. Of course now I’ve reconciled to my height, because after 20yrs how much will you grow. So, something. We can get totally lost in all the judgments about the name and form.
Now why are we saying name and form? Because it almost seems superfluous. It’s very interesting that the उपनिषद् says नामरूप | नामरूप means what? It has to inhere in an object. Name is only if there is an object. रूप also, only an object. But what is that object? That in that object there is the आत्मा | So name and form- the name could change, the form can also change.
So in India, maybe in other cultures also, some women after they marry, their names get changed. संन्यासी-s of course, name gets changed. So name can change. Form definitely keeps changing every day.
So name and form changing is a given, it is अनित्य | What is changing is मिथ्या | मिथ्या means it depends on सत्यम् that is not changing.
So, when I say “I”, it is actually only आत्मा, but because we are so caught up with the identity and the experience,
and for us experience is reality, पारमार्थिक सत्यम् because for us it is reality,
what else is there?
I am the sum total of all my experiences. We will proudly declare also to the world. And everybody will nod because it resonates with them. Yes, that’s true. That’s why maximize all your experiences, because experience defines you. That is so true. I think I want to go on the next vacation. After all, I want to make wonderful memories for myself and for my grandchildren etc.
So, I got carried away. Why? Because experience is my reality, although experience keeps changing.
What is changing is मिथ्या | What is changing is name and form. And मिथ्या is valid, मिथ्या has its functional purpose, we are not denying it. But मिथ्या cannot exist without सत्यम् |
So remember मिथ्या is not an object, मिथ्या is your understanding of the reality, which is dependent.
So the pot has a dependent reality on clay that is सत्यम्, that which is never changing.
So now, any object that you see, that you experience is really what? सत्यम् + as though मिथ्या |
It’s actually really foolish to say ‘सत्यम् plus’, but for now okay,
because Swaminiji is just leading us to see that all that is here is only सत्यम् |
So it sounds more ridiculous when it is said that there is clay, and then there is pot.
E.g. a copper glass. So it is ridiculous to say copper and copper-glass. What is that? And how ridiculous…The glass is made of copper, and that’s it. What is here is copper, full stop.
So it’s the same thing like me saying I am the आत्मा but you know my experiences are very real. So, the form has come from the आत्मा | Form is sustained by the reality.
Just like this copper glass is sustained by copper. Without copper, the glass cannot exist.
The name and form is sustained by सत्यम् | Name and form is मिथ्या, with a status of dependent reality, it cannot exist without सत्यम् |
And so this body-mind depends on the आत्मा, cannot exist without the आत्मा |
So therefore, all names and forms are मिथ्या, dependent reality that’s all.
So now when we say sameness, it doesn’t mean that you confuse all the different forms. I will relate with every form in the same way- and so I will eat wires, maybe I can eat the plate also, or I will attempt. I will treat everyone in the same way. So, that is madness.
समदर्शन: means seeing that all that is here is सत्यम्, is आत्मा, that which is limitless. And as though has a manifested limited form.
* Exercise *
Tell whatever comes to the top of your head, maybe some people, maybe some objects in the room, whatever you see.
E.g. If I see the computer screen, I will say~ सत्यम्, नामरूप computer screen.
Or, I can say mobile-phone सत्यम्, mobile phone name and form.
My wife/partner सत्यम्, name and form is whatever is the name of the person.
Now, as one does this exercise, one realizes that it is easier to say सत्यम् name & form for certain names and forms as compared to the others.
How do you explain a certain effortlessness that came with calling your watch or your pug सत्यम् name & form, vis-à-vis the others.
~ Maybe for some objects I see them as more neutral because I don’t engage with them in various roles/responsibilities; I see them in more of a functional way, e.g. watch, car. But with a person, there’s much more emotional engagement. And then, thinking of oneself and all of one’s opinions, beliefs and emotions, one thinks that that’s me.
How about looking at even the opinions, the emotional engagement, and the reactions, and the triggers that’s also name & form.
सत्यम्, name and form.
But I hesitate to say सत्यम् because I have to deal with this name and form.
So, I immediately go back into the अहंकार and then I say- Oh, I have to figure out a way out. कर्ता-भोक्ता – immediately I just take on that identity.
And I could still see that the कर्ता is the आत्मा, आत्मा is not the कर्ता | I could still see that. Maybe it will take some अभ्यास, some practice.
So, play with this. See what happens to you when you say these words. Pick up maybe few objects, and definitely pick up at least three-four people. Ideally pick up somebody who you are very fond of and somebody whom you are struggling to get along with, or having some strained relation. And then when you say- this person is सत्यम्, name and form has come from सत्यम् |
And what we will see is really that all my reactions, everything is also name and form. It is not opposed to me saying सत्यम् | So the name and form, the play of मिथ्या, that cannot exist without the सत्यम् that is me.
Insights after exercise-
~ my resistance is also सत्यम् name & form.
~ anything that you look at, that is सत्यम् | Whether it is a being or a thing, and then you name it, depending upon your relational reality with it. It could be a relationship with a person or something that you’re using.
Absolutely right. And so the functionality, the name and form, they are all changing. They are मिथ्या |
Swaminiji was delighted in one of the groups to hear people using the word मिथ्या |
E.g. My child is सत्यम्, but *insert child’s name*, ‘x’ years old is मिथ्या |
So to say that, referring to the name & form as मिथ्या | If it is understood, then no problem in saying it. But otherwise, common connotation of मिथ्या may be that you dismiss that very close relation, e.g. your own son.
So it is recognizing name and form.
So by extension, let’s try- so you say my husband is सत्यम्, or this person is सत्यम्, but the name & form, *insert husband’s name* is मिथ्या |
The relationship is also name and form, only this lifetime, or maybe previous we don’t know, maybe next lifetime who knows?
It is मिथ्या | So, functional validity.
Because the moment you say सत्यम्, if you are saying name and form it is मिथ्या i.e. functionally valid.
So, in the exercise, आत्मा is I, and when we said सत्यम्, सत्यम् is still a little third person or it seems like that, if not understood.
So here the next step => That is I-आत्मा, that is I-name&form.
– Son is आत्मा, then you will say of course~ son is my आत्मा only.
– So also the most annoying colleague in office is आत्मा, that’s me.
But it’s not me the अहंकार, it’s me the आत्मा |
So this second step is our homework, so we play with it.
This is the vision of a wise person- सर्वत्र समदर्शन: i.e. all that is here is is-ness/consciousness, which is not an object and therefore cannot be seen as an object of perception.
So this nephew came and he’s now in third standard. And he says~ I want to ask you a question. Today in school we had free time and we were chatting, and you know, my friends think that there is no God. They said because I cannot see God, therefore God does not exist. What shall I tell them?
So then Swaminiji said- Grandparents do you have?
~ Yes.
Did they have father and mother?
~ Yes.
How do you know, you never saw them?
~ No, of course everybody has a father and mother.
How do you know?
With so much conviction he said ~ everyone has a father and mother.
Oh so although you did not see your great-grandparents, you are sure that they exist. You didn’t see them, but you’re sure?
~ Yes, I am sure.
So which means that you need not see everything, but they can still continue to exist.
~ Yes, that’s true. I will go & tell my friends.
Then they’ll come back with another argument and then we will see about that.
Because that’s the thing, there has to be an exception to the example that goes against the general rule. Which means that the general rule is not absolute.
So the example totally junks the assumption that for something to exist you must see it. So, assumption gone.
So this is सर्वत्र समदर्शन: – that I the आत्मा accommodate all forms, and no form is in opposition to me.
Maybe there is a property dispute going on in the court. The dispute will be between two names and forms. And you can fight it out till the fighting finishes. The functionality, the व्यवहार might be different between two names and forms, but that is not opposed to the आत्मा that I am. Again and again this ध्याता, the meditator sees this truth.
Hence, a life of relative harmony becomes important. Because if I’m going through lots of conflicts in all areas of my life, there is no time, there is no space, there is no leisure for me to appreciate even similarity, because I’m only focused on difference. And that difference feels very, very real to me. Because remember, experience is our reality, that’s how we erroneously define- whatever I experience is real, if I have not experienced then it’s not real. So, orientation. Orientation based on नामरूप i.e. name and form.
Orientation that experience is my only reality is based on considering this body-mind as सत्यम्/absolute.
But how can body-mind be absolute? Because it’s changing. What is absolute is subject to no change. Always is. That is me, that is the आत्मा |
यो मां पश्यति सर्वत्र सर्वं च मयि पश्यति ।
तस्याहं न प्रणश्यामि स च मे न प्रणश्यति ॥ ३०॥
So, a very beautiful continuation. Now, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण is speaking.
य: – the one,
माम् – me.
So, the one who sees me,
सर्वत्र – everywhere.
So this is a continuation of the previous verse- the one who sees me in all beings,
च/and,
सर्वं मयि पश्यति – in me, सर्वम् (all forms) are seen.
For that being/तस्य,
अहं न प्रणश्यामि – I am never away. I am not remote, I am not far away.
And even that person,
मे – for me,
न प्रणश्यति – that person is not far from me.
What is very interesting to note is that in verse 29, He said- सर्वभूतस्थं आत्मानम् i.e. in all beings is the आत्मा |
And now He says- the one who sees Me in all beings.
The one who sees आत्मा in all beings, the one who sees Me in all beings.
Are we supposed to see two things? आत्मा in all beings, then ईश्वर in all beings? No, no, no.
By stating this, what is He saying?
आत्मा is ईश्वर |
So here He is not talking as Krishna who is the charioteer/सारथि for Arjuna.
Remember this is भगवद्-गीता, not कृष्ण-गीता | So, श्री गवान् उवाच all the time.
The one who sees ईश्वर in all beings.
Here we’ll say~ but you know this person is capable of so much terror. How can I see ईश्वर in all beings?
The reason one says this is because for me ईश्वर is a limited being who is kind and loving and benevolent. I have not yet seen ईश्वर as the intelligence and the material that is present in all beings.
Because when I look at ईश्वर as the material i.e. the laws of nature – there is order, there is disorder, there is everything. And that law also includes freedom of choice, which of course we often use and abuse.
The one who sees Me-भगवान् in all beings, and that all beings exist in ईश्वर |
ईश्वर being जगत् कर्ता i.e. the one who has manifested this entire जगत्, the laws of nature and so on and so forth, manifestation.
Where the laws are, where the intelligence is, where the material is, there alone ईश्वर is.
आत्मा in all beings.
ईश्वर in all beings.
Mathematical equation- आत्मा equals ईश्वर | Yes.
Is आत्मा different from ईश्वर ? No.
So ईश्वर in all beings. And this we understand.
Folk wisdom, it is said in the villages and all, people will talk like this. And that’s why it’s very easy for us to worship any form. Like laptops are worshipped. And you say~ oh, please show me the प्रमाण for this. Are laptops worthy of worship? During आयुध पूजा around नवरात्रि time, all the electronic items will be worshipped and पूजा will be done. And then cars are taken routinely to the temple, and then the coconut is broken, and all that.
So which is the प्रमाण? I thought only देवता-s are to be worshipped. No, no no. Any form.
Any form that you have not conceived of, you will conceive of at some point in time.
Form = आत्मा = ईश्वर | That’s it. No problem. This vision is very clear.
So what He’s really saying is that अहंकार who struggled with a sense of difference, hence isolation, hence not feeling understood, hence feeling lonely, hence seeking connection; that अहंकार/self concept is actually the आत्मा |
So that अहंकार which is आत्मा- the limitless, and as though body-form i.e. name & form.
Name and form is also all the way आत्मा सत्यम्, manifestation.
Because manifestation is what is changing, it is मिथ्या |
So, if this योगयुक्तात्मा is able to see that even these people I don’t get along with it, and perhaps I never will in this lifetime, ईश्वर is present in this person. Material, intelligence – ईश्वर | Maybe this lifetime is best we keep our distance from each other, we trigger each other far too much. Okay manage, no problem.
Okay, before that, can I see that this person has his/her background, and the fact that it is my कर्म coming back to me? I have to make peace with that. This person who is a pain in the neck for me, it is very likely I have been a pain in the neck for this person. Not just, it’s very likely, it’s almost a guarantee. Law of कर्म really brings us down to our knees in a very nice way.
In fact, in Jainism, they have this practice, ‘Michhami Dukkadam’. So they say this to all the people that they meet on Paryushana Samvatsari. So now, even the people who have wronged me, who have upset me, Jain-s have this habit that they will go and say, ‘I am sorry’. And then you say~ What? This one has actually wronged you, but you are telling that person sorry. But they are encouraged to do that.
So the law of कर्म, with the understanding of the principle is that all the suffering that one has gone through, is kind of the suffering that you have caused at some point in time to the other person in this lifetime, or in another.
And so, much of our suffering, much of our reaction will be reduced, and perhaps we may become a bit more humble, if you see that~ Oh my God, maybe I was not so fair to the other person. And this person is just giving back, knowingly or unknowingly, what I have done to the other person. It doesn’t make you passive. Some suffering little bit you will go through but you will still be proactive in terms of how to deal with it.
So then a life of relative harmony can help me appreciate the material and the intelligence of all names & forms.
One name & form evokes a lot of reaction in me. Reaction is name & form, it doesn’t have a substantiality of its own, it cannot exist without the सत्यम्, that is आत्मा, that is ईश्वर,
maybe in time we will see.
But again and again you try to see this.
Try to see your reaction as also सत्यम्, then no problem.
Because then you’ll say that if I have to see सत्यम्, then I shouldn’t be reacting. But I’m resisting my reaction. There’s no need. Because resistance is also part of the laws of nature. Again material, again intelligence, all the way it is ईश्वर, it is the आत्मा |
And so that’s why we call it a महावाक्य ~ तत्त्वमसि | That we see आत्मा in all beings, all beings in the आत्मा | And that very आत्मा, त्वम् | Because the त्वम् inquiry has led to the understanding that I am the आत्मा-the limitless.
That आत्मा is being equated to ईश्वर, who is present in all beings as all manifestations. And all manifestations are present in ईश्वर |
So there is no time, there’s no place where ईश्वर is not. Wherever your mind goes it is ईश्वर | Whether you are suppressing, expressing, repressing, whatever it is, all the way it is भगवान् |
So that’s why we say that everything is sacred. So that’s our vision and these are all elaborations of that.
So then further it is said that the योगी abides in this, and so on.
There is no distance that’s the main thing. There is no distance between सत्यम् and मिथ्या name & form. What is the distance between the pot and the clay? Where the pot is, there the clay is. Where the human being is, pure being is, which is limitless, which is me, which is the आत्मा |
ॐ
So continuing with the seventh chapter of the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता, the topic here is ज्ञान-विज्ञान | ज्ञानम् here is indirect knowledge, in other words ईश्वर: अस्ति i.e. ईश्वर is there, is there like any other object of my knowledge. विज्ञानम् is direct knowledge i.e. ईश्वर: अस्मि | अस्मि is a very nice verb form. अस्मि means I am. So that ईश्वर is no longer an object of my understanding, or even an object of my devotion, that ईश्वर is me. So the journey is from अस्ति (it is, is there) to अस्मि (that ईश्वर I am).
Here the unfolding of ईश्वर begins from the seventh chapter onwards in the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता | And so we saw that भगवान् श्री कृष्ण says I’m going to teach you about this ज्ञानम्-विज्ञानम् completely. And He starts off by saying that there is what is referred to as अपरा प्रकृति
and परा प्रकृति | प्रकृति, understand it to be eight-fold, which we have seen in verse number 7.4. And He continues saying in verse number 7.6, that all beings, and all पञ्चमहाभूत-s have their cause in this two-fold प्रकृति ~ it is परा or अपरा प्रकृति |
And all forms have come from me, He says, and all will resolve into me.
Now, you all have not asked the question, but the question is asked~ if you are saying
that all the forms that we see around us is भगवान् that means is भगवान् in the form, or
did He manifest as the form and now there is no भगवान् ?
How do I say that? We see this in day to day life, e.g. if you’re setting curd/yogurt, especially in
families in Southern India. So now milk has transformed into curd or yogurt, and if you know a little bit of Ayurveda, then you know that the properties of that curd or yogurt are very different from that of milk, so there’s no way that that milk is going to be available to you, now it is yogurt/ curd, that’s it over. परिणाम has taken place, a change, a chemical effect has taken place.
Now that being so, did भगवान् transform Himself/Herself into all these forms and disappear? Possible, right? So modified into everything and then okay, that’s it. So then what will you say about that? I thought earlier you have said~ भगवान्/ईश्वर is अव्यय, नित्यम्, so on and so forth, unchanging. Here milk is turning into curd, so if indeed you are saying this world is a manifestation of भगवान्, that means He manifested, now all of this is there, and He disappeared. Right? Very logical, but that’s not the truth.
Because we also see all the different processes, laws of nature being sustained. So somebody is required to sustain all of this. Fine.
Now the material for this जगत्, we have said that the building blocks are the पञ्चमहाभूत-s,
so He has also said- भूमि, आप:, वायु, अग्नि, खं, so these are the building blocks.
People say~ but I don’t think that’s ईश्वर | What do you mean that space is ईश्वर?
i.e. the material. And whenever we respond in that way~ no no space is not ईश्वर, air is not
ईश्वर, suppose I say that. What does it mean about my understanding?
That I have an idea of भगवान्, whatever that idea is, and that doesn’t fit in what I observe of the पञ्चमहाभूत | Or I say how I see all this suffering, how can God really exist if there is suffering? Again I have concluded that ईश्वर is someone who is so kind that He will not allow suffering to continue. Right? So we have lots of these notions buried very deep within, which we now have to little bit excavate and detox actually before we look at chapter seven.
But in the process of ईश्वर himself introducing himself, all of that gets taken care of.
So now this material cause. The word for it in Sanskrit is उपादानकारणम् | कारणम् means cause, उपादानम् – material. Material cause, what is भगवान् श्री कृष्ण saying? That it is this प्रकृति, this is my प्रकृति | This is my शक्ति that’s it, and it is in this form.
So now, if indeed it is His प्रकृति, is the world a part of ईश्वर? Or has ईश्वर become the world? Or is there any other possibility?
Okay, if I say ईश्वर has become the world, then ईश्वर has disappeared, not to be found. Okay, lost and found. Have you seen? Cannot find. Just transformed okay. So that doesn’t apply.
So we have a very unique term called विवर्त उपादानकारणम् |
One material cause is परिणाम | परिणाम means effect, like milk turning into curd. So that effect is परिणाम, it’s not reversible. विवर्त उपादानकारणम् means it is a material cause, but that material cause is in and through all the forms, which means it does not undergo change.
So the technical/specialized definition is स्वस्वरूप (one’s own nature) अपरित्यागेन (not giving up) रूप: अंतर आपत्तिः, appears like something.
So we are so caught up with the names and forms, that that’s all we are focused on. But we miss what is in and through all the forms, which is not an object of perception.
When Swaminiji uses the word ‘is’ness, there is no object called is-ness. It can’t even be called a quality of an object. That which always is, consciousness. That which always is, is not inert, it is consciousness, it is you.
But our attention is on the name and form, not on the is-ness that is in and through the name and form.
So then, just like I have a dream. In my dream there are lots of things that are happening. And,
have I undergone a change? As the dreamer, so much drama is happening in my
dream. Just two minutes dream- people are fighting, people are making up, then some other gossip is happening, and then some party is happening. Everything, just so rapidly everything happened. And then the post-mortem. Like really what happens as a family if you go for some function/get-together then on your way back you’re saying~ oh, did you see this one. Oh, that one said this. Oh really? etc. So all that you see in your dream.
Now, so much change, so many names and forms in the dream, but स्वस्वरूप अपरित्यागेन |
I did not change my nature to have this dream I continue being who I am, the dreamer in this case, and then all this happens in my world. This is exactly what we mean when we say the world is a manifestation of भगवान् and that everything is sacred.
So everything is sacred means ईश्वर is present everywhere. Then immediately doubt comes~ how you can say ईश्वर is present everywhere? I don’t see.
Ah, exactly the point. Because you have an idea of how ईश्वर should be, then it doesn’t match your weird idea, and therefore you are quick to dismiss.
So this material cause. See intelligent cause is a given, we don’t even need to spend too much time understanding or even recognizing that ईश्वर is the intelligent cause. All this intelligence, you see how things are put together very beautifully.
The material cause is what has to be accounted for. And so that’s how we look at it.
There is nothing that is ever destroyed. We have learnt this in school, in science. Matter converts into energy, energy converts into matter. There’s no destruction anyway taking place.
Then what else does He say about this परा प्रकृति & अपरा प्रकृति –
मत्त: परतरं नान्यत्किञ्चिदस्ति धनञ्जय ।
मयि सर्वमिदं प्रोतं सूत्रे मणिगणा इव ॥ ७॥
Other than me,
न अन्यत् किञ्चित् अस्ति, मत्त: ~ compared to Me there is no other cause,
that is greater than Me.
Or rather I am the cause for which there is no cause,
or rather I am the boss, and I don’t have a boss.
ईश्वर doesn’t have a boss. There’s no cause; He is the cause.
And He says there is no other cause superior to Me.
And,
सर्वं इदम् – all this.
सर्वं इदं जगत्~ so these words are always there, very beautiful.
That this ~ इदम्, सर्वं इदम् – all this.
All this means all these names and forms, so everything.
प्रोतम् – means it’s woven in Me,
just like the beads in a string.
So, in any necklace, let’s say it is a नवरत्न (nine gems), recommended as one astrological remedy especially if your planets are all over the place. So, nine gems/stones, all looking different, all colored differently, and they are all threaded in one string. So that one string is in and through all the beads or the stones, although the stones are all different colors and different forms and so on.
So all the people in your life, all very very different from each other, then what is it that is in and through the string, in and through all of them? It is ईश्वर – common, one in and through.
And here this परतरम्, that this स्वरूप/ nature of ईश्वर,
or rather consciousness that is in and through everyone.
You will often wonder in the same family, how we are in the same family, we’re so different from each other. So everyone wonders like this, but at least one person in the family you will always wonder. Then you will say maybe I was adopted or something, just doesn’t fit in.
The point is that the temperament might be different, the hobbies may be different, रागद्वेष may be different, but what is common in everyone is this सूत्र | सूत्र means thread.
But this thread is this is-ness or the स्वरूप of ईश्वर |
He’s going to talk more about the स्वरूप, so if you don’t understand don’t worry about it.
Now, He will speak a little more about different forms that we engage with on a day-to-day basis to indicate that each of these forms is not separate from me ईश्वर |
That I am in and through all of this.
Why does He only say these forms, not others? He’s just a sampling otherwise भगवद्-गीता would have not ended only. It would be still continuing. So just a sampling.
What is that sampling?
रसोऽहमप्सु कौन्तेय प्रभास्मि शशिसूर्ययो: ।
प्रणव: सर्ववेदेषु शब्द: खे पौरुषं नृषु ॥ ८॥
In अप्सु | अप्सु means in water. I am रस: ~ I am the basic taste of water.
So He’s indicating~ I am the essence in this, I’m in that, etc.
And we all recognize what a blessing water is. You can have any drink in the world, the most exotic drink, but nothing can beat water. That’s how we are geared. Just the joy, and the quenching of thirst, and the contentment that water brings, nothing can beat it. The costliest
of drinks, nothing at all.
And even in water there are different tastes. If you have moved a little bit in India, anywhere actually in the world, you get different tastes. E.g. Swaminiji loves the water of Mumbai, although there may be a little more chlorine as compared to others. You go to other parts of India, it’s a little hard water, taste is different. And then when Swaminiji travels abroad Swaminiji doesn’t particularly like the taste of water there. Maybe it’s gone through too much filtration.
So, it’s just a subjective choice. Water is water. You may say~ still water, sparkling water. We enjoy it.
So something as basic, or rather life giving as water.
When you go on fasts/उपवास, then after some time you need water. You can manage without food for a few days, some people manage without for months also. But water you cannot, because it’s so integral to the composition of the body as well, about almost 70 percent.
So I am that. So every time you drink water~ ah भगवान् कृष्ण | I am रस: अहं अप्सु – I am the essence of water.
Then what else? In शशि and सूर्य,
शशि is the moon, सूर्य is the Sun.
So the light that the Earth is blessed by, without the sun there would have been no life as we know it. And just look at the perfect distance from the Sun. Little closer to the Sun, there is no
life. Little further away, Mars and so on, no life or at least we have not discovered it yet.
But just the right distance for so much life to thrive, all kinds of beings~ above the ground, under the ground, in the water, in the sky, so all kinds of beings.
The light which bathes the earth, I am that light. Beautiful.
प्रभा अस्मि~ I am the light in both the Sun and the Moon.
Traditional farming practices recognize the role that moonlight plays in the timing of the sowing of seeds, harvesting and so on. Traditional farmers will know this and then they plan their farming schedule around moonlight.
Then what else?
In all the वेदस्,
सर्ववेदेषु, I am प्रणव: | प्रणव: is another word for ॐ |
So ॐ is a sound for ईश्वर | And in fact most मन्त्र-s begin with ॐ | It’s a very auspicious and sacred sound. ॐ stands for ईश्वर, stands for ब्रह्मन् | So both सगुण & निर्गुण ब्रह्मन् | So I am that ॐ that is present in all the वेदस् |
Then how does sound travel?
Imagine if you are in a spaceship, you can’t talk to each other, you need equipment, because there’s a vacuum, and you need a medium for sound to travel. So people might be moving their mouths, but they cannot hear each other. But of course they have equipment and all that.
So this space, allows air, and sound travels in the medium of air.
So He says in खे (seventh case), शब्द: | That all sound, all languages, all dialects, all words that are spoken, sounds that are made, I am all of them. That the sound that anybody can produce, of course human beings are a little more sophisticated in the sense of the voice box being so advanced and language and so on, but whatever sounds (animals, birds etc.), all sounds, I am that sound.
And in human beings, नृषु, I am पौरुषम्, I am the strength that is there. All kinds of strength, not necessarily physical, also mental, emotional whatever strength you may consider.
So I am all of this. So just a sampling, highlighting that anything that has a form, it could be as subtle as sound, it could be something related to the वेदस्, ॐ, or it is light, or the strength in human beings, or water. So, like a wide range. I am all of this, and none of these forms are different from me. That’s the refrain. That is what is being emphasized.
Then,
पुण्यो गन्ध: पृथिव्यां च तेजश्चास्मि विभावसौ ।
जीवनं सर्वभूतेषु तपश्चास्मि तपस्विषु ॥ ९॥
The fragrance of the earth, पृथिवी has a unique fragrance, and a lot of us look forward to the first
rain, maybe in a tropical country, maybe in other places also. But the fragrance of पृथिवी that time is just wonderful, cannot be described. So that गन्ध:, and sweet गन्ध: | So here पुण्य is not पुण्य as we understand, but पुण्य गन्ध: i.e. sweet fragrance, that is there in the earth.
So He’s trying to cover the पञ्चमहाभूत-s, He’s already covered light and water, here He is covering पृथिवी, the Earth.
Then in तेज: च अस्मि विभावसौ, so in अग्नि, that तेजस्/brilliance in the form of light/heat, I am that.
So referring to what? The building block that He spoke about, प्रकृति | That I am that प्रकृति | This प्रकृति is divided into eightfold form, and the essence of all of this, I-भगवान् am all of this.
Then, the very life that is present in all beings, सर्वभूतेषु | So in sharks and whales and crocodiles and cheetahs and lions and dogs and human beings, all insects, all beings. I am the life in all of them. That life of course is sustained by food and then water and so on. प्राण ~ so I am that.
And amongst the people who do तपस्, so this is not eating Spanish tapas- no. This is तपस्, तप:, तपस्य | What is that? So तपस्य is a very integral part of being a Hindu. That you go on तीर्थयात्रा/pilgrimage, or you fast, or you do lot of other things e.g. you take on certain disciplines- I’m going to chant an X number over this period of time, or I’m going to complete a particular chant like let’s say Devi Mahatmyam etc. It’s not easy to take these on. Why? There will be enough distractions, and there will be a lot of other things that will guzzle your time, and there will be moments that you don’t feel like doing it, and then you have to wrestle with it, and that’s exactly the purpose of तपस्य |
It’s not about having a feel-good discipline. It is that irrespective of how I feel, I do it. So any kind of तपस्य is related to keeping your रागद्वेष aside, and also pushing your boundaries.
So the day you fast is when you will feel the most hungry, if you’re doing it initially, if you’re used to it, it’s different. And then you say~ oh I will do some जप, then your mind will be most active at that time, you will think of all kinds of things. Again initially, okay. Again and again you come back to it, but we are very quick to judge, and we say~ oh I don’t think I’m doing it correctly. I will do it when I learn properly. When will that happen? We don’t know.
So I am not doing it correctly is an unnecessary self-evaluation. How would you know whether you are doing it correctly or not? No, I don’t feel like it. I think my mind is going all over. Ah, that’s exactly the nature of the mind, of course it’ll go all over. That’s fine. That’s not opposed to your तपस् | Just come back to it, come back on track. Nah, I should feel good about it.
That’s it, over. The disease of feeling good has taken over, now nothing can argue against it. This is our epidemic~ always have to feel good.
Anyway so all different kinds of तपस्य | तपस्य always is related to ईश्वर | See you may go through any kind of discipline, but it may just be that okay I’m maximizing my potential, that sort of
thing, which is fine, which is great. But if you are doing it as an offering, as worship, only that makes it तपस्य | Otherwise you can be fasting, intermittent fasting and all that, that may not be तपस्य, it is a tough discipline~ 18 hours, 24 hours etc. but let’s not call it तपस्य because there is no ईश्वर in it, in the way in which you are approaching it.
So all तपस्य, I am that~ भगवान् says. And even the result that people get. Because understand that any तपस्य is कर्म, law of कर्म | So that’s why Ravana also did तपस्य, a lot of असुर-s did तपस्य, all these austerities and they got lots of boons. How can they do it? Because the law of कर्म is impartial. They are blessed, that’s it.
You do something, you get some results. So those results, also I am that.
Here He is highlighting that even the means to reaching भगवान्, reaching as in understanding that भगवान् is Me,
and the end/the result of that तपस् is also Me.
The means and the end, साधन and साध्य, both are Me-भगवान् |
बीजं मां सर्वभूतानां विद्धि पार्थ सनातनम् ।
बुद्धिर्बुद्धिमतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम् ॥ १०॥
Earlier He had said that I am the प्रकृति, now He says that I am the बीजम् | बीजम् is the seed.
So, पार्थ/Arjuna, विद्धि – may you know/understand, that of all the beings~ सर्वभूतानाम्, I am the seed. We know the seed has the potential to grow into a tree, and so on.
So this बीजम् is सनातनम् i.e. is the eternal seed.
जीव-s/सूक्ष्मशरीर are अनादि | Then the body that one gets, whatever different types of bodies
depending on your कर्म fructifying, so that which makes this possible, for you to have
different kinds of bodies/medium, that is Me-भगवान् |
And further one can never say that I am an orphan. We use the word orphan only with reference to your father and mother in this lifetime, but who has been the father and mother for you throughout lifetimes? ईश्वर, always there. And you have the freedom to relate as~ father, mother, lover, friend, child also,बालगोपाल | So, you have the freedom to relate to ईश्वर in any way you want.
So I am that बीजम्, I am there in all beings.
And additionally in people who have बुद्धि | So बुद्धि/intelligence/intellect, everyone has. Everyone has some बुद्धि | So the ability to be decisive, to take decisions, to make choices- good, bad, ugly. That बुद्धि, we have not created. Nobody we know has created it. That बुद्धि, I am that.
So if you are banging your head and saying~ oh my God, what did I do? You are banging ईश्वर okay. This बुद्धि, what did I do? So of course there is always potential to be tapped, it’s like ground water. There’s lots in the ground, then there will be these water diviners. It is very fascinating, one came to the अश्रम-land to do this, so he just holds the coconut in his hand then he walks around the अश्रम and then the farmland, and then when it starts moving, somehow the coconut starts moving, then he says~ Ah you know here is where a well should be dug, there will be water here. And sure enough, a well is dug, and yes there is water. Of course you have to dig a little deep, but there is water. So this potential of बुद्धि is there. Some people may appear little more बुद्धिमान, little more intellect/intelligence etc., then they have just tapped into what they already have, they have honed it, fine-tuned it etc. etc.
But in all the people who have बुद्धि, भगवान् says I am that बुद्धि |
And in those who are brilliant, who are तेजस्वी-s, I am that तेज:, I am the brilliance in them. That brilliance you see in arts, performing arts, the scientists, physicists, anyone who’s using any kind of innovation. Or in India anyone who is doing ‘jugaad’. Jugaad is a very unique thing, it’s
like a quick fix, sometimes it’s a shortcut, Indians are very good at that, but the बुद्धि is required to do this jugaar. So भगवान् is saying~ I am that brilliance, all this jugaar people do sometimes. So all that intelligence I am, referring to ज्ञान शक्ति |
बलं बलवतां चाहं कामरागविवर्जितम् ।
धर्माविरुद्धो भूतेषु कामोऽस्मि भरतर्षभ ॥ ११॥
Among the strong, the ones who have बलम्/strength, I am that strength.
Nobody is born with biceps. You have to work on it. So much weight training, and CrossFit training etc., through all that you build this strength. You’re not born with all of this, but potential is there. Potential is there, so whether you are doing endurance training, flexibility or strength training, etc. बलम् to do anything, any कर्म, so much कर्म is done all over the world every day, every moment. So people are working in different kinds of factories, people are working in different kinds of services, the things you do around the house on a regular basis, and the strength of the animals, plants, etc. – amongst all beings I am बलम्/strength.
Then this is a nice one- with this बलम्, is also a phrase, काम-राग-विवर्जितम् i.e. particularly the strength that is free from काम and राग, so pointing to धर्म | So the strength that somebody has may be misused for hurting another person.
We have seen this repeat itself, that the victim often becomes the perpetrator. A lot of people who have been sexually abused, one would imagine that because of what they have been through that they would never do the same, but history shows that they do. Or, people who have been beaten up in childhood, for different reasons- mischief etc., if the person has not processed it, then that’s considered as norm and the way the person will deal with one’s own children will be this kind of corporal punishment. But if the person has processed it and
said~ okay yes I was beaten, and it was some sort of a punishment for some wrong action done, and yes it was painful, and yes I was shamed, and the other person didn’t know better in
terms of how to discipline me, and it was an event that happened, and I’ve carried a lot of anger in me because of that, so maybe I’ve taken to martial arts or something, as you need some physical way to process it also, so you release that build-up of energy. Then it’s likely that this cycle will not be perpetuated.
But like some people who have been through military training, it’s tough training. But some of them were anyway traumatized in childhood, and then they chose this line, then the way they are, a lot of them just issue orders, even at home. They forget that that’s a role in the army, or whatever it is, it’s not meant to be there at home. And because one has been through tough discipline, also one thinks that that’s exactly how you have to bring up children. What is all this mollycoddling and all, just give one tight slap. This tight slap is an Indian phrase, there is nothing tight about a slap. A slap is a slap. And some teachers also, that’s how they have been brought up. And the way they look at it is~ I got sorted because I was beaten up, otherwise I was so mischievous, so of course this principle will work for someone else. So, the intention may be okay, and there are rare instances where a little bit is okay, but what am I using the strength I have for?
Is it to perpetuate काम~ more and more and more binding desire? This happens generally with people who take loan after loan, mortgages. And then the banks also have a great strategy, but of course it has led to recession, depression etc.
So let’s catch these youngsters, millennials, because everyone is aspiring for this fantastic lifestyle, and therefore let’s lure them with lower rates of Interest, and so the strength I have, I know my money is coming in anyway, at the end of the month it gets credited, so one after the other. I have the strength to earn the money, but my prediction goes for a toss, I take on too many loans, without any planning, because I’m going to pay it off, anyway all these EMIs are on etc.
So one binding desire after another after another, and you will justify it saying~ YOLO, you only
live once, who knows when I’m going to die. So I want to go on an overseas vacation every year, no matter what, and even if I have to take many loans, so what about it? Everyone takes. So I have the strength to take a loan, I have the strength to repay it also, but then there are fights in the family because of it, because money now has to be allocated, there is a monthly budget. Let’s say the couple is married, or planning for a child~ no no we are not ready to have a child, no way, we are paying off for the vacation, or we cannot have second child because
we have so much to pay off. And a lot of this aspirational lifestyle, see everybody aspires for a decent lifestyle that’s fine okay, but the बलम् I have, the strength I have, what am I using it for is a question that needs some answering.
The physical strength I have, the emotional strength, mental strength, what am I using it for?
Then He says this beautiful line, which Swaminiji quotes very often in response to people saying desire is a root cause of suffering. भगवान् श्री कृष्ण actually says the opposite. He says~ I am that काम:, काम: अहं अस्मि | I am that desire in all beings/भूतेषु, which is धर्म-अविरुद्ध:, double-negative meaning not opposed to धर्म | Or rather, I am that desire which is aligned to धर्म, present in all beings, भूतेषु | What a line! This is pointing to इच्छा शक्ति i.e. the capacity to desire for all beings.
So काम: is a valid pursuit, the वेद recognizes it to be so, and what भगवान् is saying is just
little align it with धर्म, that’s all. So the desire to make someone happy, contribute to their happiness, the desire to provide for your family, the desire to make somebody’s day special,
the desire to give something to someone who really needs, it could be your time, it could be some skill, it could be some effort in a larger collective सेव, or the desire that भगवान् शङ्कराचार्य had~ that I will capture the teaching tradition, I will write all these commentaries, so many
आचार्य-s, so many गुरु-s, so many ऋषि-s, that I have got something, I have been
blessed with something, I pass it on. I create an infrastructure for it which happens to be called a गुरुकुलम्, so that it is passed on. That is desire, and it is a धार्मिक desire, there’s nothing wrong with it. In fact more people should have धार्मिक desires.
In the name of saying~ oh desire is the root cause of suffering, which is not at all the teaching in सनातनधर्म, we neither have वैरग्य, nor can we really enjoy having a desire. Desire is a privilege. I get to enjoy all kinds of desires, especially when they are not binding. So I have the privilege to desire that all people are happy, they are free from disease. I will pray~ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः | It’s a nice, noble desire to have. Or that people in my family particularly are free from disease, very good desire to have.
But then from where we have heard~ no you should not have desires. And then we beat ourselves for it. Then when we achieve the desire, we cannot enjoy it. Then we cannot have the desire also, because I should not etc.
The problem is we don’t know how to manage a desire. When you align your desire to धर्म,
just go all out and fulfill it. What will happen is, you will grow out of the desire. Likely, very likely.
Or you may develop a राग, then you have कर्म योग teaching anyway, then work on it, align the राग to धर्म, and then fulfill it.
What’s wrong with it? Is it wrong to provide for your family? Is it wrong to be kind to someone, or to do something for another person? Or you have a particular skill or ability and you say~ okay this is my target group, and I want to help to change their lives for the better with
whatever skill that one has. And you want to contribute, what’s wrong with it? That’s fantastic.
So look at the nature of desires that you have, and embrace all of it, because it is your इच्छा शक्ति, there is nothing wrong about it. The binding desires, do some विचार, do some inquiry into it. If all the desires are binding then of course we have a serious problem. But still don’t worry even if they are all binding, just align to धर्म | That in the fulfillment of the desire, let people not be hurt. The broad theme of aligning to धर्म means that try to see that people are not hurt in your fulfillment of the desire, or there is not too much depletion of resources. And it could be any kind of desire. So, look into that.
It’s also good to look into~ do I really need it, or do I want it? But of course what we call civilization is conversion of all wants into needs. Mobile phone~ I cannot do without, I need it, where is it? As soon as people wake up~ like where, where is it? Of course the alarm is there, but it’s like your limb. It’s there right, oh thank God, it’s okay.
So this, अहं काम: and धर्म-अविरुद्ध: भूतेषु, something to really think about and change our relationship with the desires we have. Of course we want to grow into people who are not defined by our desires, but you can’t fight too much with your desires. If they are aligned with धर्म, go ahead fulfill it, and then you say~ oh that’s all, that was it okay, been there, done that, I don’t need it anymore. You can say that. Or some desires will require a little विचार~ do I really need it? How is my life going to be dramatically different if I were to fulfill it? Actually not much, it’s okay, I let it go. Oh, but I really want. So, again do विचार, let it go.
So you need विचार also, you need an inquiry. And in some very very strong desires, you may fulfill it also, but the objective is that I am more than the sum total of all my desires, that I am not defined by my desire. Because in all the desires, I am only there.
And that emotional security, initially we believe that once my desire is fulfilled then I will be secure, but over time irrespective of whether your desire is fulfilled or not, you can discover emotional security. How? By being a भक्त, by being a devotee. You are secure, always connected with भगवान् |
So desire not fulfilled~ okay, you are willing to wait. Like Siddhartha in the book by Herman Hesse. So, I can think, I can wait, I can fast. What a line! His CV.
So this is a very nice book to read. Siddhartha is this guy who’s a monk, he takes to monkhood very early and then he says I’ve not really seen the world, so then he gives up the robes, then he explores and falls in love. Then he wants to marry this girl, and so the girl says you have to
ask my father for my hand in marriage. But he’s never done a job, and he’s not really qualified in that sense. So then he goes to the father of his girlfriend and says~ I would like to marry your daughter, but I need a job also, and I believe that you can give me a job. I am willing to do whatever work. So then the father says~ what do you know, or something to that effect. And this is the CV/biodata Siddhartha gives~ I can think, I can wait, I can fast. He gets a job, he does extremely well, then he has children and so on and so forth. But his thought process is depicted very beautifully in the book.
So this I can think, what an ability that is, like really think. Not worry okay, I can think- qualification. You can think yourself in and out of whatever you need to.
And I can wait~ I have patience. I am not going to force open, like if a bud needs time to bloom, I am willing to give it that time. There are different projects that we work on. Some maybe three weeks, some three months, some take three years. I am willing to wait. A lot of times we become so impatient we give up our efforts halfway, but that emotional labor- waiting, waiting for things to happen, not passively, knowing that certain things have their own life cycle, whether it is a relationship or a project or your child growing up, all that, patience is so important.
Some parents become very impatient with their children~ come on, come on, learn quickly. And then if you have to learn how to use a software, then your child will teach you and say~ come on come on I told you so many times, I have to repeat the same instructions again and again. What are you doing mom? So patience.
And I can fast. Fast- I can put up with discomfort. Everyone has to learn that. Growing up wherever you are there will be situations that make you uncomfortable. To a great extent we have managed to control situations, and as a result of which we have become comfort creatures, सुख-जीवी | And as a result of which little discomfort and we are always complaining.
As Pujya Swamiji would say we start murmuring~ munu-munu. You know this munu-munu is
going on all the time. This is not okay, that is not okay, why this is so. Non-stop. Why? I cannot put up with discomfort a little bit.
Swaminiji is not saying deliberately you put up with discomfort. But little bit, because some people will be abrasive, or you walk into a situation it’s taking a lot of time, and then somebody you have explained yourself to but the person doesn’t understand, or you don’t understand and the person is explaining to you again and again.
All this which is uncomfortable is okay, relax. But in this misguided search to prove ourselves, to be significant, we want to take control of things that we have no control over actually.
Honestly we don’t have control over much. But still okay for now at least let’s continue with the illusion we have control over certain things. But little~ I am not in charge, then I just lose it.
So somebody will say~ oh how about coming to this get together? Oh, I don’t know anyone. That’s okay, you’ll get to know people. No, I just feel very uncomfortable. I’m not used to it. I’m very introverted. Okay, what to say. Just look at all the things that one immediately says no to. There will be these things, okay. People ask you certain things, or to come here etc. No, I don’t, I’m not, I don’t feel up to it, I don’t want to go etc. etc. This immediate no, reactive no is because I don’t want to feel uncomfortable.
And so what if you are uncomfortable, so what about it? Be uncomfortable. No. राग – it’s so subtle and some of it of course is very obvious, but some of it is so subtle. That we have to pay attention to.
And say~ okay I’m going to be uncomfortable, let it be, I will be uncomfortable.
So that’s how I learn to be comfortable with what is uncomfortable.
Because then I don’t have द्वेष | So I will be uncomfortable and that’s okay, and in time I will become comfortable. Then my comfort zone becomes this entire world. There is no place I am not comfortable.
Maybe I’m the fourth person sitting on the edge of the seat but I am okay. Like how they joke in Mumbai local trains~ push, push, push, like I want to sit. Actually three pleasantly plump people can manage, fourth person, a little bit of struggle is there. But no no, push okay you sit. And then somebody will joke, though the train is fully crowded, then they will say~ oh there is enough room for a football field, come on make more space, though it’s so crowded you can’t move. If you are in a position, you’re like statue, that’s how you are, you can’t move, but then somebody will say~ oh there’s enough place for a football field, come on make more space.
So even in that physically uncomfortable situation, yeah that’s okay, it’s not a big deal, don’t make a big deal out of discomfort.
So, I can think, I can wait, I can fast.
Nice lines to think about.
ॐ
सर्वभूतस्थितं यो मां भजत्येकत्वमास्थित: ।
सर्वथा वर्तमानोऽपि स योगी मयि वर्तते ॥ ३१॥
The योगी, the one who has the vision that has been spoken of in the previous verses i.e. समदर्शन:, what does this योगी recognize?
एकत्वम् – oneness.
Between what? The आत्मा and ईश्वर |
So we saw that in verse number 30, भगवान् कृष्ण had said that the one who sees Me in all beings,
यो मां पश्यति सर्वत्र सर्वं च मयि पश्यति |
So, this so called समदर्शन: is seeing भगवान्/ईश्वर in all beings, and all beings in ईश्वर |
He has used similar words in the previous verse, where He talks about-सर्वभूतस्थमात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि (६.२९) |
So that आत्मा is ईश्वर | And ईश्वर is not an object, meaning not remote.
So, how does this person live? A wise person’s प्रारब्ध i.e. the way situations unfold in the person’s life, are similar to any other person. There may be illnesses, e.g. Ramana Maharshi had cancer, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa also had cancer. There may be disappointments by students. There may be the usual problems that come up when you’re trying to run an institution, nobody is free from that. Just to get people on one page, we know how difficult it is, so forget an institution. Just in one family, if you try to get everybody on one page, it takes a while. Just~ ‘What shall we eat today?’ So as simple as that, everyone will have their preferences and maybe dietary restrictions and whatever else.
So now, the one who is this योगी, who has this समदर्शन:, what does he/she recognize?
That whatever the प्रारब्ध is, the person will live with this vision.
And, सर्वभूतस्थितं य: माम् – माम् here refers to भगवान् |
So, the one who has this vision, recognizes that all beings, all forms- internal or external,
internal meaning what goes on in your mind etc., and for which we did the guided meditation, and external meaning all different beings, situations, events.
So, although they are very, very different, the reality is really ईश्वर, it is भगवान् |
And so we have all this folk wisdom, when people in India will say~ ” कण कण में भगवान है ” | So, you pick up some mud let’s say, you will look at it with some microscope, and then you might find some bacteria. So, that also is भगवान् |
” कण कण में भगवान है ” means what? That the tiniest form, अणोरणीयान्,
महतो महीयान्~ so the biggest galaxy is infused/pervaded/permeated by भगवान् |
Because we are talking about the total form, that’s why we’re bringing in भगवान् |
And so this vision, if the person has, the person doesn’t need meditation. Because meditation is an activity for a definite purpose.
सगुण ब्रह्मन् विषय मानस व्यापार |
मानस व्यापार (mental activity) related to ईश्वर (सगुण ब्रह्मन्).
But for me, my living reality is- all that is here is सगुण ब्रह्मन्, I am the आत्मा |
The reality of me and ईश्वर is the same. There is no difference.
So at a व्यष्टि/individual level, I do what I have to do. At a total/समष्टि level, ईश्वर has to do whatever is to be done. Fine.
But we are not affected by what needs to be done, or what is happening despite my best efforts.
We often think more about Arjuna, but just look at Krishna, he could easily think that I’m such a failure, I have not been able to prevent this great war, Mahabharata. With all my skills, with all my persuasion, and my negotiation, and my arbitration skills, I was not able to change the course so that this war does not happen. And again, from his own kingdom standpoint, it’s not that it was the grandest, best-est kingdom ever, no. Of course, he was extremely accomplished as a warrior but that’s great, that’s fine. And then to take on a job as a driver~ I’m going to drive your chariot, I’m not going to fight, this means I’m in the line of fire- the arrows have to pass me before they reach you. And that’s Krishna’s प्रारब्ध~ as an अवतार- true, of course it is प्रातिभासिक- true. प्रातिभासिक सत्यम्- the form. But still, there was some sort of प्रारब्ध unfolding there.
And then for Him to say that whatever the योगी is doing,
सर्वथा वर्तमानोऽपि |
वर्तमान: means that whatever is the प्रारब्ध that unfolds, but you have stopped defining yourself by the outcome. Initially, there is resistance. We don’t want what is unfolding. We don’t want whatever results that have come our way. Then little teaching of कर्म योग | Then I realize~ Oh, all this struggle to change and become is endless. Maybe I can drop my resistance a little bit. How about me learning to accept, trying to see things as प्रसाद | Okay, some attempt made- a few things in my life are प्रसाद, a lot of other things are not. I still continue to resist.
Okay, then the one who receives it as प्रसाद- graciously & cheerfully accepts certain people, certain events, certain situations is still a भोक्ता/experiencer, therefore needs acceptance.
भोक्ता/experiencer- maybe some भोग/experiences are pleasant, nice, so far so good.
But this भोक्ता, and of course कर्ता, in the vision of वेदान्त may convert this कर्तृत्वम्(sense of doer-ship) & भोक्तृत्वम्(sense of experiencing), to really looking at the reality of both.
Because when one says कर्ता, show me the कर्ता? Where is the कर्ता, who is the doer?
Then you say~ Oh, my hands and legs, my brilliant mind that ideates on these projects.
What’s the reality of that mind? Anyway that mind cannot function on its own without consciousness.
~ No, no with organic food, it functions very well.
Well, all that food also is all पञ्चमहाभूत only- space, water, air, fire, earth.
Whatever is functioning, कर्ता-भोक्ता, it is really made up of पञ्चमहाभूत | And where does that come from? Oh, it is the आत्मा, or you can say consciousness.
So now, in understanding that consciousness- that is the truth of me(the individual) and ईश्वर,
then what was earlier a resistance to different situations/conflicts, glides into the recognition that I am the basis of all these forms.
If I want to jump to this vision, I have to necessarily go through कर्म योग |
A lot of people don’t want the struggle of कर्म योग, because it seems like a struggle. It’s not a struggle actually. But the intensity and the degree of our resistance is so high that to accept something, just to accept one’s thoughts without getting involved without feeling the pressure to evaluate, without feeling the tendency to wish certain thoughts away, without feeling the tendency that some thoughts please please stay- I feel peaceful, I hope I feel more peaceful. Oh, I have to see some Instafeed, maybe I’ll see some scenery, some mountains, some valleys, then maybe I will feel a little peaceful.
So that’s the journey we make, in the context of this समदर्शन: |
So if the vision is clear, and one abides in that vision, that whatever be the differences is not a problem for you at all. You look at your own face, it’s not symmetrical. The difference starts right there. Your own face, no matter what you do- you slap one part, but it’s just not symmetrical. So this difference is actually the विभूति of ईश्वर, ईश्वर सृष्टि, it is not to be seen as a problem. But if we see it as a problem, then we bring in कर्म योग बुद्धि |
So ध्यान-योग which is the topic of this chapter, the ध्यानम् is abiding in the vision that all that is here is ईश्वर |
When we talk about the standpoint of the total form, and when you are looking at the reality behind all the forms, then one abides in the vision that all that is here is the आत्मा-me.
The moment I say~ oh but how I can be the basis of something? You have gone back into the thinking, into the identity of mind and body. And why have you done that? Because of the tendency to evaluate. Was there a need to evaluate right now? No.
Am I getting the vision? Oh, but first you see the vision, then you evaluate. But we are so pressurized, so much inner pressure we have created to evaluate ourselves in the name of self improvement, in the name of improving our skill-set and attitude and knowledge, and so on, that we don’t even realize this orientation that is entrenched and becomes a filter to look at everything.
There’s no need to get involved, it’s okay, just watch. No, no, no, I participate. I have to add my two-bit, my valued addition, how else will I feel significant?
Okay, so the identity as a knower.
This vision is direct, immediate, and it’s not forgotten. Because it’s a knowledge like no other. It is me. All the notions that existed, you see them as notions, they’re not reality.
See, we are disturbed by our mind. Because somewhere we believe that whatever the mind says is true.
We have given it several Oscar awards for ‘The reality mouthpiece of our life’. But that’s the अहंकार | The अहंकार has to comment to survive. Has to react, because the अहंकार is groping, is wanting to hold on.
अहंकार ~ I am not, actually I don’t really exist, but what do I do? I have to claim everything as mine. This body-mind, yes definitely it’s mine. And so you dare say anything about me? Not acceptable. And definitely you cannot say anything about my views, about any situation, any position, and so on.
The अहंकार if understood, विचारं न सहते- does not do any inquiry.
And of course the अहंकार is required, the ज्ञानी also survives with an अहंकार, but as though enlightened. Enlightened also is just another word. But the ideas that one had, the limited ideas that one had about oneself, all that is dropped away. That’s all, nothing more.
And so how does this person live a life? Because obviously we will have questions. That okay, fine, maybe the person has this vision of oneness, but can the person do something wrong? We hear instances of heads of institutions, doing wrong things, maybe being arrested, and so on. Of course being a head of an institution and a ज्ञानी are two different things.
So anyway, how does a wise person live?
आत्मौपम्येन सर्वत्र समं पश्यति योऽर्जुन ।
सुखं वा यदि वा दु:खं स योगी परमो मत: ॥ ३२॥
आत्मा is taken as उपमा | This is not the eating that is ‘upma’.
उपमा means an example in Sanskrit.
आत्मा is taken as the उपमा, for the basis of interacting in all situations.
धर्म which is very natural to a person is a lot more spontaneous in the wise person.
And so because, सर्वत्र समं पश्यति – sees that all beings as the same i.e. is all ईश्वर’s order, or it’s all me, therefore has an understanding that nobody wants to be hurt. And अहिंसा is a natural extension of that. That even the insects, and the bugs who crawl, especially if you have an आश्रम in the forest, or there is some greenery and all that, there will be lots of these creepy-crawlies who are going to visit you especially in the evenings. So then even for these small creatures, there is a natural अहिंसा |
Like how some of us initially get so bothered, so it’s almost an immediate response to the mosquito or the fly, it just comes and one slaps it, so that it runs away.
So धर्म is very much the basis of this person’s interactions, and what was earlier deliberate is a part of the कर्म योग lifestyle, is now very spontaneous. So it’s almost like you come full circle.
As children we are all very धार्मिक्, we don’t have to be taught so much. Do the right thing, do धर्म, etcetera. All children will naturally speak the truth. We have to teach them to lie unfortunately. If you say this, your teacher is not going to be happy. Or if you say this- Oh, you’re so ugly. Oh, how you can talk like this, the person will be hurt, and so on. So then children, we teach them. Of course it’s all about being appropriate also, धर्म is a lot about being appropriate, not blanket imposition of a value, because then that would make it absolute.
So we go through this phase of performing अधर्म, and then we see what it does to us. In time we realize the value of धर्म | That the value of the value is so valuable to me that I don’t want to have this fragmentation in me- The one who is thinking is different, The one who feels is different, The one who does is different.
It’s bad enough I have to deal with so many conflicts with so many different people, now even being with myself feels like a burden. I don’t know what I’m thinking, I don’t know what I’m feeling, etc. etc.
So more integrated, spontaneous.
Yes, there are past संस्कार-s. But that is just one factor for a ज्ञानी | The person cannot escape living a life of धर्म, and so that it becomes spontaneous. It’s much like when you learn to drive, or ride a cycle. So, so much effort~ falling down, this, that, the other. People are there to supervise you. And then now you can have very deep conversations when you are driving, and you are listening to music. You are kind of multitasking because the skill of driving has almost gone into an auto-mode.
Okay, so what was initially deliberate, requiring lots of effort, has now become to a great extent spontaneous. So that’s what is being referred to here. That whatever be the nature of situations that come in the way of the ज्ञानी,
सुखं वा यदि वा दु:खं- the person continues to be a योगी, the one who has समदर्शन: |
And in My view i.e. in भगवान्’s vision, this is an exalted योगी |
So, very interesting. Not the one who does शीर्षासन | Not the one who does all the different बन्ध-s in योग | Nor the one who does lots of प्राणायाम | Nor the one who has a lot of सिद्धि-s i.e. a lot of accomplishments. Just the one who has समदर्शन: is योगी i.e. the vision of oneness, because that एकत्वम् was referred to.
Swaminiji is also reminded here of Pujya Swamiji. In Rishikesh, also Uttarkashi, there is this event called भंडारा | So भंडारा is really a feast, and a lot of साधु-s are invited for a feast. And our आश्रम in Rishikesh is very famous for our भंडारा-s. Because along with a very delicious meal that is provided to the साधु-s, there is always दक्षिणा given.
So these are साधु-s who are living all over. And then there are certain people called महन्त्-s who manage this भंडारा in the sense that every आश्रम will be given some 10-15 tickets, they can give it out to whichever साधु-s come to that आश्रम to study or for anything else. Or the ones who are known to them. And it’s a very beautiful thing to watch and participate in. A lot of people also fund भंडारा-s because to feed a साधु is considered great पुण्य | Because here is someone who has devoted himself/herself to the highest, which is मोक्ष, and therefore the person must be provided for, so a certain value in the society.
Pujya Swamiji would always go down the rows. There would be like four-five rows, and so anywhere from 100 plus साधु-s are all sitting and some chants are there before the meal, and then they have the meal and then they are so focused, they only come there to eat. As soon as it’s done, they just get up and rush, and there is no trace of them in a few minutes time.
So of course Pujya Swamiji would go and show great respect to each and every one of them. And some of us, or most of us, we are looking at some of the साधु-s. And then you know how the mind tends to evaluate. So this one looks more like a साधु, that one maybe not. God knows what the person is doing. Nowadays they have mobile phones also. So you wonder- umm साधु what, I don’t know?
And, so some similar question we/someone else asked Pujya Swamiji~ You know, it’s very possible that these साधु-s they may have different backgrounds, we don’t know about them. And His answer was really a teaching, as has been the case for almost everything.
That the person is a साधु is enough for me. I have nothing to do with the person’s background. I will just show my respect for this person. That’s all. I don’t need to know what the background of the person is. And even if whatever be the background, that doesn’t take away the respect that I will show this person. That’s expansiveness, that’s bigness, that’s समदर्शन: |
Even with people, there may have been enough instances where we know that somebody’s trying to take Pujya Swamiji for a ride, telling some sob story so that some money can be gained, etc. And then in those instances and all, when some people would have thought that oh, they’re being very helpful~ you know Swamiji we know there is this background.
Ah, let it be. I do what I need to do. And all the time I’m thinking how can I help.
So by helping, nothing is taken away from me. Whereas we think so many times, if I help, my time will go, my money will go, my effort will go, my resources will go, I will be much the lesser for it, much the poorer for it perhaps.
But this is that vision, this is the behavior/conduct of a wise person.
So Arjuna has heard all of this, and like some of us might be thinking, he has a question now-
अर्जुन उवाच ।
योऽयं योगस्त्वया प्रोक्त: साम्येन मधुसूदन ।
एतस्याहं न पश्यामि चञ्चलत्वात्स्थितिं स्थिराम् ॥ ३३॥
चञ्चलं हि मन: कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद्दृढम् ।
तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम् ॥ ३४॥
So Arjuna is saying, you know all this that you have said about the vision of sameness and all, all that is very fine, it’s okay. You know, I’ve heard you, but,
अहं न पश्यामि – I’m not able to see this.
Why? Because of चञ्चलत्वम् | He’s referring to his mind, because the mind is not steady. And it just keeps moving, it keeps changing, gets agitated.
And this is not an ordinary person who is ever distracted with a mobile phone. No. This is an accomplished warrior who when was asked, ‘What do you see when you’re shooting?’ When all these princes were learning how to shoot, he said eye of the bird, and he was well recognized as the best archer of the land. So you can imagine the level of focus he has as a warrior.
When we have focus, it’s not like it can be only while you’re shooting, because it’s a honed skill and one has learnt to deal with enough distractions, that will come into all areas of life.
So the next new shiny object can continue to be as shiny as ever, but I don’t have much to do with it. Why? Because I am committed to something and therefore I will not be distracted by everything. But if I’m not committed to any one thing, I can be distracted by everything.
So this accomplished warrior, Arjuna is saying that I am not able to see this what you’re saying, this wonderful teaching you have given me- sameness, समदर्शन:, आत्मा in and through all forms, not happening for me.
And in fact, Arjuna elaborates, that to me,
मन:, the mind is equal to चञ्चलम् | So another synonym for me, for the mind is agitation चञ्चलम् |
And in fact, it is a प्रमाथि i.e. it is a tyrant, it shakes me up all the time. You know, some memory from the past, blast from the past, suddenly I get shaken up. Or somebody says something, and there is a reaction. Or somebody doesn’t say anything, is indifferent to me and I can’t handle it. The sadness and the experience of neglect.
So this mind always shakes me up, and it seems like this mind is बलवत्, so strong that I don’t have the strength to master this mind.
And further it is so well rooted- दृढम् | It’s not something you can manage easily.
Despite all my best efforts, the mind is equal to agitation, it drives me crazy, I don’t have any control over it, and it seems stronger than me. And so, तस्य अहं निग्रहम्, for me trying to have निग्रह i.e. trying to have any mastery/control, is almost like trying to control the वायु – वायो: इव सुदुष्करम् | Try controlling the wind, you can only harness wind energy, or solar energy and all that. You try controlling it, nothing you can do.
So, presenting the metaphor of the wind, that the mind is constantly changing, I have no control over it, and on top of it, it bothers me. I don’t want to think certain things, then only those thoughts come in my mind. And trying to forget certain things, only those thoughts stay and persist. And then suddenly some thoughts come from somewhere else.
Generally I’m okay, but that one person or two people when they come in front of me, all my knowledge, my culture, my upbringing, all the workshops I have attended, everything goes out of the window, it is not available to me.
So a common universal problem Arjuna is talking about, we can feel okay, we are in the same boat. And this he says after hearing about the vision of sameness. So then, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण responds, and that response we will see in the next class.
ॐ
So we are in the 7th chapter of the Gita. JñānaVijñānaYogah(ज्ञानविज्ञानयोग:) is the name of the chapter. And the topic is really of ज्ञानम् (Jñānam) and विज्ञानम् (Vijñānam). When these two words are used together, then ज्ञानम् (Jñānam) means knowledge i.e. knowledge of Ishwara, so in that sense it is indirect. And विज्ञानम् (Vijñānam) does not mean science, rather विज्ञानम् (Vijñānam) here means direct knowledge of Ishwara as oneself.
In the last verse of Chapter Six (6.47), Bhagwan Krishna talks about the importance of श्रद्धा(śraddhā). Swaminiji mentions here that we are not translating श्रद्धा as faith, but rather keeping श्रद्धा as श्रद्धा, meaning some sort of trust in the Veda, a growing trust). So the one who has श्रद्धा(śraddhā), and contemplates on me (Bhagwan) is the most exalted amongst the yogis. This is what was said in 6.47.
Now how can you love someone if you don’t know that person, or that being? So therefore Bhagwan attempts to, and not just attempts, He actually reveals what his nature is, reveals all his manifestations, and he indicates that 8 fold prakriti i.e. अपराप्रकृति is all the manifestations of the various names and forms that we see around us. Then पराप्रकृति, the higher prakriti in that context, which is Bhagwan’s Swaroopa, that is also something that is to be understood.
So you can grow to love any being if you know more about that being. So all the manifestations are spoken, 8 building blocks of the manifestations are spoken and some sampling is given. And he also talks about the nature of भक्ति (Bhakti), (भक्ति one should understand as love, love for Bhagwan). And after he mentions the four stages of भक्ति (Bhakti). He says that the ज्ञानी(Jñāni), the wise person, is a भक्ता i.e. is a devotee and is dear to me. Because a ज्ञानी(Jñāni) has not kept me as a remote object somewhere, someplace but recognizes Bhagwan as oneself.
So वासुदेवःसर्वमिति (vāsudēvaḥsarvamiti). So then what about the others? What about the other devotees. Well, they are devoted to other things. They may be devoted to FTX, and may have lost a lot of money in crypto, or they are devoted to the wife or they are devoted to the child or they are devoted to some other thing. Devoted means you’re consumed. You are obsessed, and all you can think about is only that thing or that person, it could be work it could be money, could be pleasure, it could be any of this or anything else. And all these altars of devotion are limited. Temporary. So then naturally the सुख: (sukha) the pleasure, the happiness that you get will also be temporary. And so just as a drug addict, you need to keep having it, having the substance or having that experience to feel okay. Because the altar of devotion is not giving you constant nourishment, and love and care. So one has to keep at it. And the other devotees they worship Bhagwan as an object, more as a means to an end, for whatever that one is seeking in life which is all temporary and limited.
Having said that we now are now verse 7.21. He is still elaborating on how one can gain श्रद्धा(śraddhā) for Bhagwan and how one can deepen one’s relations. So the verse 21 sounds like a rap song, since it starts with यो यो (Yoyo), but it is not. Yoyo is actually य: (Yah), Yah meaning who –
Verse 21:
योयोयांयांतनुंभक्त: श्रद्धयार्चितुमिच्छति |
तस्यतस्याचलांश्रद्धांतामेवविदधाम्यहम् || 21||
So whoever is the भक्ता (Bhakta) and whoever the भक्ता worships- The devata at the altar could be anyone: Shiva, Vishnu, Ganapati, Jesus. The person worships, prays to, maybe chants to, sings to, seeks to bond with Ishwara and does with श्रद्धा(śraddhā) i.e. with a certain trust, what does भगवान् do for that devotee? भगवान् makes this Shraddha firm for this devotee.
How? By giving results.
So if we really look into our lives, we will find that we get some signs. You’re praying for something or you really want something and then just out of the blue, some opportunity comes up or you get a sign. Like some people, when they go to the temple, are praying and one flower will fall. It happens and you suddenly get some sign and it’s just so random. There’s no way it could have happened. The signs are there in our lives all the time. But our minds are very grossified. So we cannot spot the subtle signs.
Swamini ji gives an example of her college friend with whom she had gone on a trip. Now, this friend had been told she must worship Krishna. But for a long time she has been worshipping Ganesha. She was narrating this incident to Swamini ji while they were driving. It was Ganesh Chathurthi and she was doing some decorations and suddenly the Murti shook. This was after Pran Prathisthapana was done. So Swamini’s friend’s husband was livid. The friend didn’t mean to be disrespectful but such a thing happened. Swaminiji’s friend wasn’t sure if Ganesha had forgiven her for this. As they were driving, they were passing by many hotels, but at this instance they suddenly passed by ‘ Sri Ganesha Hotel’, so Swamini ji said, did you see, we just passed by Sri Ganesha Hotel. At this Swamini’s friend said, Ah! I think Ganesha is not upset with me.
She thanked Swamini ji, as she wouldn’t have spotted if Swamini ji had not shown her.
Of all the names and whatever that hotels can be named. Of all of them you had to spot Sri Ganesh Hotel only at the time that one was discussing this. One may say Oh, it’s just random. Or some may say, it is some sign, maybe something to pay attention to.
These kinds of incidents happen all time in our lives. But we may be hung up with our राग and द्वेष. And so only if राग is fulfilled, only then we think that Bhagwan is blessing me, otherwise I don’t feel blessed. Now imagine if these kinds of signs keep coming up in our lives. You chant a mantra, you get the result or you chant some strotram (as a remedy suggested by your astrological chart), so you chant that and you find some benefit. Then the Veda that has revealed all this, you start to trust it a little more, or some of the things that one has learned in the भगवद्गीता as you see it play out in your life. Just karma, nothing earth shattering, just the recognition of karma and that karma is not linear, much like snakes and ladders where anything can happen anytime. You are prepared to handle anything i.e. you have कर्मयोगबुद्धि: (Karma Yoga Buddhih). Then your श्रद्धा (śraddhā) in the Gita will increase because when something works, naturally your श्रद्धा(śraddhā) increases. That’s why we have all whatever we call as alternative medicine. Somebody will say drink lots of water, somebody will say don’t drink water. We do fasting, some go on fruit fast, some on grass fast, etc. etc. Then, some result somebody finds and then they swear by it. What भगवान् is saying is that, if the भक्ता worships me I will give results. Why I am doing that? Because I want to make the श्रद्धा (śraddhā) firm for the person. Earlier he has also said, श्रद्धावान्लभतेज्ञानम् (Chapter 4), meaning for ज्ञानम् you don’t necessarily need a very sharp intellect, but one who is श्रद्धावान् i.e. who has श्रद्धा, gains knowledge. It’s a very bold declaration and an assurance that you can trust the Veda. Slowly, slowly one will trust, not on the first day.
But the process of living is such that there is no one that one can completely trust. Right? From our parents onwards, I mean as well-meaning and as wonderful as they are. People are inconsistent, we ourselves our inconsistent. So to expect consistency, infallibility that the person, the being is capable of no defect, that expectation will not be fulfilled ever. It’s not the fault of human beings. It’s not. This is how we are. And so if we are prepared that people are inconsistent, including us, then we are able to place trust in the person appropriately. But if for you trust is such that the person you trust has to look after you completely, which very often happens in marriages, then sooner or later there will be hurt, or betrayal or they don’t stand up for each other in a public situation. There might be some betrayal so one’s trust is affected.
And now you are listening to the Gita, so how to trust? It doesn’t feel right to me, I want to protect myself. You don’t know if you can trust. Now these things we may not articulate, but the sense is there, and the of course the package with which the Gita comes is the Guru. How can I trust the Guru? I haven’t even met the Guru in person. During the pandemic many people joined and then after that many dropped off.
So all Swamini ji is highlighting is the fact that it is not easy to trust. But भगवान् is saying that slowly, slowly I will make your trust, your श्रद्धा firm. You continue to pray and I will give you results, by giving you signs and you will see signs all the time, you just need to keep your eyes open.
7.22:
सतयाश्रद्धयायुक्तस्तस्याराधनमीहते |
लभतेचतत: कामान्मयैवविहितान्हितान् || 22||
The one who engages with श्रद्धा, श्राध्ययुक्तः,तस्यआराधनम्इहते. When a person does आराधनI, i.e. worship- you offer, flowers, incense. So whatever be the form of worship whether it is offering different kind of flowers or grass or meat. Like this temple Swaminiji went to in Guwahati, one of the entrances to the temple is through the slaughterhouse. And this baby goat was standing on the gates, he has been garlanded with hibiscus flowers and is going to be slaughtered very soon, given as an offering to the God ,(बलि). So can I say that your worship is wrong as you are offering animal. But according to the Veda the animal is very blessed because he is going to be offered to the Gods.
So when the भक्तः sees the connection- that I am offering this and I will get this result, or I am offering this and I don’t necessarily need a result I just need status quo, or my संकल्पः(sankalpa) is a thanksgiving, a prayer for gratitude, or you are asking for something. लभते-the person gains. What? कामान् विहितान् हितान् | So, all that has been ordained. There are 2 ways of looking at the second line. विहितकर्म is कर्मा that has to be done, like पुत्रकामेष्ठियज्ञः(Putrakameshti yagna). So in doing that, these are the results that have been foresaid, when done properly with these materials, with the mantras and so on and so forth, then you will get the result. So whatever the devotee prays for, the devotee gains that object of desire. These have been ordained by Bhagwan himself.
Swamini ji gives an example of a place she visited in Meghalaya called Sacred Grove, it has a local name also, it is a tiny patch of a forest. The guide who took Swamini ji was describing that about 150 kings, each of them have a sacred grove here in this forest. Entry is allowed only in a tiny section of the forest not the entire forest. It’s a very surreal experience – huge trees, trunks covered with moss and each tree is 300 plus years old. Swaminiji’s guide led her to an altar and he pointed out to some stones kept there and there was one other altar. The belief is that if you walk into that forest, you cannot take a thing out of that forest. If you do so then some misfortune is going to befall you. Swaminiji offered prayers there, it was almost like a temple, hugely powerful.
Now here in this Sacred Grove they used to offer a reddish bull as बलि(Bali), a sacred offering to the deity of the forest called Labasa. And they found that all is well with the kingdom when they make this offering. This is the connection they made. Now it so happened that the reddish bulls became extinct after 1950. So now reddish bull wasn’t being offered, but a hen was now being offered and it has worked well too.
So here these verses don’t necessarily mean that you worship a devata according to what we believe is a Devata. It just needs to be an altar, a being that you look up to. And whatever has to be gained from that deity, in this case the forest deity Labasa, the king is rest assured that all is well with his kingdom because every kings’ Sacred Grove has to be maintained in a particular way.
And so we see there are lots of tribes all over the world and they all have their respective deities, what is often referred to as paganism and so on is there actually in lots of cultures, but now all wiped out because of the dogmatic belief that there is only one God, with a lot of resultant conversion and violence.
So all the कामः(Kama), the different kinds of desires, the different kinds of desirable objects that one seeks, Bhagwan makes all that available. But is it true all the time? No. But all that has been provided for us is all subject to law of karma(कर्म), depending on how our own कर्म is fructifying, based on पुण्य and पाप | And this is how the श्रद्धा(śraddhā)is kept going.
At this point Swamini ji mentions about an Indian movie Kantara. Swamini ji says that the movie very well drives home the point of Gramadevata. Every village had a devata that had been worshipped by the people living in the village for generations, but all these things have been lost. And so the movie brings it out beautifully.
So this श्रद्धा, that’s all what these acts of worship do is help you trust, you begin to trust भगवान्, trust not so much in terms of I will get what I want, not necessarily. It may start off that way, but then you are also discovering the space and the leisure to see the pattern when things don’t work out in your life. And then very often you are thankful for somethings not coming your way at a particular time but a little later in your life, so that you are prepared for what is going to come. One may say that oh, you’re just rationalizing, but anyway we are only telling stories to ourselves. And then Vedanta is all about seeing the reality that I am. So, one story can always be replaced by another story. It’s not a big deal. So with श्रद्धा, trust in Bhagwan, trust in the शास्त्र, trust in the Veda, increase.
Swaminiji gives an example of her batchmate who was raised as a strict catholic. When she came to the ashram she was horrified because she had to go to the temple every day. It was not a mandate, but everyone did it. However, she was not comfortable and could not relate to the worship of Dakshinamurthy and the rituals. She spoke to Pujya Swami ji and Pujya Swami ji said just go from time to time and take it as a cultural experience. In time as she discovered the depth of भगवान् she became a regular temple goer. So श्रद्धा is not something we force, we allow ourselves to heal. Understanding भगवान् can be very healing, because you start to trust yourself, you start to trust life, you start to trust the law of karma that has unfolded in your life, not that somebody is sitting there and punishing you. You begin to see it as my own karma that is fructifying and coming back to me and there is no one being vicious or malicious, and torturing me etc.
7.23:
अन्तवत्तुफलंतेषांतद्भवत्यल्पमेधसाम् |
देवान्देवयजोयान्तिमद्भक्तायान्तिमामपि || 23||
For those who are ‘अल्पमेधसाम् | ‘अल्प’ meaning little, मेध is memory plus intelligence. We can consider मेध as viveka, the discriminative ability. So the ones who have very little of it, what happens to them?
The फलम्, the different results of कर्म that they get, are all अन्त-वत् i.e. they are all finite, they’re all limited. And one is so caught up in pursuing limited ends, expecting the limitless from the limited. For this we need viveka.
So like we often believe, that once I marry I will be happy, and I will live happily ever after. Swaminiji has nothing against marriage and will promote everyone to get married, but Swaminiji is just giving an example. So happily ever after, either we have that projection on the job, or the relationship, or the child, or something. True we get happiness from it, but that happiness is limited and we will soon be looking for the next thing. So what else is going to happen? So child is born, then thinking about admissions for school from nursery onwards, and providing, so it goes on and on. And the same thing with the job. So it’s not just a sigh of relief, oh now I got the job. Now, you have to sustain the job. And there are so many factors involved.
So it’s a shifting goalpost. And that shifting goalpost I mistake to be the pursuit of happiness, so I must keep aspiring. Until you realize that how much ever you aspire, the limitless सुख that you are expecting for, is nowhere in sight. It’s not there in the object, it’s not there in the person, it’s not in any desirable situation like meditating. People say, Oh, I was fine when I was meditating, I came out of it and its gone, my peace of mind is gone. I went to the temple, there I was peaceful, then gone. Or I went on a holiday, everything was fantastic and now I am back to the grind, as everyone says.
Okay, so now because these people who have ‘अल्पमेधस्‘ don’t recognize that the happiness that you get from these limited objects, situations, people is limited, then what happens to them? They go to different लोक:(loka), or they go to these deities. Means what? So a lot of पुण्य has been gained with a lot of praying and worship. So they will go to different places where there is comfort, there is pleasure, like on vacation. And that’s it.
On the other hand if you worship Krishna and understand my (स्वरूप)Swaroopa, then you will gain me i.e. you will come to me. And note that here Krishna is not speaking as Mr. Krishna. He says, ”you will come to me” meaning that you will gain the understanding that you are not different from me. If you look at only this verse, and not look at what has come before or after, then this verse lends itself to the interpretation that Krishna is superior to all other deities, which is what ISKCON says- so don’t worship other deities , just come straight to Krishna.
Now comes the next verse which is a very beautiful one.
7.24
अव्यक्तंव्यक्तिमापन्नंमन्यन्तेमामबुद्धय: |
परंभावमजानन्तोममाव्ययमनुत्तमम् || 24||
So actually speaking I am अव्यक्तं, meaning, I am unmanifest, meaning I don’t have a form. But व्याक्तिम् | व्याक्ति means person with a limited form. So people, अबुद्धय: i.e. who do not have viveka, what do they think? किं मन्यन्ते ? What is unmanifest, they reduce me to a limited form and they project all their fears onto me.
For Example: Oh, I forgot to do my japa today, God will be unhappy with me. Or, I did something wrong, God has turned away from me. So we attribute all kinds of things and reduce अव्यक्तं (that which is unmanifest, formless) to व्याक्तिम् (limited form).
So our devotion is also spasmodic. Like how you get spasms, you pray 5 minutes a day with great gusto and you sing a bhajan and that’s all its over, then you get on relating with other people in your life. So just like other beings, you relate to भगवान् as one other being. But that’s not what he’s saying here. Because if भगवान् is another being, is another object, is another person that you are relating to. And it’s not like we are so sensitive that we can understand how भगवान् is responding to us. All the time भगवान् is talking to us, but we say, No I don’t think I understand what you are saying, you are not giving me any signs. And then you wonder, and this is how we get caught up in a loop. So, suppose you are thinking about a problem and then some insight/solution you will get. Generally while in shower you get the solution. And then you think ah, भगवान् only sent this solution to me, but then you are like; no, no, I thought about it. But who gave you the capacity to think? It’s भगवान्. No, because I did not hear भगवान्’s deep baritone. So we have all these ideas.
So whatever you are thinking is all pervaded by the law of karma. All your thoughts are भगवान्, but there are some things that you intuitively, instinctively recognise. I am not saying that भगवान् is talking more that time, but these all are signs for us to recognise the presence of भगवान्. And so we tend to, without any lamentation or complaint.
भगवान् is saying that some people, they do not have medha/viveka, what do they do? This is how they reduce भगवान् in their life. Like how you are introduced in a party in a few sentences, we are never happy how we are introduced. We are not happy when people limit us, box us and categorise us. We want everyone to appreciate the many facets that we have. Then what shall we say about भगवान्, who is unmanifest and in and through all manifestations. And then you will say, oh I reduce you only to one form, and you are subject to birth and death. So suppose you are only focussed on a avatara story, for example Shree Rama, Shree Krishna. So you celebrate Rama Navmi, Krishna Janamashtmi and then you are so caught up with the story that you are not able to appreciate the greatness, and the fact that both Shree Rama and Shree Krishna were avataras. Some people can be dismissive about Shree Rama and the way he treated his wife, or Shree Krishna flirting around with the Gopis. That’s it, gone. You treated them as a limited person. And then it’s so easy to dismiss them. That’s it, over. How can you have trust in that kind of an altar? No chance. So besides appreciation of avatara, avatara meaning a divine incarnation, भगवान् is encouraging us in this chapter to look at the स्वरूप(Swaroopa), what is the instrinsic nature of me भगवान्, which is always present, and it’s the same as your intrinsic nature, which is always there, which is consciousness.
He adds further, that परंभावम्, this supreme nature that I (भगवान्) have is changeless (अव्ययम्) and it is anuttamam (अनुत्तमम्). So these people who don’t have viveka, don’t use their buddhi, they are not able to recognise who I truly am, they are not able to see that I am unmanifest, they are not able to see that I am in and through all manifestations. They are not able to see that there could be स्वरूप(Swaroopa) nature of all manifestations that is intrinsic to every form. So it’s like Space. Space is a very good example to appreciate that at all points in time, if you are talking about this body and mind, you are in space. You may be spaced out also. But still, you, the body and mind are in space. And galaxies are also in space. Can you reach space? We may say oh, you’re going into space, spaceship and all, so colloquial. But you are already in space. So space is something that cannot be reached. Can you produce space? Interior decorators may say that they create space. But what will they do, just put one partition and create one extra space. So seemingly created space. Space cannot be purified. Air can be purified, not space. That same space accommodates the polluted air of Delhi, and the clean air of the mountains. Space accommodates all of that, untouched. Space cannot be transformed either. It cannot be made better or lesser. Space is Space. We have only one of it, which is ever accommodating all of it. And you consciousness (Brahman) is actually the cause of space and all other forms. Understand this. You consciousness is the basis , is the cause of even a subtle form that is Akasha, Space. So if space had a human voice, space will say how these people say I’m working with space, I am going to space, how do they talk like this? I am here, I am all pervasive. This is exactly what we do to भगवान् | What is limitless intrinsic nature, we reduce to a form, and therefore we struggle.
So what else is the nature of our struggle?
7.25
नाहंप्रकाश: सर्वस्ययोगमायासमावृत: |
मूढोऽयंनाभिजानातिलोकोमामजमव्ययम् || 25||
समावृत: I am covered (आवरणम्) by Yoga Maya i.e. Maya Shakti- Sattva, Rajas, Tamas.
And so, नाहंप्रकाश: I am not seen/recognised by everyone. So it’s like the Sun that says, because of the clouds I am covered. But the Sun cannot be covered as such. It is more like I am as though covered. Even when we say Oh there is no sun in the sky. Of course there is sun, however dark it is. Because whatever you are seeing is in the light of the Sun, even the dark clouds you are seeing is in the light of the Sun. So the clouds as though seem to cover the radiant Sun. Likewise I (भगवान्) am covered by Yoga Maya.
So starting from अविद्या onwards. And people are very lost in managing Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. However I identify my personality, either I am like a headless chicken running around doing a lot of things, so lot of Rajas is there. Nothing is right or wrong about this. This is how it is. So I don’t know how to relax, it takes me time to even breathe properly. Then some of us for everything that is suggested we are like, what is the hurry, just chill. Now in the name of chilling this person is slothful. And all us go through these stages, but we are talking of generally as personality.
So सत्त्व,रजस्,तमस् is there. I myself have my सत्त्व,रजस्,तमस्, and I have to manage others’ सत्त्व,रजस्,तमस् – my colleague’s सत्त्व,रजस्,तमस्, my pet’s सत्त्व,रजस्,तमस्. Life is gone in this management. योगमाया | But why I am doing all this? Because I want fulfilment. But I think that fulfilment will come by me having a great sense of control over my environment. I will have mastery over सत्त्व,रजस्,तमस् | I will eat more सात्विक food perhaps and then I am more सात्विक. But what about it? So what if you have more सत्त्व? What will you do with it? Because सत्त्व means you have a mind that seeks knowledge, that thrives on clarity. But there is a सुख that can bind you. Only when you are reading it is okay, if you are dominated/obsessed with सत्त्व | But what is the सत्त्व being used for? Are you seeking to know that by which everything is known? In our professional domain we may seek to know different subject matter knowledge. That’s fine in my role as a professional. But because I am largely सात्विक am I also involved in मोक्षः pursuit? Because there is enough and more to keep me preoccupied and busy. मोक्षः pursuit takes some time and commitment.
So भगवान् is as though covered by Yoga Maya. People will say you start chanting and then everything will start to manifest in your life. Very Seductive, but do you know what you want to manifest in your life? And after you manifest whatever is there, are you going to be very fulfilled? You will be again dependent on the object, whatever you are trying to manifest.
So in this spirituality supermarket there are lots of these things i.e. Yoga Maya. And this ‘मूढ:’, the one who is confused, ‘अयंनाभिजानाति does not know me as ‘ अजम्’ who never had a birth, ‘अव्ययम्’ does not have ‘व्यय’, does not have any change. This confused, deluded, non-thinking person does not understand me/ does not know me as the one who is unborn and changeless. In other words he is referring to the स्वरूप(Swaroopa) of भगवान्. So the person may be appearing to be religious, may be going for lot of तीर्थयात्रा(tirtha yatra), doing lots of chants, prayers and recitation but does not seek to know भगवान्’s true intrinsic nature.
And one can get lost in gems, pranic healing, astrology, Reiki. All these are helpful healing modalities. And let’s just say you get an idea of the pattern of your life, an astrological diagnosis , so what about it? So you have a medical history, you have medical diagnosis, now also you have an astrological karma diagnosis. You still have to live your life right? You still have to articulate what is the purpose of your life? It is good to have an astrological diagnosis, but one cannot get lost in it. What for? Okay, so you have some sense of some pattern in your life. What about it? So you got some insight. But by that insight, do you see that you are Brahman, consciousness? No. Then you have to make some effort.
What is the effort to be made? The effort is to prepare your mind such that when the Vedanta words are revealed you see that it’s true. That you have lived a life where you have pushed the boundaries of the body and mind and you are able to see that you are much more than the body and mind. If the gems, pranic healing, astrology, whatever healing modality, is making you more entrenched in the boundaries of the body then it is not helpful at all. Earlier also I was feeling limited, now with all these different modalities I feel even more limited, even more helpless. Knowledge is meant to liberate, it is not meant to make you feel helpless. And if it is making me feel helpless, then the way I am approaching this knowledge is not correct. I have to recheck.
Swamini ji mentions about her friend who is struggling with her marriage for last 20-25 years. She has visited many astrologers and they are all non-committal- they do not tell her to leave, they do not tell her to stay and work on the marriage, instead some little insight they give. Now she feels stuck, she doesn’t know whether to leave or continue with the marriage. So Swaminiji asked her to keep the marriage aside and asked her to articulate what she wants from life, and then see how these things fit in the larger picture of life. Because if you make the marriage the be all and end all of life, or it may be a child also, then you are trying to approach it from different standpoints, but you are getting stuck with it. So you have to go on the helicopter and take a little bit of a helicopter view- What is my life about? What it only about the marriage, or was there something more to it?
So, through these verses 7.21-7.25, Bhagwan is encouraging us to look at the fact that his intrinsic nature is that which is अव्ययम् (changeless), which is अजम्(unborn). He’s also saying don’t get caught up with the सत्त्व,रजस्,तमस्, this योगमाया, this मायाशक्ति i.e. managing life. Everyone manages life. Even birds also manage life- they also find their food, travel, make a nest, mate several times, have a family, they also live a life. But with this great बुद्धि that we have been given as a human, if you are only going to use it for managing life, then it is a waste of a बुद्धि.
The Journey of भक्ति (Bhakti) or Love towards भगवान( Bhagwan) progresses through 3 stages. It could be more also. Initially, before the first stage is- I don’t care, I can handle everything on my own, I am spiritual but not religious. We all have been there. Then, some things have to go a little wrong in life, then you start to question why these things have to happen to me, or maybe someone close to me, then a little inquiry happens into the laws of nature and why things happen the way they do. Then for someone else’s sake, I will start to pray, or it is the right thing to do. So the nature of भक्ति (Bhakti) is ‘eka Bhakti’. I relate to some deity, whichever deity, and occasionally I relate, maybe pray for certain ends and then I might find that my shraddha grows especially if I get what I want. Then I say, Oh! There is something called God. So it is eka Bhakti, I relate to one form, everything else is not sacred. This particular form is sacred, I can relate to it.
That eka Bhakti i.e. Bhakti towards this one form, needs to graduate to ‘Aneka Roopa bhakti’. So it not only this particular form, like Ganesha, Devi, or Vishnu or Shiva that is very dear. It is as said in Ganesh Atharva Sheersham, “त्वंब्रह्मात्वंविष्णुस्त्वंरुद्रस्त्वंइन्द्रस्त्वंअग्निस्त्वंवायुस्त्वंसूर्यस्त्वंचंद्रमास्त्वंब्रह्मभूर्भुवःस्वरोम्॥ “
You are all these other devatas too. I can see that you are the entire manifestation. Sometimes I see sometimes I don’t. If I dwell little more then I am able to see that this entire world including this body-mind is sacred.
This chapter 7, ज्ञानविज्ञानयोग ‘JñānaVijñāna Yoga’ is taking us through a journey of Bhakti. To love someone you have to know that person sufficiently. So to love Bhagwan, same principle applies. And to know Bhagwan, Bhagwan only has to introduce himself. So he has said, my prakriti is like that- it is 8 fold, then he gives a sampling of my prakriti (in verses 8 through 11), I am this, I am that. So all that is here is me, and what happens to a person who has that Bhakti is also said.
So this ‘Eka Roopa Bhakti’ becomes ‘Aneka(many) Roopa Bhakti’. The love for one form which expands/encompasses many other forms would be the Bhakti of आर्तः (Artaḥ, one who prays in distress) or अर्थ-अर्थी (artha-arthī, one who prays more often) and a जिज्ञासुः(jijñāsu), who wants to know more and revels in the glory of Bhagwan, but still I am separate from Bhagwan.
But is that all that is to be known? Because the more one looks at the detail, it is mind boggling. So there is another stage of Bhakti, which is what we refer to as ‘Aroopa Bhakti’. Bhakti towards no form, or bhakti towards the formless. So what is that? That bhakti or that love is really in the form of ज्ञानम् (Jñānam), knowledge. ज्ञानम् (Jñānam) that I and Bhagwan are not different. When we do त्वांपदविचारः (tvam pada vichaara), i.e. the inquiry into ‘Who I am’, the enquiry into the one who is the कर्ता (Karta) and the भोक्ता (Bhokta), one recognizes that I was always अकर्ता (Akarta) and अभोक्ता (Abhokta), never the doer, never the experiencer. I was always consciousness. That consciousness is also Bhagwan’s Swaroopa (intrinsic nature). So only with respect to this creation, what we refer to as manifestation, Brahman gets a name called ईश्वरः(Ishvara). ईश्वरः(Ishvara) is the one who has over-lordship. We also interchangeably use the name Bhagwan, the one who has 6 virtues in absolute measure.
So, ईश्वरःIshavara is the word for Brahman, the limitless being, but what is the standpoint? With reference to the जगत् (Jagat) the world, ईश्वरः Ishvara is the word for Brahman. Now, the intrinsic nature of Brahman, that which will never change, that which ever is, is as though covered by mama-Maya, Yoga-Maya. So, what is this special Yoga-Maya? It is Maya Shakti. MayaShakti is सत्त्व,रजस,तमस (Sattva, Rajas, Tamas), and we are all managing सत्त्व,रजस,तमस. We are managing our own सत्त्व,रजस,तमस i.e. our personalities, or that of other’s, e.g. we are managing a hyperactive person (too much Rajas) or needling someone to get off the couch, go for a walk.. so some Tamas is there. So, we are all the time managing सत्त्व,रजस,तमस, and we think life is all about managing this. And that is what Bhagwan is saying- that I am नाभिजानाति, naabhijānāti—not recognized by everyone, because I am covered by सत्त्व,रजस,तमस, Maya Shakti. But I am really speaking अजम् (Ajam), I am that unborn self, I was never born, I am that consciousness which is you. And the changeless you is the same as me.
With respect to Maya, we have that statement, “māyāṁ tu prakṛtiṁ vidyānmāyinaṁ ca maheśvaram”. So, the one who wields the Maya. See for us Maya Shakti is a little bit of a problem because we have Avidya, but Bhagwan does not have Avidya, for Bhagwan Maya shakti is a Shakti, he wheels it just like a magician. So what is being covered is as though his own nature. But is he doing the covering? No. We are so caught up with Maya Shakti, so we cannot see. It’s like saying I cannot see the sun, I cannot see the sun because of the dark clouds. But the dark clouds are seen in the light of the Sun. The clouds of ignorance, Kama, Karma etc. are all seen in the light of the Sun, that is consciousness. So He continues saying,
7.26
वेदाहंसमतीतानिवर्तमानानिचार्जुन |
भविष्याणिचभूतानिमांतुवेदनकश्चन || 26||
This is a continuation of verse 25 about Yoga Maya. This reflects a श्लोक(Shloka) from Chapter 2. So what is Bhagwan saying here, अहम्वेदः‘Aham Vedah’, meaning I know all that has gone in the past (समतीतानि), what is in the present now (वर्तमानानि), and what is to happen in the future (भविष्याणि). I know all of this, meaning I am not subject to time, time is just a concept that I illumine. So I am not covered by YogaMaya.
ईश्वरः(Ishavara) says that I am not covered by Yoga Maya, but other people because they are under the spell of राग-द्वेषः(Raaga-Dvesha) born out of सत्त्व,रजस,तमस, they are not able to see me. So Bhagwan when he says, ‘I am covered’, he is referring to the other person not myself(Bhagwan). So Bhagwan is wielding MayaShakti. If you know any magic trick, you know it’s just a slight of hand, once you know then you say- OMG, I can’t believe it was so simple.
Swaminiji discourages people from saying Moha-Maya, because when we say this we are dismissing the world. It has a place in the teaching but not in the conversation. To justify some desire one has, one says, Oh this is all Moha-Maya, I have to rise above this, so referring to some sort of attraction or some weakness one has. So Swaminiji suggests just add Shakti whenever you say Maya. Then everything is in perspective. Then Maya Shakti is not making you a victim, otherwise you say..oh this is MohaMaya I am a victim of my desire. So, Bhagwan clarifies, I am not covered by Yoga Maya.
He goes on to say, ‘मांनवेद‘ nobody understands me, although I know everyone. This is our lament isn’t it? I have explained myself so many times, but people don’t understand, or they are so judgmental, or at least they should give me the benefit of the doubt, so some complaint we have. Here Bhagwan states without complaint or lamentation, No one knows me. Means what? Is it not possible to know Bhagwan? No one knows me in the sense that they are so caught up with only the manifestation that no one knows my intrinsic nature. That I am them. I am He or I am She. And why is that so? But why do people not seek to know Bhagwan, not seek to know my Swaroopa?
Because:
7.27
इच्छाद्वेषसमुत्थेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन भारत |
सर्वभूतानि सम्मोहं सर्गे यान्ति परन्तप || 27||
Referring to Arjuna as Bharat, who has destroyed many enemies and is a very skilled archer. सर्वभूतानि(SarvaBhutani) meaning all beings, they suffer because of सम्मोहं(Sammoham) they have wrong ideas, they are confused. But why are they confused? Because they suffer from opposites, they are swinging from one opposite to another. Oh I don’t feel good, so I do something to feel good. So I don’t like this person, I run away. I like this person, I go towards this person. So this play going on all the time, polarities, so swinging from one द्वन्द्व(dvandva) to another. And why this swinging is happening? Because of राग-द्वेषः and so this सर्ग/Sarga (cycle) goes on and on, and one goes from lifetime to lifetime.
E.g. I want some experiences to last. Just the milkshake that I am having, it’s such a struggle. Little you have, ahh…so nice, then as you continue to sip, it will get over. You can enjoy but you see that the level is going down, if you keep looking at the dipping levels you cannot enjoy the milkshake. Oh, I want it to last, they made it so well! Should I order another one? But that will take another 25 minutes. I cannot wait. But if I have little more it will end. What shall we do? This is our lot. In any pleasurable experience we also have a sense of loss, because it’s going to end sooner or later.
And what is unpleasant for us, we want it to end but its not ending for us. So I am having a financial crunch but no opportunity is knocking on my door, or maybe it knocked when I was asleep. So some of the suffering we have, it doesn’t seem to end. So there is द्वेष for suffering. This is the lot for all beings, because all beings want to avoid suffering. Even an ant or a mosquito wants to avoid suffering, and its fine to avoid suffering ,but it is the binding desire to avoid suffering that makes us react more and more. I don’t want suffering, absolutely right! Why I am suffering, I should not have suffered, I have done good for everyone in this world, and after listening to the Gita and praying and after doing all these things still I am suffering. So you see how I increase my suffering. And then this द्वन्दः(dvanda) goes on and on. From राग to द्वेष this swinging is going on, and we are busy managing our राग-द्वेषः and that is why we don’t want to enquire into what is the nature of Bhagwan. Who cares! Just relieve me from my suffering, that’s all I want. I don’t care who you are, I don’t care if you do anything about world hunger or world poverty, you just put an end to my suffering. Lots of our suffering is self-created. I am not denying illness , I am not denying acts of adharma that cause suffering, all that is absolutely there and that’s true; but the way we react to our suffering; the way we build our suffering. This should not be happening to me, Why is this one like this, why is that one like that. Why am I like this? We resist who we are, we resist why people are the way they are, and it starts with our family. How can we be so different in the same family etc. So the play of राग, द्वेष | And to think that my problem is that I should not have any problems, so more suffering. So success and failure, some labels we put on ourselves or others put on us, and we grab those labels, then we struggle with the labels, then we feel inadequate, and then we feel like a failure in life. Or I was extremely successful in my profession but I was a failure in my family, or vice versa. So life is spent all in managing that, then where is the scope (for enquiry into the nature of Bhagawan)?
So given this, what Bhagwan is saying is correct, ‘No one knows me’ My स्वरूप/swaroopa, my intrinsic nature. So this intrinsic nature is what we refer to as consciousness, ‘is ness’, that which cannot be displaced by any form, that which always is, across all galaxies, all forms and from which all forms have come, all forms, therefore the पञ्चमहाभूता(panchmahabhutas) have come, and everything else is a subsequent permutation combination of that.
So this Yoga Maya is more in the context of manifestation. Because of Maya Shakti all names and forms are there. But what is present in every name and form which can never be displaced or replaced? What is present is ‘isness’, but the ‘isness’ is not a property of the form. If it was a property of the form, then it comes and goes- it is there and it is not there. No. It is that which always is. Like water-wave, water always is, wave changes its form, big to small, but water always is, that which always is, is consciousness, that is Bhgawan’s instrinsic nature, स्वरूप/Swaroopa, not incidental, not related to this whole creation.
So only with respect to this creation/manifestation we will refer to ब्रह्म/Brahman as Ishvara, जगत्कर्ता/Jagatkarta, the cause of the Jagat. But with respect to itself, herself, himself – consciousness. So because of Maya उपाधि/Upadhi (medium) i.e. Maya Shakti that belongs to ब्रह्म/Brahman, that is not separate from Brahman, Maya Shakti is what undergoes change and that’s why we refer to all this as परिणामी(Parinami); meaning change, like milk to curd. So सत्त्व,रजस,तमस, changing all the time. But in and through all the changes, भगवान्/Bhagwan is changeless. Isness does not have any limbs to change. Isness is not a property that is subject to coming and going, increase and decrease. Isness is not a property of any process. So that intrinsic nature of Bhagwan which is being introduced in this chapter, a lot of people don’t know because people are busy managing राग,द्वेष. I want this one to talk to me in this way, why the person doesn’t, I am very reasonable in my expectation. So there will definitely be one or two people in our lives, may be a reasonable expectation, we are not denying that. But when it consumes us, and we disregard all the wonderful things that the person has done for me, like a DOT on the paper. I just see the DOT, I don’t see the paper. Like a lot of women Swaminiji talks to, they complain that their husband is not appreciative. But Hello, just see that your husband has bought you a flat, given ownership to you though you would have contributed less than 10%, but then they say, well I take care of the family. But can you not acknowledge that he has taken an apartment in your name. But he does not say, I Love you, three times a day. But then he is working hard to pay the mortgage and for the family everyday. Can you see his love through his actions? But reluctant to admit. So, राग/Raaga.
Our expectations of people when they become राग-द्वेष then they preoccupy our mind so much that I am not able to appreciate them for what they are, and then where is the time or the attention to do inquiry into Vedanta. I only want to change my husband/partner, will Vedanta help me with that, only then yes to Vedanta. Or Hindus should rise, will Vedanta help me with that? Then only yes. So whatever is my pet peeve, they are valid desires to have, but when it consumes you that you disregard everything else then it becomes a problem.
7.28
येषां त्वन्तगतं पापं जनानां पुण्यकर्मणाम् |
ते द्वन्द्वमोहनिर्मुक्ता भजन्ते मां दृढव्रता: || 28||
On the other hand, this verse talks of people who are not preoccupied with रागद्वेष/Raaga Dvesha. So it is not to say I don’t have रागद्वेष, but to align with Dharma and we do our duty. We perform our responsibilities and learn to have कौशालम्/Kausalam in our relationships. So learn to be effective in the way you relate to other people. I am not talking about acquisition of skills, otherwise they will become empty gestures. May be I am speaking in a way that triggers the other person. I can only take ownership of what I say, how I say etc, right? I better have कौशालम्/kaushalam in how I do that.
So, on the other hand there are some people who are द्वन्द्वमोहनिर्मुक्ता, they are free from this confusion, delusion of the opposites. Why are the opposites delusional? Because they preoccupy us so much. E.g. Success and Failure, one kind of opposite. I am unable to look at the reality of what sustains both success and failure, which is the laws of Karma. Laws of Karma sustain so called success and failure. But I am not willing to look at that, because either I am managing my sense of failure, or I am riding on the so called success and fearful about failure. So some people they are free from this because they have done a lot of पुण्यकर्म/punya karma. Punya karma is reaching out, helping with time, money etc. Helping your family is not punya karma, it is your duty.
What else about them? These people त्वन्तगतंपापं are wonderful dharmic people and for them the tendency to perform पाप/paapa has come to an end. Understand this, the karma that is standing in our account is countless, so I will do lots and exhaust all the karma in this lifetime, not possible. From the Buddhist standpoint, they will say that karma is like the leaves on the tree, so one can exhaust karma like fallen/falling leaves. We do not subscribe to that. Karma can only be exhausted by recognizing I was never the karta, I was never the doer. So the Avidya because of which I considered myself the doer, no longer being there, and therefore I am not affected by punya-paapa and so on.
So these people who are dharmic people, who are given to acts of punya, because these are not easy things to do. When someone come to us to ask for help for a cause, e.g. help for climate change, or senior citizens, gurukula, animals etc, we do not readily give, because we always think, will I have enough, or how genuine are they? Are the accounts audited? Can I really trust that they will spend wisely. Though these are reasonable questions to ask, but the hands are always held very close, so to give is not easy. Because it triggers a sense of insecurity, whatever I have, is it enough? So to do acts of पुण्य/punya, to reach out to people who do not have what you have, or to causes that need support, calls for a bigness of heart, it does not call for lot of logic. People think that once I have all the information then I will give. If you are only looking for information then any information is not enough. But to say even if I give I am still rich, by giving I do not become poor, it calls for a certain bigness of heart. This is not foolhardiness, because if you have very little, please keep it for yourself, ensure your financial security or independence. But there is always extra to give.
So acts of पुण्य/punya that were done deliberately initially because there is a very small sense of I. I will only do for my family and for no one else, meaning I extends only to family. Everyone else..? Other children who are hungry, government will take care of, I will only take care of my children. So our sense of I is very limited, limited to 3 or 4 people. It calls for deliberateness and as you do more and more acts of पुण्यकर्म/punya karma, then it becomes spontaneous. Basically what is being highlighted is that the person is a धार्मिक/dharmika person and reaches out, and so the tendency to be miserly, to horde, to have too much clutter, to hurt someone, the tendency to perform पाप/papa, that संस्कार/samskara has come to an end.
So, a person was narrating- when a mosquito would sit on my hand I would have a spray, then I would hit. And then over sometime I would instead blow and chase the mosquito away, let it fly away, let it go. I don’t need to hurt. So अहिंसा/ahimsa, to the extent possible, I don’t need to hurt another being. By repetition, different acts become spontaneous.
So by acts of पुण्यकर्म/punya karma and to not do पापकर्म/paapa karma, having released themselves from the cycle of रागद्वेष. So given this what do they do? मांभजन्ते, they seek me, they pray to me, worship me, they are at peace with the world.
And they are दृढव्रता: (Drdhvrataah). So it’s not enough to exalt and be joyful in this manifestation. That it is an important pursuit, not a casual affair. It’s a committed pursuit. Vrata is any commitment, any vow that you take. Earlier on, one of Swaminiji’s teacher’s had posted a challenge to teach the preschoolers without using the word ‘no’. How to avoid using the word no? It is a deliberate effort. So you can take any Vrata/vow, any quality that you want to develop, anything that you find is hampering your own growth, so it’s your own discipline, certain action you do, certain habit, it will help you strengthen your willpower, so definitely your will to commit to Vedanta becomes very firm/drdha, so you will not rest until you know the truth. It’s no longer a pastime, it’s not even a hobby, it determines your life perspective. Then everything is in service of that. Your pursuit of pleasure is guided by Dharma, your pursuit of wealth is guided by Dharma and whatever it is that is helpful for your growth, because the moment Dharma comes everyone else’s growth is also involved, it’s not a solitary pursuit.
So what do these people do? भजन्तेमांदृढव्रता: | They seek me and there is reference also to a संन्यासि/sanyansi that the commitment is so high, that the worry ‘What is going to happen’ is missing. The classical ‘What if..’ questions are missing. I am going to live with the consequences, Good, Bad or Ugly. It takes a strong heart to say, it is my choice, I will deal with it.
7.29
जरामरणमोक्षाय मामाश्रित्य यतन्ति ये |
ते ब्रह्म तद्विदु: कृत्स्नमध्यात्मं कर्म चाखिलम् || 29||
These devoted people or jijñāsu(जिज्ञासु), wanting to know Bhagwan, they have taken refuge in me and they want to be free from जरा/Jara(old age) and मरण/marana(death), meaning they want to see they are अजम्/Ajam, अव्ययम्/Avyayam, that they were never born, they will never die. Birth and death are events that happen for the form in the consciousness that I am.
So these people who want to discover their true nature they make effort. For what? ब्रह्मतद्विदु: | To know Brahman. How? कृत्स्नम्, totally, completely. They make the effort, not sitting for 10 hours in meditation, not going here and there for yaatra, though these are important. So, the sadhana is being pointed out here. ब्रह्मतद्विदु:, the effort to know me (भगवान्) as ब्रह्म/Brahman. Completely meaning that you recognize that all names and forms are भगवान्, all manifestations are भगवान्, and one’s intrinsic nature is also भगवान्, it is me.)
Recognizing कर्म/Karma in its entirety means that all the aspects of कर्म/Karma, like how we saw in chapter 4 (verse 4.24) everything about Karma is Brahman, so who is the कर्ता/karta, the one who does the karma, वैदिककर्म/vedic karma or लौकिकाकर्मा/laukika karma. To know the entirety of karma is to see that Atma-Brahman is in and through all Karma. The Karta is Brahman. The Karma, the object or the action is all Brahman. The Karana, the instrument with which any Karma is done is also Brahman. The purpose for which any Karma is done is also Brahman. From which all different materials for the Karma have come is also Brahman. And all relations, or the relationship with the object is also Brahman. All the way everything is the limitless being in some name and form. Limitless being never replaced or displaced, though name and form is ever changing.
The effort is being free from Karma, not by stopping Karma. It is not that I am studying Vedanta, I have to stop the Karma. In fact you may end up doing more Karma, but that depends on the प्रारब्ध/prarabdha of your life. Some of us are involved in few projects, some in many projects. More or less Karma is not the point. Do you see yourself as Karta? And is that your only reality? If that is so then please inquire into what is the nature of the Karta, the doer. Or if I define myself only by my experiences, experience. Then is that my only reality? Or am I aware of all experiences, and therefore I am not this experience only. That calls for some inquiry. Because from the moment you wake, you have to identify with the body to get the things done, but identity is not reality. You will identify with various roles- parent, child, professional. Roles are picked up, roles are dropped, but it’s not your reality that defines you. You the person, the conscious being that fills the roles that are all incidental, relative, situational. You-consciousness is the reality, intrinsic which cannot be displaced.
So श्रवणम्/Shravanam of this.. How will I know this? The pursuit involves listening systematically to the शास्त्र/shastra for a length of time with a Guru. श्रवणम्/Shravanam means you are fully present in a relaxed way as the साक्षी/Sakshi. I am aware of everything, I am aware of all my roles, I am more than the roles. And systematically listening to the Shastra over a length of time, that involves a lot of effort to show up, a commitment to show up, because there is enough and more distractions that will distract us.
And not only श्रवणम्/Shravanam, but thinking about it. Not studying Vedanta, like I am studying coding. No, in the light of Vedanta, I look at my life. I am struggling with inadequacy. Is that sense of inadequacy intrinsic to me? If it was I would not struggle against it. I would have reconciled with it- I am inadequate, I live with it, die with it. But we are struggling against it because it doesn’t feel normal. So this मननम्/Mananam, thinking about it, with people or on my own. Only when the knowledge is clear, then seeing the truth of what I have understood. That I am that Brahman, I am that पूर्णः/purnah, I am complete in and of myself, I am consciousness. That one sees or dwells on only when the truth is clear, not before that.
So this is the effort that is required, this is the effort of a lifetime, because there is also growing clarity. And so of course you have to be दृढव्रता: DrdhaVrataah. See, there will be phases in people’s life when you are away from the study and something else has come up so you are preoccupied. Like when you are working somewhere and you take a break and then you come back to it. So you are away from the pursuit but you come back to it because it’s a commitment, and so for all our commitments there will be different phases, there will very intense phases, there will be phases when you are stuck, or the modern day problem where is our relationship going? I don’t think our relationship is going anywhere etc. so you will have some different phases.
So what happens to them, they eventually know Brahman, because the commitment being there.
7.30
साधिभूताधिदैवं मां साधियज्ञं च ये विदु: |
प्रयाणकालेऽपि च मां ते विदुर्युक्तचेतस: || 30||
The manifestation or the world can be looked upon from different frameworks. One framework being अध्यात्मम् i.e. related to body and mind, second being अधिदैवम् related to the devatas and their functions, and third being अधियज्ञम् related to the different yajnas and rituals. So these people who make the effort, they are committed to knowing me, Bhagwan. What do they do? ये विदु: | They seek to know me and all these manifestations of me.
Centered on body-mind, अध्यात्मम् (verse 29), and then in verse 30, सः (along with) the devas. Knowing that devas, heads of department are responsible for different functions that are performed. So acknowledge them, I may or may not be praying to all of them, it’s difficult, there are so many of them, but I acknowledge who is in the room. It’s important isn’t it? How offended we are when we are ignored in the room. Of course Devatas continue to bless us whether we ignore them or not but they are all in the room, so acknowledge. I don’t know who all you are, but I acknowledge and I am thankful and grateful for all the laws of nature that make my life possible. And of course all the yagnas.
So the ones who seek to know me, they know me. प्रयाणकाले(prayanakale) at the end of their life, when they are going to depart, these committed people, their minds are युक्तचेतस: | Almost like an assurance they will definitely know me because their minds are absorbed in me, even at the end of their life, they are not going to forget, they have lived a life that is God centered so to speak, they have lived a life of devotion, of love, of Dharma. So naturally at the time of death, what else are you going to do? You will only think about what comes naturally to you, because that’s how you lived your life.
ते विदु:, and they know me, since mind in not inhibited. So having lived a life of recognizing the glory of ईश्वरः, all manifestations, all that is here is ईश्वरः, the more you dwell on this and the more committed the inquiry is, then all that is here is me, the आत्मा/Atma. Because the nature of ईश्वरःis me, the consciousness, that’s it. They have prepared themselves, they are युक्तचेतस: | Through a life of Karma Yoga there is no anxiety. What’s going to happen? You have given your best in a given situation, you have growing acceptance of whatever is unfolding, it’s all good, it will be fine. Karma Yoga, that’s it. So, more and more a deeper understanding of Bhagwan, and laws of Karma pervaded by Bhagwan, you are pervaded by Bhagwan, you are a manifestation of Bhagwan, your true nature is also same as Bhagwan, all the way it is a blessing.
Ending:
This 7th Chapter called ज्ञानविज्ञानयोग the topic being of ज्ञानम्, initially ईश्वरः being परोक्ष/Paroksha(indirect) known as an object, as some other being I am praying to, using ईश्वरः to get what I want. So, kamapurti mama, as long as you are helping me I am good, otherwise I don’t really care, I do my thing you do yours, that’s it.
There are two types of bhaktas, I use ईश्वरः, or I have some devotion, I pray but ईश्वरः is out there तत्/Tat ‘that’, remote, away from me. Dwelling on the glory of ईश्वरः, inquiring into ईश्वरः will make ज्ञानम् into विज्ञानम्, so ईश्वरः is as intimate as me, तत्त्वमसि/Tat Tvam Asi. So that which is a pronoun for some being remote, is actually not far away, it is very much me, that consciousness is me, that स्वरूप/Swaroopa of ईश्वरः, or the ज्ञानम् of the भक्तः/devotee is really that ईश्वरः is ME.
The श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता talks of योगशास्त्र, how to live one’s life as yoga. And it is the essence of the उपनिषद्, so it talks of ब्रह्मविद्या |
ॐ तत् सत् | ॐ is the reality.
Transcription:
We are seeing the seventh chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Jñāna-vijñāna-yogaḥ, the knowledge of what is indirect and direct. So, Īśvara asti, Bhagavān asti (ईश्वर: अस्ति, भगवान् अस्ति), God is, and the journey we are going to make is to he/she is me. It is better understood in Sanskrit, from asti to asmi (अस्ति to अस्मि). From “he is” to “he is me”. Bhagavan Krishna has given a glimpse of his para prakriti and apara prakriti, which means what his swarupa is, his nature, as consciousness/isness and also this manifestation, or rather, the Sanskrit word is abhivyakti (अभिव्यक्ति). All names and all forms are Bhagavan. To better appreciate that, he gave us a sampling, a list of things which are related to the senses. He said the shakti is that we have jñāna shakti, kriya shakti, and iccha shakti. And, all of that, is me (me as in Bhagavan) – he released us, hopefully, from the guilt that comes from having a desire. That is one big challenge that a lot of spiritual seekers struggle with, that “Oh, I have to manage this desire.” First of all, “it’s not right I have a desire”, because now you are extra spiritual. And then, you try to deny yourself that desire because of course, you are spiritual. And then, you fight with yourself, and you create a lot of himsa because you put yourself down, and you’re very self critical. And then Bhagavan Krishna very quietly says, “all the desires in your heart that are aligned with dharma, they are me.” So, go all out and have these desires. For example, the desire to contribute to any kind of change, whether it is for your family or for society. They’re all dharmic desires, and thank God that we have desires, really. It’s a glory, it’s a privilege, and we can have that blessing of having this desire. So, having said that, he now concludes this section of the sample of different things that Bhagavan pervades, permeates, and infuses.
7.12:
ye chaiva sāttvikā bhāvā rājasās tāmasāśh cha ye
matta eveti tān viddhi na tvahaṁ teṣhu te mayi
ये चैव सात्त्विका भावा राजसास्तामसाश्च ये ।
मत्त एवेति तान्विद्धि न त्वहं तेषु ते मयि ॥ १२॥
There is no word in Sanskrit called chaiva(चैव). It is that cha-eva(च-एव) becomes chaiva(चैव). After all these other things that I have mentioned, and bhāvā:(भावा:), different beings/different things that we experience in the world, they are born of sattva, rajas, and tamas- sātvikā(सात्त्विका), rājasā(राजसा), tāmasā(तामसा). Sattva, rajas, and tamas are not objects, they are gunas. Māyā Shakti is actually defined as that which has three gunas. So, shakti inheres in Brahman. Brahma Shakti is Māyā Shakti, and it’s made up of sattva, rajas, tamas. The guna sattva is all that promotes knowledge, clarity, and dharma. And what he’s saying is that, when you look around anything that you see, different beings, different objects, they are all permutations and combinations of sattva, rajas, and tamas. So sattva is that which is light, like our jñānendriyas(ज्ञानेन्द्रिय-s), our sense organs. It’s very interesting that jñānendriya(ज्ञानेन्द्रिय) is the word for sense organs in Sanskrit, that you are constantly getting knowledge of data, different sights, different sounds, different fragrances, different smells, different touches, textures, and so on, it is beautiful. And anything related to jñanam is related to sattva. We will study this more in the 17th Chapter, if we survive until then🙂. But, for now, sattva is knowledge, clarity, dharma and so on. Then, rajas is a lot of activity, rāga (राग), ambition, restlessness, etc. And tamas is generally confusion, but it can also be sleep, fatigue, low energy, or something that is very gross and gives stability. For example, prithvi is largely tamasic, tamasic in the sense that it’s heavy and it’s stable, like mountains and things that are stationary, more tamas is there. So, we don’t have to look down on tamas. The point is, that all that you experience, including your own body and mind are all a combination of sattva, rajas, tamas and all of this, has come from me. May you know that all this sātvikā, rājasā, tāmasā is that which is born of, and they have all come from me, Bhagavan continues to describe himself. But, all of this sattva, rajas, and tamas are in me, but I am not in them. A lot of people say “Oh, I believe in a higher power”. We have somehow managed to take God out of the picture. We’ve objectified God. “I believe in laws of nature. I believe in higher power”. This is something we have to grow out of. What is this higher power? The being that is all powerful. But, power does not exist in isolation, it belongs to someone. Right? Laws of Nature don’t exist in isolation, they are not random. There is intelligence, and where there is intelligence there is a conscious being. Sattva, rajas, and tamas are in me or rather, I Bhagavan permeate, infuse all things around you in the form of sattva, rajas, or tamas. All of us mentally are already making some notes about “what kind of a person am I?” The fact that you pursue the Gita, and lots of other things, definitely there is a lot of sattva. You want to know, you value clarity, you value knowledge and so there’s also a lot of restlessness and there is a lot of effort to want to become, to be on the treadmill of self improvement and so on and so forth. Because (I feel) where I am is not enough, that is rajas. And then, of course, there are things that we choose to continue to be confused about. Because who is gonna think, so “let it be”, or, we don’t seek clarity on certain matters because, you know, “I don’t want to rock the boat”. “I want to maintain peace and harmony”, etc, etc. And then, of course, in the way in which the body reacts with the environment at different times in the day, sattva, rajas, and tamas are all changing. So, Bhagavan is not subject to this sattva, rajas, and tamas, is pretty much what he’s saying. It is a Shakti, it belongs to me (Bhagavan), but I (Bhagavan) am not subject to it. I am not dependent on it – so don’t call me higher power and all sorts of things. Nor am I some high energy. People say this. “Oh, I believe in energy”. Who has the energy? You believe in energy, but whose energy? Your own energy? You better believe in somebody else’s energy. “I believe in higher energy”. Again, there is resistance to acknowledging a conscious being. So, as Bhagavan, I am not dependent. Then the law of dharma that makes things the way they are, just looking at everybody’s energy levels from the time the day begins till the end. It is just such amazing intelligence that at the end of a day, if you’re feeling tired, that’s a very good sign. You want to rest, you want to sleep. Just look at the way it’s configured that all of us, irrespective of whatever our background is, we have the blessing of sleep. You can rejuvenate, the body can heal also, from all that the body has been subjected to, for the entire day. So rest, recoup and everything is possible in that time. So, tamas is very necessary, everybody gets subjected to tamas by the end of day, unless we of course are too restless and the rajas is so high we cannot allow ourselves to relax. All of this is the law of karma that makes all these changes possible. Further, if there is too much sattva, it’s related to devatas and combination of course, is human beings. And, too much rajas is related to asuras/rakshasas. (There is) wanting because of rajas, but not backed by sattva, then (there will be) adharma at any cost. “Whatever I want, it can happen at any cost”. There are lots of people sitting in corporate boardrooms, they may not have protruding teeth and look ugly, they may be very suave and very well dressed. But they are rakshasas because (there is) no attention to the resources and how it’s being used. And then, of course, animals have too much tamas – they have no choice with an animal birth. Okay, then what about these three gunas?
7.13:
tribhir guṇa-mayair bhāvair ebhiḥ sarvam idaṁ jagat
mohitaṁ nābhijānāti māmebhyaḥ param avyayam
त्रिभिर्गुणमयैर्भावैरेभि: सर्वमिदं जगत् ।
मोहितं नाभिजानाति मामेभ्य: परमव्ययम् ॥ १३॥
I really like the fact that Bhagavan himself says (and he’s not complaining it is not a lament), nābhijānāti mām(नाभिजानाति माम्), nobody understands me. I find it so cute. Because, this sarvam idaṁ jagat(सर्वमिदं जगत्), this entire world is confused and deluded by just a play of sattva, rajas and tamas. They pigeonhole themselves into “I am a sattvic person, I am a rajasic person. The others are like this. I can’t get along with them. I wish people were more sattvic etc, etc”. And (their) life just goes in managing situations and relationships, then again one more lifetime, instead of knowing me. Bhagavan is param and avyayam (परम् and अव्ययम्). Param, the one who is the ultimate, we are referring to the swarupa, the is-ness that is present across gunas. And, avyayam, is the one who is changeless, but who is present in all the gunas. So, we have to understand both aspects. One who is present in all Gunas and therefore, no guna is opposed to me (Bhagavan). I understand the gunas and then, in the second chapter he has said, be free from all the Gunas. Be free from all the gunas means don’t get consumed by the Gunas. Don’t define yourself by the Gunas. See the play of Gunas and see that you are free from all of it. You can use the Gunas. For most people, mornings are a time when you are fresh and you can work on some creative ideas. So use the time well. There is no point in complaining if you feel so lethargic in the afternoon because who feels really fresh in the afternoon when you are not meant to feel super fresh? It’s okay if you feel a bit lethargic, and then you want to just do some routine admin kind of tasks. That’s fine. You can engineer your day according to the play of sattva, rajas, and tamas but you are not bound by any of it. At least we have to see the play of the gunas. So I (Bhagavan) am distinct from all of this. I am distinct from the Gunas, so you, as in the jiva, are also distinct from the gunas. In managing different kinds of situations such as trying to calm down a restless child or if you are really restless, maybe a lot of things are happening at work and you’re just overthinking stuff, you can play with it. And then, let’s say you go for a walk or you listen to some music or maybe vedanta, then you kind of calm down perhaps, or it’s not so feverish. Or, you have an early morning flight to catch, and there’s so much tamas but somehow you wake up. So we are doing all this management, all the time of sattva, rajas, and tamas. But, understand that’s what Bhagavan is saying, that may you know, that I am the one who is not changing. And I am distinct from all of this. So, the kind of changes that the body goes through, so we call it six changes. So, the body as in the form is born, then continues to live. If there is no malnutrition, the form will continue to live and then grow. Then, we transform a little bit more, then there is decline, then it dies, and this is play of the Gunas sattva, rajas and tamas, and it happens to each and every form. Whether it is the crocodile, which are quite the species and I’m really fascinated by them. They need less than 200 calories a day! If any of you all have been to Chennai, you must go to the crocodile park. It is on the outskirts of Chennai and you will see almost 50-100 crocodiles, and you could quite mistake them for stones because they just don’t move. But, when they do move they’re really fast. But otherwise, they are just lying on top of each other. 190 calories is nothing but they don’t need to use much energy, it’s just tamas and that is the nature of that form, and that’s fine. So whether crocodile form, or virus, or human being, these are the changes that the form will go through. And therefore, don’t fret too much about it is what Bhagavan is saying. Just try and understand that I, Bhagavan, am not changing. And although these Gunas come from me, I am not affected by them. And honestly, you too, are not affected by them. May you see this.
7.14:
daivī hyeṣhā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te
दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया ।
मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते ॥ १४॥
He acknowledges that this mama māyā(मम माया), it is my māyā, māyā shakti. He has already given us a glimpse of what that māyā looks like, sattva, rajas, and tamas, so this shakti of mine mama māyā, it is daivī hyeṣā guṇamayī(दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी), this māyā shakti that is full of gunas, sattva rajas and tamas. It is this daivī, which means it is shakti, and belongs to the deva. So we have a nice word, daivam (दैवम्) we say, and it means grace. So, that which has come from the devas. Or, we have this word anugraha(अनुग्रह) also. Daivam in regional languages also refers to destiny. But it is daivam, not like an impartial neutral word “destiny” … daivam means it has come from Bhagavan, law of karma. That’s what is unfolding. So this daivī, this Shakti of mine, belongs to me, māyā shakti, duratyayā(दुरत्यया), it is difficult to cross but the ones who seek me, māmeva ye prapadyante(मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते). “Me alone” means Bhagavan, some people will say “Oh Krishna, only others are inferior etc” māmeva ye prapadyante, those who worship me or those who seek Me, māyām etāṁ taranti te(मायामेतां तरन्ति ते), they will cross this māyā. Why is māyā difficult to cross?
First of all, what is the nature of the human journey? On the face of it, we can say it’s about having a good life, a good education, getting married and having children, maybe make some contribution to society etc, etc. So these are projects, these are processes, these are activities, some roles are involved in all of this. In the Vedic vision, what you are calling a human journey is essentially a spiritual journey. And the journey is from avidya to vidya, the journey is from ignorance to knowledge. Why all the different pursuits? Because I am seeking pūrṇatvam (पूर्णत्वम्), I am seeking completeness, fullness, and therefore I project and I assume that different pursuits will give me the fullness that I seek and so I keep on, I keep at it, lifetime after lifetime. And in this pursuit, all different pursuits, I mistake the pursuit for the goal of life. So, marriage becomes the goal, a job becomes the goal, an education becomes the goal, and all that is fine as short term goals. And all of that gives us a maturity, some space, some time, some leisure to inquire into the sense of inadequacy that I still experience despite all these goals having been achieved, and that there is nothing wrong with me. It’s not that I am being ambitious. It’s not that I am greedy that I want more. The well meaning advice, “be satisfied with what you have” doesn’t work. “What do you mean be satisfied? I have so many desires. How can I be satisfied with what I have?” So, that sense of “I want more” can only be addressed by a spiritual solution.
In the recognition that all that I was seeking has always been me, I just didn’t know it, that’s all. So this māyā becomes difficult to cross, or rather I get entrenched in the different situations of my life, I get consumed by the different roles that I play, and I will even use the Bhagavad Gita, not to know myself, but to get only peace of mind, and learn how to change my partner or how to change my children. That much knowledge is enough for me because I just want to manage my situation. Because maybe some spiritual knowledge is good, but the crux of it is, I am opposed to this world. The world is a big burden for me. I have to manage myself, I have to manage this world. And this is māyā. Constantly becoming, there is no end in sight, all are shifting goalposts. You know like how we generally say, “Once I have this promotion, I will be fine” “Once I have this deal I will be fine.” “Once my children grow up, I will be fine.” So there is projecting all the time, and this is māyā. It sounds so right to you, the things that you are managing. You have a sense of self worth because of all the things that you are managing, and you feel important. You can say “yes, I’m contributing.”
Even our duties can become māyā, māyā shakti. “I am doing my duty!” A lot of Indians hide behind this “I am doing my duty”. People justify their emotional dependence for the “I’m doing my duty”. But, the children don’t need you – they’re 40, 45, 50. “No, no they don’t say it, but my children need me.” Hey, your son is 50 years old, he is fine. “No, no, no. You know, after all, only a mother knows the child’s heart.” So [all of this] because my sense of self worth only comes from my mother role, or my sense of self worth comes only from my partner role or my work role. And therefore, we have all the workaholics of the world. Because without work, I feel useless if I’m not doing anything productive. That’s how I define myself, I am like a machine. So, I have value and then we also have high net worth, right? And my worth is equal to the money that I have. This being consumed by the role and considering life as only managing different situations with no end in sight, that is mama māyā, Bhagavan is saying, and it is difficult to cross. He is saying, you just see it, and know that it is difficult to cross. But, if you seek me (Bhagavan), then you are able to cross over in the sense that you are not overwhelmed by the Gunas, you don’t define yourself by the Gunas, and you don’t judge yourself by the gunas. So, some of us will be having more rajas, that’s the phase of your life, so it’s fine. If you want to get a lot of things done, go ahead and do it. But, also see that you are free from it. If rajas is backed by sattva, it’s fine, and in that process by applying Karma Yoga buddhi, you are anyways becoming more sattvic, more sattva is coming into your life.
Māyā can keep us endlessly fascinated and there are different stories about māyā also. Māyā shakti is a feminine word. So then as one of the stories goes, there was an asura, like a demon. And this fellow and all of these people, they are all tapasvī-s (तपस्वी-s), they will do tapasya, all of these religious austerities, and he was praying to Shiva for some boon. Then Shiva, he gets pleased very easily, and that’s why his name is āśutōṣa (आशुतोष). So, then Shiva says “okay, what do you want?” This asura says, “whoever I touch, that person, that form will be reduced to ashes.” Shiva said “okay, you have done all this tapasya, fine.” So, now then he tells Shiva, “come, come close.” And Shiva realizes, “Oh my God, this guy will touch me. I will be reduced to ashes.” So he runs to Vishnu. And Vishnu says “no, no, don’t worry, I got this.” He transforms into Mohini. Mohini is the one who seduces or deludes. This Apsara, she kind of entices the asura, and he’s kind of teasing her, trying to make a pass at her and so on. Mohini is very enticing and so she also teases him and then she says, “actually, you know, I belong to svarga and we are all celestial beings. So really, if you want to have me, then you know you should chant the Gayatri Mantra.” So, he says “okay, I will do that, I will do the process.” As a part of chanting you place different deities on different parts of your body. So, he touches his own head. And that’s his boon right, that whatever you touch will turn into ashes, and then of course he is reduced to ashes. He is turned into ashes because of Mohini, very enticing but he loses his life because of being enticed by the pursuit and thinking the pursuit is all. So like that there are lots of stories (about māyā shakti). Mohini will appear and then seduce someone and entice someone, and so on. And the whole theme is really that, don’t get lost in the process of life.
It’s good in organizations to be process oriented, but recognize where you need not be process oriented, in the sense that most people are struggling with some of their relationships. Right? It is a process. What is this process for? What is the goal of the relationship? Please articulate that. We are afraid to articulate it. In all likelihood, it will be some love, some support, some care shown to the other and that’s it. Mother and child, it will be little more maybe, and partners there will be some other aspects, but that’s about it. So be clear about it. Don’t expect Moksha from the relationship. You’re setting yourself up for failure. So, that’s the goal and pretty much 70-80% you’re getting that and then the other person is also getting a lot of love, care, support from you. Good enough. But no, you know, “I want to improve the relationship.” “I’m working on the relationship.” Until the cows come home! For what you’re working and working and working .. for what? “I am process oriented.” What is the goal of the process? Please articulate that. Whatever you are working on, just have some alignment between the process and the goal, that is very important. Otherwise endlessly, this is māyā shakti at work. So you just keep at it and then the gratefulness that you were expecting to get is nowhere in sight. So now what shall we do? How to seek? You know or, why don’t people seek if it was so simple? If people really need to seek Bhagavan then why are they not doing that?
7.15:
na māṁ duṣhkṛitino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ
māyayāpahṛita-jñānā āsuraṁ bhāvam āśhritāḥ
न मां दुष्कृतिनो मूढा: प्रपद्यन्ते नराधमा: ।
माययापहृतज्ञाना आसुरं भावमाश्रिता: ॥ १५॥
The ones who perform acts of adharma, duṣkṛtino (दुष्कृतिनो), they are mūḍhāḥ(मूढा:), they are deluded. Nobody wakes up in the morning and says “I’m going to do something wrong today.” You just can’t help it. You just end up saying things that hurt the other person, or are very careless, or very insensitive. You don’t care about how resources are used because you know, “my happiness matters most” etc. So, different acts of adharma (happen), just in terms of hurting another person. This is a lifelong discipline, to not hurt. And it’s not that once you’re wise it is done, of course a lot of things are spontaneous, but there is some effort involved here, that to the extent I can, I will not hurt. It’s a very important value, ahimsa. So it is one of the values in the context of dharma, but to those who do these acts of adharma, “I don’t care. I do what I want. If people get hurt, so be it. If people lose certain things, so be it, what matters is what I want.” And those who are narādhamāḥ (नराधमा:), those people who are lower in the sense that they almost behave animal-like. They justify everything. It’s like this in this movie, which said, it sounds very crude, “What shall we do about the hunger of the body?” (referring to the sexual desire) What will you do about it? Like a rhetorical question. So, there are a lot of people who justify that, ultimately, what matters is pleasure, and we are animals after all. So, as long as I’m having fun and pleasure, then all these values go to the dustbin. And we’re not being judgmental here. We’re just pointing out that those who are given to adharma, because it hurts people. Even a lot of people who try to justify that anything goes in the name of pleasure, (they) also get hurt. One of my friends, she’s seeking a divorce because they tried having an open marriage and both were okay with it. But, then she found it just doesn’t work for them. The husband still insists that it’s fine. And “you have to be more broad minded.” But it doesn’t work for her. So, whatever the acts of adharma, what do they do? For them, artha and kama are so important, and so all consuming, that they take refuge in āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ (आसुरं भावमाश्रिता:). The definition of asura is not somebody who is ugly looking. They are one who revels in sense pursuits, which pretty much makes a lot of us as asuras. “I love this fine music and fine dining, after all life is all about these experiences, you know, these lovely delicate flavors, and fragrances. Whatever, this is life, nothing else.” It’s one thing to enjoy all of this, but, anywhere I go, I am engineering and manipulating my situation so that the senses are pleased. There is always something nice to see, nice to smell, everywhere you go, and so on. And with all of that, you condition yourself by an obsession with sense pleasures. That is asura actually.
So, what Bhagvan is saying is, because they are so consumed by all of this (which is really talking about modern society), what is a good life? If you own a lot of money, then that’s a good life. If you have a lot of pleasure, kama, that’s a good life. Dharma, then what is that? If from time to time, you do some charity and all, that’s okay. That’s fine. This modern society emphasizes the pursuit of artha and kama to the exclusion of other things. And even our mental model regarding how we are bringing up children, also is only artha and kama. You ask most parents, what do you want for your child? They may say, “oh, I want my child to be happy. I want my child to be successful, get a good job or have a good career, eventually get married and have children.” What you’re really saying is you want artha and kama for your child. Now, which parent will say “I want my child to be a contributing citizen” or “I want my child in time to seek moksha so that his or her life is complete.” Very doubtful that any parent will say this. Because, understand this, we are obsessed with artha and kama and the moksha pursuit is just a little bit. “If I have time, I will come on a Saturday class, otherwise, it’s okay. We have so much socializing to do. If we can fit in, we fit in the Moksha pursuit a little bit. It’s good, you know, in the Indian culture. A little exposure is nice.” This is māyayāpahṛtajñānā(माययापहृतज्ञाना).
(Due to) This māyā shakti, (one) is robbed of jñanam, viveka, the discriminative inquiry into what is eternal (versus) what is temporal. (This) is not fully clear to me, and therefore, I will justify all my pursuits of pleasure and wealth and consider that as the goal of life. There is nothing wrong with artha and kama. In fact, a good section of the Veda is only about artha and kama, and dharma of course. There’s nothing wrong with it, but if you make that the goal of your life, or even if just before we came to class, maybe even now, a good life for me is having money and feeling good. Whatever may be my pleasure pursuits, and then also having harmonious relationships, all that is also kama only. So if all my relationships are fine, everybody’s peaceful, happy, and in harmony, my life is made. That is the pursuit of kama. And you are expecting Moksha from the pursuit of kaama, emotional companionship. And then of course, when things fall apart, as they often do in one or two relationships, then everything goes for a toss. Right? Then we start questioning “Oh, is this all to life? I have sworn off all relationships.” This māyā shakti, or the play of māyā, the play of the gunas, it is not willfully torturing you. Don’t think like this. Because of the obsession with artha, kama, and dharma, they don’t seek me(Bhagavan). That’s what he said. So then, he now talks about four types of devotees.
7.16
chatur-vidhā bhajante māṁ janāḥ sukṛitino ’rjuna
ārto jijñāsur arthārthī jñānī cha bharatarṣhabha
चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जना: सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन ।
आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ ॥ १६॥
There are four types of devotees, caturvidhā bhajan mām(चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां), the ones who worship Me, and these people who worship me are sukṛtinaha (सुकृतिन:). They are the ones who are given to dharma, who do perform good actions. Good actions meaning actions aligned with dharma, aligned with truth. They are not very possessive. They don’t hold too much. They practice some contentment, some values of samanya dharma and who are these four fold people?
One is ārtaha(आर्त:), the one who has distress, sorrow and conflict. And prays to Bhagavan only when he or she is in distress. So, naturally when you need some help, you will look to someone who you think can help you. Someone who is more powerful than you and so on. The second type of devotee is arthārthī(अर्थार्थी), the one who seeks something of value, seeks security, seeks finances, seeks pleasure. And so this person is arthārthī. He/she has looked into all the visible factors to start the business or working on the startup, and he’s also aware that there is an invisible factor that is operating and anything can go wrong. So I pray, I seek help for all my pursuits. To “let my children be okay. Let my family be fine. Let nobody get COVID, they have taken all the precautions. We are going on vacation, we don’t know how the situation is going to be. So let it be all okay. Let me succeed in my job. Let me get my promotion. Let my parents be fine, let them not fall ill when I’m going on vacation.” So, whatever wish you have, you pray for it and you see that God will help you because in the past, Bhagavan has helped in many situations, is your perception. Then there’s a third type of devotee called jijñāsu(जिज्ञासु). So jijñāsu is the one who wants to know Bhagavan. How would the person become a jijñāsu? The person transformed from a mumuksu to a jijñāsu, and this is a very important transformation. Mumuksu means the one who wants moksha, which is pretty much all of us, right? We want happiness at all times, in all situations, in all places. Everybody, whether you admit it or not, is a mumuksu. I want moksha, I may be looking in weird directions, but I want moksha. But, (jijñāsus are) zeroing in on the nature of what this moksha is, which is fullness, which is me. And therefore the pursuit is from avidya to vidya, ignorance to knowledge. That is what makes the mumuksu into a jijñāsu. The one who wants to know, otherwise, mumuksu is the one who wants to feel happy all the time.
Now, that happiness is in the form of self-knowledge, which has no sense of lack. So, there is some education involved. And, vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana (व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिरेकेह कुरुनन्दन), bahu-śhākhā (बहुशाखा), २.४१, there are different branches, so many different modalities. And everything is worth trying for the ones who have a really high need for novelty. “Have you tried pranic healing? Have you tried Reiki? Have you tried past life regression analysis? Have you tried kriya yoga? Have you tried hatha yoga?” Okay many, many branches are there and then it is worth asking the question that okay if I try this, what will I get at the end of it? And, here in the moksha pursuit,the sadhana is really śravaṇam (श्रवणम्). Why? Because the goal is me, the limitless being. So, the nature of the pursuit is very different. And so to settle down in the pursuit can take years. This is really the nature of the question. So, it’s actually very good if one has done some experimentation and has explored all these different modalities, and then you will know what it gives you. And then you say I know but that’s not enough for me. So then, at least you are clear about what certain pursuits don’t give you, then it will not entice you any longer.
So this jijñāsu, the one who seeks the grace of Bhagavan, who wants to know Bhagavan, but why? Because, the mahavakya is tat tvam asi, you are that Isvara. “Really? I know I am related to my family, but ‘you are that’, like Isvara/Bhagavan? Nobody said that to me!” The Veda says it! “Ah, then who is Bhagavan? I want to know more.” Jijñāsu.
And the fourth devotee is jñānī. The one who knows me as oneself. So the definition of bhakti is parama prema svarūpa (परम प्रेम स्वरूप). Bhakti is Love, the highest love that you have. The relationship is defined by parama prema, the highest form of love which you have, is really for yourself, in other words is for Bhagavan. A lot of parents may think that they love their children unconditionally and it is as close to unconditional, but still, if your child doesn’t smile at you, or, does certain things and suddenly it seems to fade away.There are some conditions attached, and it’s good to be honest about it. So, this love for Bhagavan, that the jñānī has, is in the form of knowledge. Knowledge in the sense that I and you are not separate. Because, really when you look at love in our relationships, can you love someone you don’t know? No, not possible. That’s why people take ages to commit. I can only love someone when I know (them). Now, you can know Bhagavan completely. You may not know all the glories of Bhagavan, because you don’t have the buddhi to fully appreciate, we only understand things three dimensionally and there are so many other dimensions. So, all the manifestations maybe they won’t get, but swarupa (they will) definitely (get). That is a jñānī.
7.17:
teṣhāṁ jñānī nitya-yukta eka-bhaktir viśhiṣhyate
priyo hi jñānino ’tyartham ahaṁ sa cha mama priyaḥ
तेषां ज्ञानी नित्ययुक्त एकभक्तिर्विशिष्यते ।
प्रियो हि ज्ञानिनोऽत्यर्थमहं स च मम प्रिय: ॥ १७॥
Among all these four types of devotees, the one who is distressed ārtaha, the one who seeks security and pleasure arthārthī, the one who wants to know me jijñāsu, and the jñānī, the wise one, the one who knows that I am he or she are the same. Amongst all of them, jñānī, the wise one is always connected, united to me because his or her devotion and love culminated into oneness. You know how when you deeply love someone, you feel like you’re one with that person? There’s no separation, there’s no difference, there’s no distance to cross, you are so in sync. And Bhagavan says this jñānī is very dear to me and it is mutual. We are in this mutual admiration club. So I am dear to jñānī, jñānī is dear to me. So “oh my God, Bhagavan sounds really partial now. I thought he gave and he blessed all His devotees.” Well, of course he does. But for all the others, all the other types of devotees, I am a means to an end right? So you pray, “please give me this promotion, or let my child get admission.” Then, out of sight out of mind. Now, I’m fully focused on the promotion and life is great. Then one more desire comes up and again you pray. Bhagavan becomes a means to an end. But for the jñānī, I Bhagavan, am the goal, I am the end. The jñānī has been through the stage of bhakti earlier also. It’s possible that the devotee grew in trust by depending on Bhagavan for situations when the person was struggling in difficulty, and then slowly, slowly, also began to pray every day perhaps or just a chit chat conversation with God and then wanted to know a little more about who God is, etc. So the desire to know Bhagavan culminated into jñanam, when jñanam is complete, then of course, you and Bhagavan are one. You always were one, but one did not know it. And so that’s how Bhagavan says that I am the goal for the jñānī. I see the effort the jijñāsu made to completely know me. It’s not like Bhagavan says that I will feel validated or at least some people in this world fully recognize me and my worth. Because, you know if really Bhagavan had to think like a human being, what a tragic life! It’s like there’s somebody in the room and all the other minions just take credit for everything. Right? First of all, totally ignore the presence of Bhagavan and usurp and just take credit when things are going well and then blame some unknown factor when things are not going well. One of the most misunderstood beings, it would be tragic if God had a human mind. That lament would never end, because who really understands God. So, understand as in swarupa, that I and you are me. We are one. And that’s why he’s dear to me because he has seen that I Bhagavan am him or her. And that’s why that devotion has culminated in knowledge. So the jñānī is always connected to me. The other types of devotees are off and on, they’re connected through some thought or emotion or meditation or karma or something. But jñānī, always everything is Bhagavan. I am Bhagavan, and that is it. More to be said about what the nature of this devotion is, which we will see in the next class.
Transcription:
7.15:
na māṁ duṣhkṛitino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ
māyayāpahṛita-jñānā āsuraṁ bhāvam āśhritāḥ
न मां दुष्कृतिनो मूढा: प्रपद्यन्ते नराधमा: ।
माययापहृतज्ञाना आसुरं भावमाश्रिता: ॥ १५॥
The ones who perform acts of adharma, duṣkṛtino (दुष्कृतिनो), they are mūḍhāḥ(मूढा:), they are deluded. Nobody wakes up in the morning and says “I’m going to do something wrong today.” You just can’t help it. You just end up saying things that hurt the other person, or are very careless, or very insensitive. You don’t care about how resources are used because you know, “my happiness matters most” etc. So, different acts of adharma (happen), just in terms of hurting another person. This is a lifelong discipline, to not hurt. And it’s not that once you’re wise it is done, of course a lot of things are spontaneous, but there is some effort involved here, that to the extent I can, I will not hurt. It’s a very important value, ahimsa. So it is one of the values in the context of dharma, but to those who do these acts of adharma, “I don’t care. I do what I want. If people get hurt, so be it. If people lose certain things, so be it, what matters is what I want.” And those who are narādhamāḥ (नराधमा:), those people who are lower in the sense that they almost behave animal-like. They justify everything. It’s like this in this movie, which said, it sounds very crude, “What shall we do about the hunger of the body?” (referring to the sexual desire) What will you do about it? Like a rhetorical question. So, there are a lot of people who justify that, ultimately, what matters is pleasure, and we are animals after all. So, as long as I’m having fun and pleasure, then all these values go to the dustbin. And we’re not being judgmental here. We’re just pointing out that those who are given to adharma, because it hurts people. Even a lot of people who try to justify that anything goes in the name of pleasure, (they) also get hurt. One of my friends, she’s seeking a divorce because they tried having an open marriage and both were okay with it. But, then she found it just doesn’t work for them. The husband still insists that it’s fine. And “you have to be more broad minded.” But it doesn’t work for her. So, whatever the acts of adharma, what do they do? For them, artha and kama are so important, and so all consuming, that they take refuge in āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ (आसुरं भावमाश्रिता:). The definition of asura is not somebody who is ugly looking. They are one who revels in sense pursuits, which pretty much makes a lot of us as asuras. “I love this fine music and fine dining, after all life is all about these experiences, you know, these lovely delicate flavors, and fragrances. Whatever, this is life, nothing else.” It’s one thing to enjoy all of this, but, anywhere I go, I am engineering and manipulating my situation so that the senses are pleased. There is always something nice to see, nice to smell, everywhere you go, and so on. And with all of that, you condition yourself by an obsession with sense pleasures. That is asura actually.
So, what Bhagvan is saying is, because they are so consumed by all of this (which is really talking about modern society), what is a good life? If you own a lot of money, then that’s a good life. If you have a lot of pleasure, kama, that’s a good life. Dharma, then what is that? If from time to time, you do some charity and all, that’s okay. That’s fine. This modern society emphasizes the pursuit of artha and kama to the exclusion of other things. And even our mental model regarding how we are bringing up children, also is only artha and kama. You ask most parents, what do you want for your child? They may say, “oh, I want my child to be happy. I want my child to be successful, get a good job or have a good career, eventually get married and have children.” What you’re really saying is you want artha and kama for your child. Now, which parent will say “I want my child to be a contributing citizen” or “I want my child in time to seek moksha so that his or her life is complete.” Very doubtful that any parent will say this. Because, understand this, we are obsessed with artha and kama and the moksha pursuit is just a little bit. “If I have time, I will come on a Saturday class, otherwise, it’s okay. We have so much socializing to do. If we can fit in, we fit in the Moksha pursuit a little bit. It’s good, you know, in the Indian culture. A little exposure is nice.” This is māyayāpahṛtajñānā(माययापहृतज्ञाना).
(Due to) This māyā shakti, (one) is robbed of jñanam, viveka, the discriminative inquiry into what is eternal (versus) what is temporal. (This) is not fully clear to me, and therefore, I will justify all my pursuits of pleasure and wealth and consider that as the goal of life. There is nothing wrong with artha and kama. In fact, a good section of the Veda is only about artha and kama, and dharma of course. There’s nothing wrong with it, but if you make that the goal of your life, or even if just before we came to class, maybe even now, a good life for me is having money and feeling good. Whatever may be my pleasure pursuits, and then also having harmonious relationships, all that is also kama only. So if all my relationships are fine, everybody’s peaceful, happy, and in harmony, my life is made. That is the pursuit of kama. And you are expecting Moksha from the pursuit of kaama, emotional companionship. And then of course, when things fall apart, as they often do in one or two relationships, then everything goes for a toss. Right? Then we start questioning “Oh, is this all to life? I have sworn off all relationships.” This māyā shakti, or the play of māyā, the play of the gunas, it is not willfully torturing you. Don’t think like this. Because of the obsession with artha, kama, and dharma, they don’t seek me(Bhagavan). That’s what he said. So then, he now talks about four types of devotees.
7.16
chatur-vidhā bhajante māṁ janāḥ sukṛitino ’rjuna
ārto jijñāsur arthārthī jñānī cha bharatarṣhabha
चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जना: सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन ।
आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ ॥ १६॥
There are four types of devotees, caturvidhā bhajan mām(चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां), the ones who worship Me, and these people who worship me are sukṛtinaha (सुकृतिन:). They are the ones who are given to dharma, who do perform good actions. Good actions meaning actions aligned with dharma, aligned with truth. They are not very possessive. They don’t hold too much. They practice some contentment, some values of samanya dharma and who are these four fold people?
One is ārtaha(आर्त:), the one who has distress, sorrow and conflict. And prays to Bhagavan only when he or she is in distress. So, naturally when you need some help, you will look to someone who you think can help you. Someone who is more powerful than you and so on. The second type of devotee is arthārthī(अर्थार्थी), the one who seeks something of value, seeks security, seeks finances, seeks pleasure. And so this person is arthārthī. He/she has looked into all the visible factors to start the business or working on the startup, and he’s also aware that there is an invisible factor that is operating and anything can go wrong. So I pray, I seek help for all my pursuits. To “let my children be okay. Let my family be fine. Let nobody get COVID, they have taken all the precautions. We are going on vacation, we don’t know how the situation is going to be. So let it be all okay. Let me succeed in my job. Let me get my promotion. Let my parents be fine, let them not fall ill when I’m going on vacation.” So, whatever wish you have, you pray for it and you see that God will help you because in the past, Bhagavan has helped in many situations, is your perception. Then there’s a third type of devotee called jijñāsu(जिज्ञासु). So jijñāsu is the one who wants to know Bhagavan. How would the person become a jijñāsu? The person transformed from a mumuksu to a jijñāsu, and this is a very important transformation. Mumuksu means the one who wants moksha, which is pretty much all of us, right? We want happiness at all times, in all situations, in all places. Everybody, whether you admit it or not, is a mumuksu. I want moksha, I may be looking in weird directions, but I want moksha. But, (jijñāsus are) zeroing in on the nature of what this moksha is, which is fullness, which is me. And therefore the pursuit is from avidya to vidya, ignorance to knowledge. That is what makes the mumuksu into a jijñāsu. The one who wants to know, otherwise, mumuksu is the one who wants to feel happy all the time.
Now, that happiness is in the form of self-knowledge, which has no sense of lack. So, there is some education involved. And, vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana (व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिरेकेह कुरुनन्दन), bahu-śhākhā (बहुशाखा), २.४१, there are different branches, so many different modalities. And everything is worth trying for the ones who have a really high need for novelty. “Have you tried pranic healing? Have you tried Reiki? Have you tried past life regression analysis? Have you tried kriya yoga? Have you tried hatha yoga?” Okay many, many branches are there and then it is worth asking the question that okay if I try this, what will I get at the end of it? And, here in the moksha pursuit,the sadhana is really śravaṇam (श्रवणम्). Why? Because the goal is me, the limitless being. So, the nature of the pursuit is very different. And so to settle down in the pursuit can take years. This is really the nature of the question. So, it’s actually very good if one has done some experimentation and has explored all these different modalities, and then you will know what it gives you. And then you say I know but that’s not enough for me. So then, at least you are clear about what certain pursuits don’t give you, then it will not entice you any longer.
So this jijñāsu, the one who seeks the grace of Bhagavan, who wants to know Bhagavan, but why? Because, the mahavakya is tat tvam asi, you are that Isvara. “Really? I know I am related to my family, but ‘you are that’, like Isvara/Bhagavan? Nobody said that to me!” The Veda says it! “Ah, then who is Bhagavan? I want to know more.” Jijñāsu.
And the fourth devotee is jñānī. The one who knows me as oneself. So the definition of bhakti is parama prema svarūpa (परम प्रेम स्वरूप). Bhakti is Love, the highest love that you have. The relationship is defined by parama prema, the highest form of love which you have, is really for yourself, in other words is for Bhagavan. A lot of parents may think that they love their children unconditionally and it is as close to unconditional, but still, if your child doesn’t smile at you, or, does certain things and suddenly it seems to fade away.There are some conditions attached, and it’s good to be honest about it. So, this love for Bhagavan, that the jñānī has, is in the form of knowledge. Knowledge in the sense that I and you are not separate. Because, really when you look at love in our relationships, can you love someone you don’t know? No, not possible. That’s why people take ages to commit. I can only love someone when I know (them). Now, you can know Bhagavan completely. You may not know all the glories of Bhagavan, because you don’t have the buddhi to fully appreciate, we only understand things three dimensionally and there are so many other dimensions. So, all the manifestations maybe they won’t get, but swarupa (they will) definitely (get). That is a jñānī.
7.17:
teṣhāṁ jñānī nitya-yukta eka-bhaktir viśhiṣhyate
priyo hi jñānino ’tyartham ahaṁ sa cha mama priyaḥ
तेषां ज्ञानी नित्ययुक्त एकभक्तिर्विशिष्यते ।
प्रियो हि ज्ञानिनोऽत्यर्थमहं स च मम प्रिय: ॥ १७॥
Among all these four types of devotees, the one who is distressed ārtaha, the one who seeks security and pleasure arthārthī, the one who wants to know me jijñāsu, and the jñānī, the wise one, the one who knows that I am he or she are the same. Amongst all of them, jñānī, the wise one is always connected, united to me because his or her devotion and love culminated into oneness. You know how when you deeply love someone, you feel like you’re one with that person? There’s no separation, there’s no difference, there’s no distance to cross, you are so in sync. And Bhagavan says this jñānī is very dear to me and it is mutual. We are in this mutual admiration club. So I am dear to jñānī, jñānī is dear to me. So “oh my God, Bhagavan sounds really partial now. I thought he gave and he blessed all His devotees.” Well, of course he does. But for all the others, all the other types of devotees, I am a means to an end right? So you pray, “please give me this promotion, or let my child get admission.” Then, out of sight out of mind. Now, I’m fully focused on the promotion and life is great. Then one more desire comes up and again you pray. Bhagavan becomes a means to an end. But for the jñānī, I Bhagavan, am the goal, I am the end. The jñānī has been through the stage of bhakti earlier also. It’s possible that the devotee grew in trust by depending on Bhagavan for situations when the person was struggling in difficulty, and then slowly, slowly, also began to pray every day perhaps or just a chit chat conversation with God and then wanted to know a little more about who God is, etc. So the desire to know Bhagavan culminated into jñanam, when jñanam is complete, then of course, you and Bhagavan are one. You always were one, but one did not know it. And so that’s how Bhagavan says that I am the goal for the jñānī. I see the effort the jijñāsu made to completely know me. It’s not like Bhagavan says that I will feel validated or at least some people in this world fully recognize me and my worth. Because, you know if really Bhagavan had to think like a human being, what a tragic life! It’s like there’s somebody in the room and all the other minions just take credit for everything. Right? First of all, totally ignore the presence of Bhagavan and usurp and just take credit when things are going well and then blame some unknown factor when things are not going well. One of the most misunderstood beings, it would be tragic if God had a human mind. That lament would never end, because who really understands God. So, understand as in swarupa, that I and you are me. We are one. And that’s why he’s dear to me because he has seen that I Bhagavan am him or her. And that’s why that devotion has culminated in knowledge. So the jñānī is always connected to me. The other types of devotees are off and on, they’re connected through some thought or emotion or meditation or karma or something. But jñānī, always everything is Bhagavan. I am Bhagavan, and that is it. More to be said about what the nature of this devotion is, which we will see in the next class.
Transcription:
We are studying the Bhagavad Gita, but actually, we are not studying the Bhagavad
Gita. Why? Because, we are looking at our life in the light of the Bhagavad Gita. So,
while we may say that “yes, we are studying the Bhagavad Gita. Yes, we’re studying
Vedanta.” It is strictly not true. You study physics, you study math, you can still be the
way you are and study different subjects which are external to you. You can gain
knowledge. But, when it comes to Bhagavad Gita, Vedanta, the Upanishads, the
mantras, the shlokas, the teaching is like a mirror. The purpose of looking at the mirror
is not to look at the mirror. You can admire the glaze, the reflection, the shine, when the
mirror was made, and the framing of it, but you stand in front of the mirror to look at
yourself. And if the mirror is not able to reflect you clearly, then it’s not doing its job. So,
when you are being exposEd to the Gita or Vedanta for that matter, our earlier
orientation of looking at a subject matter as external, away from me, will kick in. “Yes,
yes, I know all the chapters [Bhagavad Gita], I can chant the shlokas!” Very good for
you. [But], do you see your life in the light of the Gita? The verses that reflect the nature
of the Atma and so on and so forth? That’s the question. So just a very quick recap,
before we go to the eighth chapter.
Recap of Ch 1 – Ch 7
As probably everyone knows, the Bhagavad Gita has 700 verses. And it is right in the
middle of the Mahabharata, the great war that took place 1000s of years ago. And in the
tradition, the Bhagavad Gita is spoken of as Brahma Vidya and yoga shastra. The
knowledge of Brahman, the limitless being, and yoga shastra the discipline of
knowledge that tells you how to live your life, the right values, attitudes, and so on. The
Gita is a Moksha Sastra which means that it reveals what already is, who you already
are. And that Mahavakya is tat tvam asi. So, tvam asi, “you are” What? That’s not very
helpful. You are that, “That” being a pronoun referring to Ishwara.
So, then the way in which the chapters of the Gita are structured, 18 of them, the first
six generally we say are referring to tvam, who is that individual the jiva, who is looking
at Bhagavad Gita, and an inquiry into tvam, which reveals that that jiva, the individual, is
really consciousness. The next set of six chapters 7 to 12, are very heavy on revealing
the glory, the manifestation of Ishwara God, and also the swarupa. And then, the rest of
the 13 to 18 chapters are talking about the equation, that tat and tvam is one that
means you and Isvara are one. In other words, consciousness. And, also the values
and attitudes. that are required for us to assimilate this knowledge.
We have seen in chapter one, the battlefield where Arjuna really discovers his problem
in life. And he not only discovers the topical problem, the one that he has to deal with
and address, but he discovers a fundamental problem below the topical problem. So a
topical problem, is an event based problem, i.e. you have a battle to fight, you have an
appraisal, or you have to fire a few people, or unexpected relatives are coming, or it’s a
lot of family time, and then, you know, secrets that were buried deep, they have
suddenly emerged out and they have to be addressed, or there are property disputes,
or you didn’t get the promotion, or you have been trying for a child and you didn’t get
that, or you have a financial setback. These are all topical problems, right? All of us are
dealing with this on a regular basis. And our lives can go in managing these problems
from one, to another, to another. But, Arjuna with his warrior training and thinking
recognizes that he is stuck whether he wins or loses the war. If he wins, he’s not going
to be particularly happy because that victory is going to be tinged with blood. If he loses,
well, he’s not done well as a warrior, because he’s the best archer in the land and so on.
So this feeling stuck, “No matter what I do, where I do, how I do, I am not enough,”
which stems from our identification with the body mind. Recognizing that I am this much
only, to recognize that this is the problem, people can take years and lifetimes. This is
the fundamental problem that Vedanta addresses. You have made conclusions about
yourself. “I am this human being.” Hey, hello, how did you do that? On what basis? “Oh,
everybody treats me like a human being.” That’s not enough. So, an inquiry is required.
And Krishna begins with a bang. Of course, when just going into the war, Krishna is
Arjuna’s friend, buddy. So, they have cracked lots of jokes, done a lot of back slapping,
etc. Arjuna recognizes that this fundamental problem, “I cannot handle on my own. I
need a teacher and for that I am willing to see myself as a shishya, a student worthy of
being taught.” He asked for shreyas, moksha, and also dharma, what is to be done and
so on.
Krishna starts with a bang, the teaching. There is no reason for sorrow. [There is] no
empathy, no validation, no reassurance, no war strategy, no mantra, no assurance of
victory, nothing. You have no reason for sorrow. What? “Here I am, I have expressed my
whole heart to you. This is what you say?” Of course, Krishna goes on to say that atma
is limitless, has no loss and therefore, there is no reason why you should be sorrowful.
So a few verses on the atma continue, and then he also talks about karma yoga, the
disposition of karma yoga, our attitude to karma, where because we don’t feel in charge,
we want to control the outcome of every action. And from early on in life, we realize we
cannot control a lot. So, the teaching, it’s not advice from Krishna, the teaching is that
you are only the contributor, not the controller of your outcomes. karmaṇy-evādhikāras
te mā phaleṣhu kadāchana
mā karma-phala-hetur bhūr mā te saṅgo ’stvakarmaṇi – 2.47
So, you have a choice with respect to your karma. And, if you bring in kaushalam, a
certain competence in handling your different life situations, by aligning your karma with
dharma and make it as an offering to Ishwara, then you will be ready to understand
what the atma is all about. Additionally, the different things that we resist, situations we
are in, people who are around us, starting with family, okay, then extending to work and
so on and so forth. So, if we bring in a little more acceptance into our lives, recognizing
that all laws of karma are really Bhagavan it’s not really clear, but you know, it’s
introduced, then there will be samatvam, and we will not have these radical mood
swings.
He concludes the second chapter with some descriptions of the wise person.
So now, Arjuna’s interest is very piqued. “Really, if knowledge is the way forward, why
are you asking me to do this ghora karma? I will come with you. We will go to Rishikesh,
it is very close to Kurukshetra. We can just sit there and I’ll be very happy to just listen
to you. So, just teach me and then you know, it’s all good.” So, then Bhagavan Krishna
says karma cannot be avoided by anyone, whoever the person is. And, in fact, there are
two lifestyles: the lifestyle of sannyasa, renunciation, so renouncing your worldly
responsibilities, and the lifestyle of karma yoga, where you have all these different
priorities in life, and you continue to fulfill them, fulfill your responsibilities with your goal,
being moksha. Both for the sanyasi and the karma yogi, the goal is Moksha. Sanyasi is
a fast track, and Karma Yoga is like a scenic route, that’s all. But the goal is one
(Moksha). With respect to karma, he introduces devata and also raga dveshas, not
coming under the spell of very strong likes and dislikes.
Then, in chapter four, Bhagavan Krishna continues by talking about the (teaching)
lineage, and that what he is saying is not something special, only whispering into
Arjuna’s ears. The teaching that he is giving is universal. In fact, it has been timeless
and he mentions a few names such as Vivasvan, and so on. He also speaks about
avatara, a divine incarnation that appears again and again, to restore dharma. And, as a
part of the laws of karma created, the grouping of people according to karma, and
Guna, the four Varna system he speaks about. And he gives a list of different yajnas(fire
ritual offering), but really this list of yajnas is the list of sadhanas that one can do. It
starts from the kind of food you eat, your approach to food, your approach to sense
organs, or the way you do dānam, so this list we have seen. He speaks about the
surrender to the guru and an important verse in chapter four is pointing to the fact that
you were never the karta nor the bhokta, never the doer nor the experiencer. So, he
encourages Arjuna to see that.
Then, in chapter five, which is called sanyasa yoga, he spoke a little bit about a few
qualities- yo na dveṣhṭi na kāṅkṣhati (5.3), the one who does not have dveshas nor any
Kāṅkṣās/ragas/binding desires. That person is nitya sannyasi. And he also points out,
because we all have romantic ideas about sannyasa, and we fancy seeing ourselves in
orange robes. In fact, some of us have that in our wardrobe also, you know, different
shades. And, he points out that if you’re not ready for this lifestyle, then it’s very difficult.
Because Karma Yoga is not negotiable. Initially, it is deliberate, bringing in the attitude of
kaushalam, the competence in handling whatever life has to bring. This is not
competence regarding a particular skill, which of course, one can work towards, but that
whatever I do, I align it with dharma, and I offer it to Ishvara. This takes a while. And, a
deeper abiding acceptance, balance with regard to whatever happens in life. So,
wherever you are, whoever you are with, you are fine. Right now, we have lots of
conditions attached to my day, and everything. “I will be happy when…” that’s where it
starts. “I will be happy if I’m able to attend class. I will be happy when I lose weight. I will
be happy when my children do the homework. I will be happy when people make less
noise on the road.” You know the trend. So, we are always placing conditions on our
happiness and the few times that we are happy then, “Actually, why am I happy?” I can’t
allow myself to also be happy. “Like nothing in particular has happened you know, did I
get up from the other side of the bed? Maybe I should try more of that. I think the left
side is what usually works for me.” We are the ones who have placed this condition on
oneself, that unless the condition is fulfilled, I cannot allow myself to be happy. Right?
So, if you see people who are seemingly happy for no reason, either they are children
or they’re crazy eccentric people and we will be dismissive of them. Or, you will ask the
person “look at how tragic our society has become. Oh, you look really happy. So what’s
happening? You found something new, somebody new or you got a raise? Or what?”
So, chapter five is highlighting the need for vairagya and yoga. There’s a lot of
description about yoga in the sense of karma yoga, the right attitudes, qualities, etc.
Then, chapter six, we saw, dhyana yoga, yoga here being the topic. [There are] 18
topics in the Gita depending on the predominant theme that has been covered in each
topic/chapter. So in chapter 6, a life of moderation has been emphasized, in addition a
few verses related to breathing and so on. Chapter six gives us a very nice third
definition of Karma Yoga. Kaushalam and samatvam have been spoken of in chapter
two. In chapter six, the dissociation from the constant association with
duḥkha/sadness/sorrow we have [is spoken about]. May you dissociate from your
association with sorrow- duḥkha-sanyoga-viyogaṁ (6.23). We have already seen this,
I’m not elaborating. It closes with saying that punya is important and Śraddhā is
important for the one who wants to know.
We recently saw chapter seven, Jñāna-vijñāna-yogaḥ, where there is a shifting of
gears. And Bhagavan introduces himself, because who else but Bhagavan to introduce
himself. And, he speaks about his different manifestations eight fold, para prakriti, apara
prakriti. And, the ones who are able to cross over Māyā Shakti are the ones who know.
There have been references to meditate on me, and to think about me, offer things to
me etc. Not because Bhagavan is arrogant, this is for one’s own sake. Our sense of
separation from everything is so strong and not grounded in reality. But, it causes us
lots of pain and sorrow. “I feel disconnected.” It can happen between family members,
like you’re trying to get your point across and the person doesn’t get it, or they are trying
to explain and you just can’t see their point of view, with our office colleagues, with
partner, friends, etc, all the time. Yes, there are moments of connection but there are
moments where you don’t feel connected. You know, because you see the other as
separate from you. We never question “is that person really separate from me?”
Vedanta will reveal to us that it is just nama-rupa, name and form. And yes, the name or
form is different, but that which sustains the name and form is one, it is you, it is
Brahman, and it is the atma. We struggle with this. The surrender to Bhagavan can only
happen when you know Bhagavan. So four types of bhaktas were spoken of and then at
the end of seventh chapter, he said that the ones who are prayāṇa-kāle ’pi (7.30) at the
time of departure, departure means a final departure, departure from this realm. At that
time, if the mind is absorbed in Me, then they will know me because that is really our
search.
It’s not necessarily an articulated search. You know, our search for perfection is really
the search for the infallible. Infallible means that which has no defect. It’s an unspoken
search. And we project that on everything from childhood onwards. So, we expect our
parents to be perfect, that they should have no defect. They should always be available
for us. We expect that of the best friend, definitely the boyfriend/girlfriend, partner,
children. And children are looked upon as products. A series of product development. “I
have to make a good product with lots of inputs. [I want a] perfect child and all that I
could not do in my life my child should be able to do.” That struggle is there. That
perfect, even today as it is, is not perfect because some conditions [are there] and we
don’t even know what those conditions are and just by chance if those conditions are
achieved, still we are seeking. So now, calling it for what it really is, is that the search for
the infallible is a search for Bhagavan that is there in every human heart. It may not
have been articulated. And once you know “ah, that’s really what I’m looking for. And in
limited names and forms, my heart will never be satisfied.” helps me because I can take
the pressure off people and situations to be free from defects. Everything has its
defects, including this body mind. So, some people, also situations, have a defect. I
have a defect, you have a defect, and we live with it. That’s fine. No problem. “I am not
struggling with you all the time. I don’t need to. Because only Bhagavan is infallible, or
all that is infallible is Bhagavan.”
So now, the eighth chapter, Akshara-brahma-yogah. The topic is Brahman, the limitless
being who is Akshara. Akshara means there is no decline for this Brahman. It begins
with a few questions from Arjuna.
Transcription:
8.1-8.2
arjuna uvācha
kiṁ tad brahma kim adhyātmaṁ kiṁ karma puruṣhottama
adhibhūtaṁ cha kiṁ proktam adhidaivaṁ kim uchyate || 1||
adhiyajñaḥ kathaṁ ko ’tra dehe ’smin madhusūdana
prayāṇa-kāle cha kathaṁ jñeyo ’si niyatātmabhiḥ || 2||
So now, the eighth chapter Akṣhara-brahma-yogaḥ, the topic is Brahman, the limitless being who is akṣhara, the one who has no decline. It begins with a few questions from Arjuna. Arjuna says to Bhagavan Krishna, ‘kim’, meaning what?
What is that tat, Brahman?
Why suddenly is he asking these questions? Because he is linking with the previous verse. Bhagavan Krishna has said that those whose minds are absorbed in Me, they will know me and he has used some words that Bhagavan Krishna had not used earlier. So, adhidaivaṁ adhyātmaṁ, and so on, and Brahman also he has used. So, therefore, Arjuna feels free enough to ask questions. That is a very important aspect of the tradition. If you don’t know, and you have done some thinking about it, you still don’t know, then definitely ask. We don’t expect you to believe anything. What is that Brahman? Arjuna asks. These are a series of questions.
Then, kim adhyātmaṁ. What is that which is related or centered on the person, the self. Kim karma, what is Karma.
Adhibhūtaṁ kim proktam. Adhibhūtaṁ we have previously seen means beings. So what is that which is related, centered on beings.
Adhidaivaṁ kim ucyate. What is it that is centered on the gods?
Because all these words Bhagavan Krishna has used. He is seeking clarification.
And a few more questions Arjuna asks, what is this adhiyajñaḥ? Because he has used that word, and which is centered on the body, dehe’smin madhusūdana, referring to Krishna as the one who destroyed Madhu.
And prayāṇa-kāle, at the time of death departure, how are you known by those? By the one who has a mastered mind and who has a steady mind, because most of us are afraid of death. And death stands for the last loss and we are afraid of loss. Loss of youth, loss of health, loss of hair, loss of teeth, loss of toothbrush and so on and so forth. We are very possessive about the things that we use. We fight with people who use our things and so on. So this death, that “I will not be with the people I love.” or “I was working on so many projects I’m not able to complete” or “I will not be there to see my family have the next set of milestones.” Right? And “I really don’t know what lies on the other side.” Now, who is going to go into death laughing away and say “yes, I welcome this new chapter in life!” No one, until they have studied Vedanta. So, we can delude ourselves and we do. When it comes, we will see. But, Arjuna is preparing? Because as we all know, it can come at any time because life is not linear. Our set of karma is not linear, anytime anything good, bad, ugly can happen. The Boy Scout Motto [says] “be ever prepared.” Ever prepared means you don’t have to lament all the time. Being prepared for whatever happens, we’ll live a life which is complete in and of itself. You know, even if you have not achieved your goals. But, every day can be a fulfilling day if you are a karma yogi. If you’re a jñānī of course, your fulfillment is your very name. But, as a karma yogi, you can live a fulfilling day every day. Because, your mood does not depend on external situations. Then does it depend on your moods? You know, my “I’m feeling good. I’m not feeling good today.” You don’t identify so much with your mind. And you can flow like water into a new situation doing your best, seeing the laws of karma, seeing the manifestation of Isvara, pursuing this knowledge, trusting that whatever is happening is happening perfectly. So, every day can be fulfilling. “Yes, I’m studying Vedanta, yes, certain things are not clear, but Isvara’s Grace is with me all the time.” We have to grow into this trust. It comes, little by little, it will come.
So, at the time of death, a lot of people are very scared. First of all, nobody wants to die. My own mother, I have lots of jokes with her regarding death. Last year, the doctor said she doesn’t have much time, maybe one year or so. And, I told her you know, maybe you have one year. “Oh no problem, one year I can do a lot.” I said oh now by the way, one year has passed. Are you ready? Sounds like really dark humor, but anyway. So what shall we serve at your Śrāddha you know? “Oh, you are planning for my Śrāddha.” No, because we want you to be happy that’s why we’re planning. So then she says “but really, I think we should change the doctor. You know, let’s have a second opinion. That fellow, he didn’t know anything, he just gave me one year. I’m sure I have five more years.” I said, looking at your health, it doesn’t look like that to me at all. “No, no, I am sure I have.” Okay, what are you going to do in these five years which you did not do in this one year? “Ah. I will see. I don’t have to tell you all my plans.” Oh, okay. Don’t tell me all your plans. But you know, this kind of drama can go on that we are not ready for death. It’s very uncomfortable, either somebody else’s death, one’s own death of course. So here, how will my mind be steady? What should I think about? etc.
There was one shopkeeper. And actually, he did very well in his business and he became the owner of a mall, and he had three sons. So he lived a good, complete life. Around 90 years or something. Then, he had some diabetes related issues. So slowly, slowly, kidney failure and then the organs started to fail. The doctor said “I think it’s time you know, please call everyone and let everybody assemble around him.” So, this man is lying down and then one by one the family goes and meets him. One son appears, and says “You have been such a good father, thank you, etc. I’m sorry for what I have done. And we all care for you. We have learned so much from you.” All of that. The second son appears, third son appears. Then all this while, there are all tears being exchanged, hugs, there’s a poignancy about the whole situation. Then he looks at each of them, he says “oh, you know, Ram is here, Sham is here, and Karan is here. Then who is at the cash counter?!” And he pops off. This is his predominant thought, business man. That, you know all this money I have made, if all my sons are here, then there is anxiety now, who is managing the big money that has all been stored up and saved on a daily basis because you have to reconcile the cash at the end of the day. This man’s last question reflects what he was devoted to, his money. And how come that was his last thought? Because that’s how he lived his life.
So, whatever be our last set of thoughts before death, and we don’t know when that is, will be related to what our thoughts are while living, primarily. In the Puranas, there are many stories which refer to the last thought at the time of death, because the next birth is related to the last thought. So then we joke, if you’re going to say “oh, you know, this life was so tough. I just hope I can lounge in the pool all day” then you might just be born as a hippopotamus. Okay, you can lie down in the pool all day. Nobody’s going to ask you to come out of the pool. So the way we live our life, the thoughts that are there in our landscape of the mind, obviously are the ones that you are going to think of at the time of death. So, this devotion to Bhagavan, thinking about Bhagavan, contemplating and so on, either the glory of the manifestation of Bhagavan or that Bhagavan and I are one, swarupa. You will think this only when this has been there in your life. Otherwise, what you are devoted to is what you will think about. “I hope my children have eaten properly” or “I want to be tall, dark and handsome.” You will be a nice oak tree, maybe. Let’s see what Bhagavan replies.
8.3-8.4
śhrī bhagavān uvācha
akṣharaṁ brahma paramaṁ svabhāvo ’dhyātmam uchyate
bhūta-bhāvodbhava-karo visargaḥ karma-sanjñitaḥ|| 3||
adhibhūtaṁ kṣharo bhāvaḥ puruṣhaśh chādhidaivatam
adhiyajño ’ham evātra dehe deha-bhṛitāṁ vara || 4||
So very short and crisp answers are given by Bhagavan to Arjuna’s questions.
Arjuna asked kiṁ tadbrahma – So Bhagavan says Brahman is akṣharaṁ, paramaṁ akṣharaṁ. Paramaṁ is limitless and akṣharaṁ is the one who is not bound by time, the one who is not subject to change, or aging.
Kim adhyātmaṁ was his second question, Bhagavan replies svabhāvaḥ. Svabhāvo’dhyātmam. Svabhāvo generally we translate as behavior. But here, svabhāvo means its manifestation centered on the body. Which means what? That this body mind sense complex that one has, which is the jiva, that is called adhyātmaṁ. Which means that the jiva is sacred, that what we are referring to as the jiva is really Brahman, or we can say jiva is Ishvara. That where this body mind is, there is intelligence in the way in which it functions, and all the material, the building blocks in terms of the pancha-mahabhutas, they are also Ishvara. So, the jiva is also Brahman, he says.
Then, what is Karma? Karma is visargaḥ, visargaḥ is an offering. Okay, so karma generally translates as action, but that’s not strictly correct. We have to say karma is actions done by human beings related to choice, and here it is being described as visargaḥ, as an offering. You can’t say that cows are doing their karma. Today, they produce less milk. Tomorrow, they produce more milk. That’s not their karma, that is kriyā, action. In yoga of course, kriyā has different meanings. If we are programmed, then that means there is no choice available. So, for animals who are programmed, they are not subject to karma. They cannot gain punya. Although, when we see a lot of these very cute, very sweet animal videos, you know dog helping cat and then different things, monkey helping a tiger, they are very cute sweet things. Usually “Oh, what an act of punya! You know the dog is saved and all that!” Unfortunately, it doesn’t get punya. Kriyā is done and that’s that. So, what is karma is really the cycle of punya and papa that has been generated because of the law of karma, and the jivas/individuals who have been doing karma nonstop, because of which they have this body. So, from a scientific standpoint, we say the person is born because two people came together and so on. From the Shastra standpoint, how come these two people came together in a population of 8 billion? It is karma. Karma explains a lot. And then the fact of getting the kind of body-mind that you have, and the situations that you are being born into, a lot of it has to do with the karma you are performing in line with the law of karma. So what karma is, in this context he is explaining, is that which produces bhūtabhāvodbhavakaro, that which produces different bodies. So, understand this, the jiva/ the individual/ the form is anādi(beginningless), always been around. And depending on what fructifies, depending on punya-papa, whatever fructifies, different bodies come into being. So, that is what he’s referring to here. And this karma is born of avidya, ignorance of who I am, and so, if we think “oh, I will exhaust my karma one fine day” as some of the Buddhists think, it is not possible. The only way you can falsify karma is through knowledge, knowing that you were never the karta, never the bhokta, and then all the karma is destroyed.
Okay, so then what else does he answer? Adhibhūtaṁ kṣaro bhāvaḥ. That was also Arjuna’s question. This adhibhūtaṁ is that which is centered on beings, is that which is always subject to change. So, all the different beings we see, mosquito a very short lifespan, turtle very long, human being maybe 100-120, dog 15-20 years, different life cycles. And adhibhūtaṁ is that, that all these manifestations that are there, they have their own cycle, they are subject to kṣhara. Kṣaro is change and decline. Even the definition of sthula sarira, once we have done this as a part of Tattvabodhaha- atma kaha… , what is the atma? So sthula sarira vyatiriktaha, that which is other than the gross body, what is the gross body? That which is changing, “My body should not change, finally I got a prime body!” No, it will change, every moment it is changing. And of course we all want good health, but karma might be such that we have to suffer. Right, some condition. “Oh, but I was the picture of perfect health, and I never harmed anyone, then why did this happen to me?” It’s karma all the way. Okay, so this decline, change, modification. You have to deal with it. But don’t make your life all about managing your body,anyway it’s going to be burnt. Okay, what are you going to do with this body assuming you have good health or not so good health? This sarira is dharma sadhanam. It is a sadhana for performing dharma. Sadhana is a means. So, a means to perform dharma. Then you have to decide, whatever health you have, what are you going to do with it? The time that you have, what are you going to do with it? “Oh, I want more time.” You know all of us complain every day, we are complaining, I’m so busy. There’s only so much that one can do in a given day, right? So, I’m so busy. I’m super busy. Okay, fine. You get two more hours, what are you gonna do with it? You know, like if Yama comes knocking? Yama means lord of death. This is a theme in this chapter. So, don’t think oh, this year end review is coming up. Because, you know some of my students, they are used to this. So we will reflect on how the year has been etc. Some people will stop appearing in class very soon. Why? Because, “I don’t want to face something about me that is uncomfortable.” Not that the review is supposed to be uncomfortable, but working in the corporate sector, there is bad taste in the mouth. You know, not a very pleasant taste. Well, performance appraisal, and whatever else, you know, key performance indicators, and whatever key performance areas, and generally if you’ve not had nice bosses then review feels very uncomfortable.
So going back to death. So, Yama comes and says okay, you know you’ve lived 40 plus years of life, come, let’s go. “No, no, please give me some more time.” And Yama is very right to ask, well, in 40 years, you didn’t do what you wanted to do. Then what are you going to do in one year? Suppose you said “Oh no, please give me at least one year.” Maybe then, you start negotiating. “You can’t give me one year? Okay, okay. Give me six months. Give me one month, at least.” When the question is what did you do in all this time that you’re suddenly going to do in one month? “I should earn the right to ask or negotiate.” So that’s why we hear and sometimes it’s correct, that we try to live a complete life, and you know, not keep pushing things or procrastinating our big wishes. That’s important. Not living in fear. “When I am 60. I will do this.” You know, who plans like that nowadays at least?
Adhidaivaṁ- What is centered on the devatas, what is based on all the devatas, is really a manifestation, Hiranyagarbha, or what we also refer to as the cosmic mind. I mean, cosmic mind is a very bad translation, but you get the point, the subtle, the intelligence that is Isvara, Hiranyagarbha. So that is adhidaivatam, so all the devatas, all the different deities, who we invoke for grace for blessings, all of them are this cosmic form of Isvara, this intelligence.
And dehabhṛtāṁ aham vara eva, I alone, Bhagavan is saying, I alone am the one who is centered on yajna, who centered on ritual, who can be invoked through ritual, yajna. Different kinds of yajnas are there. So, therefore even our simple act of eating, we convert into a yajna, that you are actually feeding the agni that is in your stomach. You are not eating, okay, you are only feeding (the agni). So, you eat accordingly. But then in that we can justify “no but you know that agni in the stomach needs Italian food on the weekend. Right? Just a little Thai food” Enjoy the food that you have, but recognize this, it’s not just flesh and bones. It is intelligence and material that is Isvara, this is a manifestation.
8.5
anta-kāle cha mām eva smaran muktvā kalevaram
yaḥ prayāti sa mad-bhāvaṁ yāti nāstyatra sanśhayaḥ || 5||
And then Bhagavan is further saying the one who remembers me alone, and leaves this body, what happens to that person? That person gains my nature, gains me, gains my nature and there is no doubt about this.
So, how can one gain Bhagavan’s nature. If one is thinking about Bhagavan. Now suddenly fear has been created, “Even during the day, I don’t think much about Bhagavan, now how am I going to think about Bhagavan at the time of death? Oh my God, so many things to do now in my to do list! Now I have to say oh please think about Bhagavan at the time of death! Now, who’s going to remember that? I’ll just be screaming for oxygen, maybe.” So, what shall we do? So the point is don’t get scared. He explains what it means to gain Bhagavan’s nature. And so there are some questions related to it. We will see that next class.
CH 4 ASSIGNMENT
Questions for reflection and discussion, on Chapter 4 of the Bhagavad Gita. Don’t worry about right or wrong answers. You and your understanding is what is important to me.
1.Does one have to take sanyaasa for jnaanam. Explain in the context of the title of the chapter – Jnana-karmasanyaasa yoga?
2.What is the guru-shishya parampara pointed out by Sri Krishna?
3.When and why does Bhagavan take an avataara?
4.What is the vision of a wise person in the context of karma and akarma?
5.Karma is not the criteria to call someone wise or unwise. Explain
6.Which verses in Chapter 4 describe the glory of knowledge?
7.Explain the system of varna. How do you identify yourself? (karma-guna-jaati varna). What is the purpose of the Varna system?
8.What is a yajna and Which are the 12 yajnas mentioned in the fourth chapter? Which are you able to practise comfortably and which one requires effort?
9.Why is Jnana yajna considered better than all yajnas?
10.How should one approach a guru?
11.The fire of knowledge reduces all action to ashes – Explain
12.Who are the three groups of people who get destroyed and why? What can they do about it?
Enjoy!
CHAPTER 6 ASSIGNMENT
Questions for reflection and discussion, on Chapter 6 of the Bhagavad Gita
Don’t worry about right or wrong answers. You and your understanding is what is important to me.
When is the Self one’s friend and when is it one’s enemy? Illustrate with examples from your life in the recent year.
What are the initial preparations and adjustments to be made for meditation?
What does Bhagavan Krshna say about the mind of a yogi and his or her qualities? Pl give examples of how the qualities are reflected in your life
How is Yoga defined in the sixth chapter of the Gita? Elaborate with examples from life
The wise one sees the self in all beings and all beings in the self. Explain
Elaborate on Abhyasa and Vairagya for mastering the mind.
What are the two possibilities for a yogabhrashta (one who has been pursuing moksha but is not able to complete the pursuit either due to death or inadequate effort)
Who is the most exalted yogi?
CHAPTER 7 ASSIGNMENT
Assignment – Questions for reflection and discussion, on Chapter 7 of the Bhagavad Gita
Don’t worry about right or wrong answers. You and your understanding is what is important to me.
What is jnanam and vijnaanam as taught in Chapter 7?
What does Bhagavan say about his prakrti. Explain Bhagavan ‘s declaration – na tvaham teshu te mayi – I am not in them, they are in me.
Cite the verses which declare Bhagavan’s manifestations.
Why do people find it difficult to know Bhagavan?
Which are the four types of devotees and why is the Jnani considered exalted?
Please give 1/2 examples of incidents in your life that strengthened your shraddhaa.
How does dvandamoha (the confusion/delusion of opposites) affect me and how can one be free from it?
CHAPTER TWO QUESTIONS
Explain the verse where Arjuna transforms from a friend to shishya to Sri Krsna and the events that lead upto it.
What is the nature of the human problem that the Gita addresses?
What can we learn about dealing with the opposites in life like heat /cold, success/failure etc from Chapter?
Why is there no reason for grief? Why do the wise not grieve?
Which are the different words used to reveal Atma? Explain.
What is ‘vyavasaayatmika buddhih’ ? How does it relate to your moksha pursuit?
What is different about the pursuit of moksha vis-a-vis other pursuits( Dharma, Artha, Kama)
What is karma yoga? Explain the words – kaushalam and samatvam. Give examples from your life.
Explain shloka 2.47 with reference to your relationship with choices in actions and the results
How can karma yoga protect you from fear and sorrow?
What are the three points of view by which Krishna urges Arjuna to fight the war?
May you be niradvandah, nityasattvasthah, niryogakshema. What does Bhagavan Krishna mean in 2.45?
Describe the nature of a ‘sthitaprajna’ using two similes.
How can we apply 2.58 and 2.59 in our lives so that there is balance?
What is the connection between Dhyaanam, dwelling on a sense object, anger and buddhi-nashah?
What are the four wonders mentioned in verse 29 and why?
Questions for reflection and discussion, on Chapter 3 of the Bhagavad Gita
Don’t worry about right or wrong answers. You and your understanding is what is important to me.
What prompted Arjuna to ask the question 3.1 ? Answer in the light of the last few verses of Ch.2
What is the two fold lifestyle for moksha? If moksha is one goal, then why two lifestyles?
Why should inaction be avoided?
‘The Veda abides in yajna’. Explain this in the light of what Bhagavan says about how the creation has come about and what we need to do
What is the role of a wise person in society? (With reference to Janaka, Arjuna and Bhagavan)
Even a person of knowledge acts according to prakriti. Explain the role of prakriti
Which are the internal enemies that prevent one from living a life of dharma?
Which are the 3 examples used by Sri Krishna to indicate how desire and anger veil one’s reason.
What is the location of ‘kama’ and how is it conquered?
Questions for reflection and discussion, on Chapter 5 of the Bhagavad Gita
Don’t worry about right or wrong answers. You and your understanding is what is important to me.
What is Bhagavan Krishna’s reply to Arjuna ‘s question about which is better – sannyasa or karma yoga? Please elaborate.
Children (those who don’t know) argue that sannyasa and karma yoga are different. What do the wise say instead? Explain
How does Karma Yoga help in antah-karana shuddhi. Please give examples
Who attains eternal peace and who becomes bound?
What is the nature of the Atma? (Explain in the light of this chapter)
Describe some of the characteristics of a wise person (as reflected in this chapter)
Why do the wise not revel in sense pleasures?
Who is a happy person?
Who attains Brahmanirvanam?
How does one prepare to start meditation?
Over these two weeks practice what is said in 5.27 and share the difference it makes (if at all)
Who attains the peace that is liberation?
अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम् |
य: प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशय: || 5||
anta-kāle cha mām eva smaran muktvā kalevaram
yaḥ prayāti sa mad-bhāvaṁ yāti nāstyatra sanśhayaḥ
यं यं वापि स्मरन्भावं त्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम् |
तं तमेवैति कौन्तेय सदा तद्भावभावित: || 6||
yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajatyante kalevaram
taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ
Arjuna had a few questions, which Bhagavan Krishna responded to in very short snap answers. What is Brahman? Oh, Brahman is limitless, so as short (an answer) as that. And who is the Jeeva? What is centered on the Jeeva? Oh, that is also a manifestation that is Brahman, that happens to be called the Jeeva, and so on.
And in response to the last question, that at the time of death, how are you known by those who have a mastered mind? So, Bhagavan spends a little time on this question. And he says in verse number five, that the one who leaves, dies away, remembering me gains me. मत् भावं याति, प्राप्नोति etc. So, it almost sounds narcissistic, like so full of himself, you know, like you please, you better remember me, okay?
When you die, it’s like you tell people, I hope you won’t forget me when you go away. Please remember me and so on. Here Bhagavan also seems to be like us. Oh, please don’t forget me. Even our attempts to leave a legacy that I would like to do something that is lasting, or which has a lasting impact. Of course, most of us do this through our children, but you say oh, no, I will create something or I will make a change.
So, the change is important. But we would like to be remembered- The fact that we were around on this earth, little bit mattered. And the reality check is how we remember our grandparents and great grandparents. Right? So, it’s not like you’re remembering them on a daily basis. Yeah, occasionally, sometimes, maybe. And great great grandparents so I don’t even know if we know their names. You know, our situation is also going to be like that.
After some time, means after a few generations all that you have thought you have contributed and paid so much attention to in your lifetime, will it be valued in the same way? We don’t know. Chances are, it may not be, okay. Will your photograph be around in the house? You know, that’s an indication, right? Like how people have their family photos at home, or they have even at their workplace, it’s very inspiring. Everybody has a personalized workspace. For some people, they have some motivational quote, may also have photographs– family or whoever, loved one, then two, three generations down the line, will people have your photograph representing you? We don’t know. We don’t know if it will go with the decor you know, who keeps photographs of their great great grandparents in the house? Yeah, so it has to look aesthetic, right? Anyway, reality check. Maybe it’s if it’s nicely painted, maybe some background or something that might look a little nice.
The person gains my nature and how to remember… Bhagwan has already said how he is to be remembered. Not as a limited person. Because he said- I’m the limitless, he has already said that para prakriti, apara prakriti previous chapter. And all that you see, all that is experienced all that is manifest. All names, all forms, That is Bhagawan. The limitless, that doesn’t have a form that is also Bhagavan’s swarupa, nature.
So, when he says remembering me alone, it is exactly like the vision we have when we say touchwood. So suppose somebody says I hope you get $1 million. And you say yeah, I hope so, touch wood. And you look somewhere around you. And some sofa, tables you have seen made of wood you will touch. Now the forms are very different. Right? But you transcend the form. You don’t break down the form, you don’t have to break down the sofa and the chairs to reach out to the wood. You see the different forms of wood—sofa, chair, something maybe some wooden table, and in that instant you say touch wood, you’re not saying touch chair or touch sofa, no touch wood.
So you can see different forms and still recognize that there is only one adhishthanam, wood for all the forms. So, (at the time of death), you see the different forms, you see your grieving people, that is if you are not in a coma or something, and you know your time is up you’re going, all these forms, they are all Ishwara. When he says ‘मत् भावं याति माम् एव स्मरन्’, remembering me alone. All the forms that I have experienced my entire life, everything is Ishwara, I am Ishwara. Remembering me, means what? This is what is remembering me, recognizing, either I recognize all manifestations as Ishwara, maybe I’ve not made that final leap. Or, having recognized all manifestations, all names and forms as Ishwara, the swarupa is also me, I am that Ishwara. So, in line with the shaastra teaching that you are that whom you seek, you are that infallible, you are Ishwara, the dying person, the jeeva gains my nature.
Gains my nature, means what? We use these words in the shaastra- gains, reaches, it’s like the river reaching the ocean, right? So water meets water, that’s all (it means) okay. The individuality of the form of the river, or the stream or whatever form is there, rivulet, that form is given up but water meets water, all along it was only one water anyway. So that is what is being referred to here.
And when it comes to reaching Bhagavan there are different standpoints, people have different things to say depending on certain philosophies. Some people talk about reaching Bhagavan as in what they refer to as ‘saayujya’.
This is a little trivia on the term ‘saayujya’- e.g. sometimes in an astrological reading it may emerge that the place that you are staying in, somebody committed suicide or a person met an unexpected sudden death, as a result of which the jeeva has not been able to move forward in the journey, because our raaga/dvesha hold us down. What will my people do without me, or I had so many things to be done, they’re all unfinished, etc etc. So that’s why we do all this shraaddh karma. Now, even after doing the shraaddh karma, it is possible that some beings they don’t move ahead, they are stuck, they need more help. So, for them, we generally do a special homa, tila homa and sesame seeds and few other things are offered. And there is a process by which we invoke that being in a silver pratima, like a silver piece of that person, and make some offerings to that being. And then the next morning we’ll do some other puja and that is called ‘saayuja puja’. Saayujya is this meeting, and it is looked upon as getting ‘moksha’, but it is really the Jeeva is moving onward on the journey, and is receiving through the karma of doing the yajna(the ritual), lots of Punya. So the jeeva can go to any of the lokas, and so on depending on the karma that is standing in the account.
So this word saayujya reminded Swaminiji about the above meaning, and though it is not directly related to the Gita, it gives us additional knowledge about the understanding of this word. So saayujya is looked upon as going to different lokas. Loka meaning it’s a plane of experience- we have 7 up, 7 down. So the more punya that you perform, and too much punya fructifies, then you will go to one of the 7-up, and you won’t be reborn on earth at least for the next lifetime.
Now, from an Advaita standpoint when you look at saayujya. You know people say oh, you will be one, you will reach- whether it’s the pearly gates of heaven, or it is the golden gilded gates of swarga, whatever it is. Now just like we have a form, ‘dream body’ we have, okay. Pun not intended, dream body means whatever tiny form that we have in our dream of ourselves. So you imagine like that, some subtle form will reach swarga. And then Bhagwan is there, all devatas are there, if you have Ishta-devata you will veer towards that form. Then what does that saayujya look like?
Because to meet someone, to be close to someone, there has to be two, right? And so, given the form that we have, and that Bhagavan is limitless, or let’s just say really vast, then it’s like a bacteria meeting a giant. Saayujya, bacteria is meeting a giant. Then Pujya Swamiji would joke it’s like flagyl- consumed and it’s out of the system, like a laxative. So imagine, like bacteria if you hold on to your individuality and say oh, I’m going to meet Bhagavan. Imagine what will that meeting look like? Bacteria meeting like this huge giant, forget limitless, huge giant and so in that meeting what’s gonna happen? Okay, let’s say you become one with Bhagavan, let’s say He consumes you. Are you still there to enjoy that? Oh now I am one with Bhagwan. Or to meet Bhagavan, you have to drop your individuality, right? Because what are we calling as an individual, something who is distinct from Bhagavan?
But hello, on what basis are you claiming your individuality, the body that you have is given to you, all the processes in the way in which your body functions- respiration, circulation, evacuation, assimilation, digestion, etc etc., you have not created. There is an intelligence that pervades this entire order. The way the mind thinks, reasons, analyzes, synthesizes, feels, doesn’t feel, becomes numb, feels distant, feels close, all this…. capacity to feel given to you, then hello, what do you think is really yours? Why are you being a thief (3rd chapter स्थेन:). Thief means what? You claim something that is not yours, right? This is mine. Hey, this entire body-mind is given to you.
Then what is this individuality we are talking about? Oh, you know I just feel like that. Exactly. That also is given to you, the capacity to feel like an individual, given. So now this individual meeting with Bhagavan is actually a very logical impossibility. It’s like the river or the rivulet meeting the ocean. Okay, now once the rivulet is one with the ocean, does a rivulet still have an individuality of its own? Because it’s all dispersed now, there is no more form left. And form, you know even thought is a form. So, imagine your mind is dispersed all over, how are you going to think, oh I am one with Bhagavan, oh, finally I am one with Bhagavan. How long are you going to think like this? Not possible.
Yes you can go to the court, and yes you can enjoy swarga, a place where there is lots of pleasure and fun and so on. But your antahkarana is still with you. Antahkarana(your mind), remember your mind travels.Your sukshma sharira, and kaarana sharira(causal body) which is the reason for your subtle and gross body, that is there. There is still avidyaa, there is still ignorance. Although being the atma, because of ignorance, therefore one thinks one is limited and so on and so forth.
So, then you will say Oh ‘saameepya’. Then, saameepya is mentioned as one of the goals in some philosophies. Okay, so let’s say you are close to Bhagwan. And of course you’re not the only one (there who wants to be close to Bhagwan). Now, what will you do? You will sit on Bhagavan’s head? Like imagine what that will be like – like Liliput in Gulliver’s Travels. So, there’s this huge giant-like creature and all the other minions they’re all running around, imagine Bhagavan will be something like that- big. And saameepya- no, no, I will go as close as I can. Still bacteria going close to a giant, okay. Now how close is close enough? Oh I will sit on his lap. But vast lap is there. I will sit on his head, that also is really big. What shall we do? What will need to happen for me to feel like all this punya that I did in my life it has served me well. Because that antahkarana, see that’s why we pay so much attention to one’s self mastery, because the only thing you will carry from this life is really sukshma sharira.
So the only thing that you will carry is the antahkarana, or the mind. And if one has had an insecure mind, which is really our universal plight, you think sitting on Bhagavan’s lap or head, and all is going to help? You are always going to look over your shoulder, whatever form you are in. That one got special treatment. Or why I am not getting? Like how we used to project on Pujya Swamiji- today Pujya Swamiji did not look at me while teaching, I think he’s upset with me. Okay, projection. May have been true also in some instances, but very, very rare. Or he only looks at that one.
So, one goes to svarga with whatever maturity one has. Of course you will enjoy your time there, but the problem of having a form is the feeling limited by the form. And the connection or the sense of distance that you experience, will always be there.
Suppose you get to know, through the grapevine, that somebody– when the person was on earth had done a lot of sadhana and then let’s say Shiva, Vishnu, Ganapati had gone and appeared, and you say, Oh, you’re so lucky, and you know how you exchange notes- oh what were you doing, what sadhana did you do etcetera.
So it’s very likely that the sense of comparison that we have here(on earth) because of which we continue to feel miserable, it will continue in Swarga. Why? Same mind is going with us. Memory will not be there of the previous form, but some raga/dvesha, the ways in which we think about ourselves, some stuff will be there. So this Saayujya (being one with Bhagavan), and Saameepya (being close to Bhagavan), are not very attractive options and also not quite logical.
Then how can you be closest to Bhagavan? By knowing that there is no difference between you and Bhagavan. See, from the standpoint of a form there will always be difference. But that difference does not make a difference to you, because swarupa/nature is the same. So reaching Swarga is just like going on another vacation. Pujya Swamiji would say any description of svarga is a tourist promotion brochure. What an extreme phrase to use. So, any brochure will talk about the wonders of the place, the sights and sounds, what you get to experience there. So, descriptions or svarga will also have the same thing and then you will decide that it all sounds attractive, I think I want to go here. So, if you do want to go there and then of course there are different kinds of karma that you can do to go there. And for a lot of people, religious people included, will want to go to another place. So new, new experience, right, because bhokta/experiencer is a very, very strong identity. It’s not even questioned, of course we want to have a good time. What do you mean? Same place you want to go again? No, no, no. No, oh, you went to Bhutan? What about Nepal? No, no, it’s similar. I want to go to a totally new place. So the experiencer identity is very strong.
That experiencer wants to go to svarga also. And this is what we had seen last time, that whatever is your thought landscape, the kinds of things that you have been thinking about for most of your life, it’s likely that at the time of death also you will think of the same. If you have lived your life as a karma yogi, then center stage for you is Bhagavan. If you know the truth, of course it is you, you and Bhagavan same. So, what he says is, whatever you have thought of at the time of death, you reach that. If you have thought of going to Swarga then you will probably reach there. And then as Swaminiji jokingly said last time, you say “oh this lifetime was very tough. I just want to laze around in a pool all day”, you will be born as a hippopotamus! Or you say, I have just been always running around. I just want to be stationary. You may be born as a tree. Now this is not meant to scare you, that will you please watch out what you’re thinking and all that. Don’t do this thought audit. Swaminiji is not saying that. Swaminiji is just pointing out that when we are vulnerable, then we will think about the kind of things we have been thinking of most of the time. Suddenly, the thought of Bhagavan is not going to come.
What have you been thinking? So if you are living a life, a life alive to the presence of Bhagavan in terms of you seeing yourself as a devotee, either a jignyasu, or jnani, and little bit of ārtaḥ and artha-arthī thrown in from time to time depending on emergencies in life. So, you recognize all manifestations as Bhagavan, then either he will give you a lifetime शुचीनां श्रीमतां गेहे (6.41)- You will be born in a cultured family that is devoted to dharma. You can pick up the thread from where you left off. Or you may be born in a family of yogis, so no worries at all.
And for a mumukshu or rather a jignyasu, swarga does not hold much enticement because it’s another place to go to. And that’s why Swaminiji says you have to be bhogi before you become a yogi. This is important, okay. People will think oh, you know, you don’t look here, don’t look there. For instance, Swaminarayan monks are there, and in their tradition if there are female acharyas they are told, you please avoid them. They just sit in one corner or sit somewhere else. The men should not see you. Or cordoning off, and all that is done.
So how do we approach things in Vedanta? You live a life of freedom. It is better if you are a bhogi/experiencer, because you have to be there, and having done that, then you are able to see the limitations of bhoga. You know that’s why Swaminiji never encourages people less than 25 years old to come to Vedanta. Did you see enough of life to see the limitations of life? Because then what happens is people will pick up terminology, they will pick up (words like) vairagya, and then they will feel guilty. They will say oh, but I’m really enjoying whatever I’m enjoying, oh but I’m not supposed to enjoy it. Swaminiji didn’t say that at all. It requires an extraordinary maturity to enjoy something, and to see its limitations, and not have dvesha, an aversion to it. You just simply outgrow it. That’s all. That is proper vairagya. Otherwise, it’s short circuited. Then you will hear all kinds of stories. Oh, this one showed great vairagya, then seemingly had a fall from grace. So it is that the person did not have enough maturity, that’s all.
So, (after being a bhogi), then you can be a good yogi also. Then, discipline and all you value. Discipline because you’ve seen what excesses can do to you. Right? So natural inclination is there towards discipline. If without allowing yourself to experience —discipline, discipline, discipline, discipline, and then a lot of rigidity, then you are going to struggle both with discipline and if you enjoy something, then you will struggle with guilt. So, neither here nor there. Then some say संशयात्मा विनश्यति (4.40). विनाश (destruction), you don’t want any of that.
So now, this remembering, whatever has been alive for you. The person, that then that dying person reaches that. Then what is to be done ?
तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च |
मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्मामेवैष्यस्यसंशयम् || 7||
tasmāt sarveṣhu kāleṣhu mām anusmara yudhya cha
mayyarpita-mano-buddhir mām evaiṣhyasyasanśhayam
Therefore, at all times, please remember me. And then do what? Fight. Here we are talking of someone dying, and Bhagavan says remember me and fight? Bhagavan, you can’t be so obsessed with yourself. So now somebody who wants to fit Gita to his personal agenda will say see, that’s why I fight. There’s so much injustice in this world. Somebody has to speak for the minority. That’s why if I don’t raise my voice, who will raise it? You know, we have to empower them okay. So, in this way, you can delude yourself.
Here because Arjuna is a warrior, his role is to fight. That’s why Bhagavan says तस्मात् युध्य | So may you fight. For all of us who are listening to the Gita, May you do whatever is your dharma. In all your different roles, whatever is to be done, may you do that. But how do you do that? Complaining, lamenting, but why me, why I should do it? If I do it, nobody appreciates, why should I do, what to do, what to do? I just… you know this inertia, I think winter inertia I’m experiencing. I don’t feel like doing anything.
Tasmaat- therefore, you fight. Meaning therefore you do what is the right thing for you. I don’t feel like it. We didn’t ask you what you feel, okay? Despite what you feel, you please do whatever is appropriate to be done. How to do? मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धि: – your mind and intellect, you know that place where we are constantly experiencing all kinds of emotions, and shall I do, shall I not do, different kinds of decisions and judgments, lot of self-judgments. All that, you just offer it to me(Bhagavan). मय्यर्पित, just offer it to me. And you will definitely reach me. All the time you please remember me. How to do this, you know?
See generally you know there’ll be our perception. So I see the screen, then maybe I see the paper. Now when I’m seeing the paper, I’m not seeing the screen. One perception is displaced by another perception. Right? So if you’re thinking of your partner, then you are not thinking of your child, even if you call your partner, ‘baby’ and so on. But you understand the distinction okay. So one being you remember, then other being kind of gets displaced. But here when you think, remember me at all times, that when is it you don’t remember Bhagavan? Every cognition, every thought, every feeling, every emotion, is pervaded by Bhagavan, intelligence, material etc. Okay so all my cognitions are pervaded, permeated, suffused by Bhagavan. So any thought is a thought of Bhagwan. And Bhagavan I am not looking upon as a limited person, limited form with the chakra and mukut and all that. But my understanding of Bhagavan has grown, it’s no longer a ‘child’s’ understanding.
So all thoughts, what are they sustained by……they are sustained by the laws of Bhagavan. From where does a thought come? Nobody knows really. Because there are some thoughts that don’t seem like my thoughts, because you really are used to a certain pattern. So they’re coming from the cosmic mind. Okay. So Cosmic Mind means it’s all the way Bhagavan, Hiranyagharba. So when it is being said, remember me at all times. If I have this global understanding that wherever I go, whatever I do, whatever I think, it is all pervaded by Bhagavan, my life is Bhagavan, then everything stands offered anyway.
So, but you know, I’m really struggling with this role, some role is there- work role, family role, something like that. Then whatever you’re going through, just offer it. In the name of self mastery, let us not delude ourselves into accentuating our individuality. There is no self, self as in mind-body without Ishwara shristhi. So, in the name of self mastery, sometimes we will say oh, I only have to struggle and nobody knows what I’m going through. So, so much limiting we do. But what you are individually, whoever you are, however you are, can you see that the laws are sustained by Bhagavan? Maybe you don’t feel close to Bhagavan, doesn’t matter. But they are all, all of it is Bhagavan. So, you can relax in that understanding that this mind is given by Bhagavan, however weird it is, as eccentric as I am. He will take care. This is positive thinking. Swaminiji is thinking about doing a podcast on this.
So, I only have to struggle, I will be positive, or negative, whatever it is. It’s all subject to the laws of the mind anyway. So just in the relaxation that hey this is being sustained by Bhagavan, I can’t handle it on my own. But somehow I am feeling like nobody around me can help because I have not sought help.
Just a few hours ago I was talking to an 11 year old, she’s like you know my mom she’s playing favorites with the elder sister. So I say it’s possible that either what you’re thinking is correct, or what you’re thinking is not correct. How will we know for sure? You have to reach out and you have to tell your mom this is what you think. No, I’m scared. But until you tell, how will she know? Either she corrects you, or she might correct herself. Right? So no, I feel very distant from my parents, you know they are really paying attention to my elder sister, she’s in the 10th standard and so on. So I think they don’t care for me etc. Have you reached out to them? But they are always busy. So then you tell them, ‘Tell me when you have five minutes, I don’t want to rush you, but I’d like to talk.’ You can say that. Oh, I never thought of that. Ah so now you think like this, and you please talk to them. Then you see, either you correct your perception, it may be that you may be wrong, or you give them a chance to correct themselves. That’s it. Life is simple. Okay, okay. Then she sent Swaminiji a drawing of Swaminiji as a super girl in orange 🙂
Anyway, so now this self mastery. We don’t want to be entrenched in our individuality in the name of self mastery.
But now how else to remember Bhagavan, you know we always struggle with this. Okay, so what shall we do? But Bhagavan himself is saying okay, this is how you remember-
अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन चेतसा नान्यगामिना |
परमं पुरुषं दिव्यं याति पार्थानुचिन्तयन् || 8||
abhyāsa-yoga-yuktena chetasā nānya-gāminā
paramaṁ puruṣhaṁ divyaṁ yāti pārthānuchintayan
Having a mind that is yoga yuktaha. Yoga yuktaha means mastered with the practice of yoga. Yoga here we understand is karma yoga. So bringing in kaushalam, offering our karma to Ishwara, recognizing all situations as prasaada, and so on. So abhyaasa/repetition, practice again and again. When you think as a devotee, what happens is परमं पुरुषं दिव्यम् i.e. the person gains परमं पुरुषं, the limitless being who is दिव्यं, self-effulgent.
And how to do this abhyaasa, this repetition? Anuchintayan in keeping with the teaching. I want to visualize Bhagavan as Captain Marvel. Okay you can, but also just see what the shaastra has to say. You know, because Bhagavan only has to say- talk about his powers and so on. And so that’s what is being said here. That recognizing the manifestations as Bhagavan and also the limitless being, the nature/swarupa Brahman, this person who dies away reaches the limitless being.
Then little more is spoken about this limitless being, because when we try to visualize like we often do for any kind of learning, then we limit the form, right? So, when I say Bhagavan, as much as we try, it’s difficult for the image to not pop up. Right? So something will pop up in your head and it’s very likely that it is a limited form. Then what we have to do is, you have to expand the form. So then we will have Purusha Suktam. So all the loka-s are his head and so on. But then you still imagine Bhagavan as a big huge giant, so still limited. And then depending on childhood samskaras you may have some fellow in white with some long beard.
And so like that. So that’s why it’s Swaminiji’s view not to encourage showing videos of Krishna Shiva etc. as portrayed by human beings to children, because of the impact on the mind. Or else one may think of Bhagavan Rama as Arun Govil, the guy who played that character. Parents are very well meaning, but then Rama becomes that actor-fellow, and the child is stuck with the thinking that this person is Bhagavan. On the other hand, with comic book-type characters, you’re not too stuck with that. That’s the beauty, like you can see the comic book, and at the same time you can visualize something. And then because once you visualize, then you can always visualize differently.
Other ways one can get stuck, like even the Shankaracharya movie. On the one hand, I promote to people that it’s good to see, a very nicely made film from 1984. But then I don’t want to get stuck with thinking Sankaracharya means only this character. You’re welcome to watch, if you think it works for you. But (be aware), so that we don’t limit Bhagavan to a limited form.
कविं पुराणमनुशासितार
मणोरणीयांसमनुस्मरेद्य: |
सर्वस्य धातारमचिन्त्यरूप
मादित्यवर्णं तमस: परस्तात् || 9||
kaviṁ purāṇam anuśhāsitāram
aṇor aṇīyānsam anusmared yaḥ
sarvasya dhātāram achintya-rūpam
āditya-varṇaṁ tamasaḥ parastāt
So here he talks about the different aspects of Bhagavan, and how one can contemplate on Bhagavan. So here we can contemplate in two ways. Either like how we do during a puja, you take a seemingly ordinary object, nikrshta vastuni utkrshta aropya. So, for instance Shivalinga- we consider as Shiva superimposed on the stone. Then of course, Shiva Linga you worship and so on. You can do that mentally also, in the sense that you can visualize Shiva, Shiva Linga in your heart etc. and you can make some offerings.
Why should we meditate? Because ….you know when you want thoughts to sink deep into your subconscious.. when something needs to become your living reality and it’s not.Then we need to visualize, meditate on different aspects of Bhagavan.
It’s no surprise that a word like premeditated murder came about. It just means that to murder someone, you have to really plan. I mean, I’m not thinking that these people are sitting in meditation okay. Whoever chooses to do this premeditated murder- the level of thought, deliberation, practice in your mind, you know, these are the steps before which somebody will be murdered and so on.
So here recognizing that meditation is an important part of sadhana so contemplating on the many aspects of Bhagavan, so that’s why he says, which he has already said, with that kind of a mastered mind.
The one who contemplates on the being who is –
(i) Kavi. Kavi means ‘poet’ literally. By kavi, we understand दूरदर्शी, one who can see what normal people cannot see. Also means the one who is all knowledge.
(ii) Purāṇam. One who has always been there for a long time, so who is ancient.
(iii) Anuśhāsitāram. The one who is the ruler. Ruler, meaning the one who has made all the different laws. So laws of physics, laws of chemistry, laws of biology, laws of psychology, discovered and undiscovered by which this entire universe runs.
(iv) Aṇor aṇīyān. So this is also there in Katha Upanishad. The one who is smaller or subtler than the subtlest. Anything that is subtle means it has lesser dimensions, right? Cannot be grossly perceived. So, music is like that. Poetry is like that. There are subtle aspects even some flavors are like that. So subtle, meaning doesn’t have dimensions. So, atom, molecule, whatever. So smaller, smaller, smaller, smaller than that is what? Formless existence, that which exists that doesn’t have a form. So that’s why the word that is being used is smaller than the smallest. And in Katha Upanishad, bigger than the biggest is said also. Because the biggest means you cannot even visualize or imagine the form. In other words, existence, which is limitless, not having any boundaries.
(v) Sarvasya dhātā. The one who is that dhātā, the one who ordains, makes punya-paapa fructify for people. So, the one who ordains this law of karma.
(vi) Achintya-rūpam. You try to conceive of any form, it will be limited, any form you conceive of, it will be limited. So, therefore achintya-rūpam. So, that which is not an object of your thought, cannot be conceived by a thought meaning the limitless.
(vii) Āditya-varṇaṁ. As luminous, as effulgent like āditya.
(viii) Does not have any tamas. So, beyond ignorance, obviously all-knowledge.
So think of Bhagavan in this way when you meditate, is what he’s saying. So that from time to time when you meditate, when you train the body, you sit and then this comes to you. That’s the power of repetition, power of practice. So if you’re doing this over a period of time, as a part of sadhana, then thinking about Bhagavan in this way becomes very natural to you. Right? In Vedanta, the main sadhana is shravanam. You show up for the class. Right? Oh, I can’t do japa. Oh that is okay. Oh, I’ve not done puja. That’s also okay. In time you will develop some regularity. Oh, but I did not catch up with the last two chapters, it doesn’t matter. This is not a historical sequence of events that- Oh, you’re going to miss out on the part when Rama was in the forest. Then what happened with the deer? So then I will lose the link if I miss that class. But this does not apply to a Vedanta class. Right? Would you say the same thing about work? Oh, you know, I didn’t go to work for two weeks. I think I will catch up. Maybe over the next two months I will not go so I can catch up on my work, only then I will appear. No.
Suppose you’ve lost touch with the friend? You just pick up where you left off. That’s it. But this- our thinking- No, I feel so awkward. What will Swamini think? I will just think you are busy. I’m not going to cook up a story. No, but what will others think? Others are too busy thinking about themselves, they are going to think about you. And even if they do, so let them think, that’s not your problem. No, but I want to maintain a discipline. I should be able to do it. Well aye please don’t put this pressure on you. You know in Vedanta you have to learn to relax. Not as a technique. You have to learn to relax in life.
Okay, so Vedanta becomes one more task to be ticked, don’t make it like that. Don’t do that. So Vedanta is you, you are free. And that’s what you’re trying to learn. And for that we contemplate on Bhagavan. And these qualities are helpful for us to visualize. Visualize- not meaning to put form to it, but to see that you are always in the presence of Bhagavan. If I’m holding on to my individuality, then I will say okay, this individual is pervaded by the total that is Bhagavan. Or if I’m able to see the swarupa, then I enjoy, I revel in that all these words will apply to me also the conscious being, the atma. Some of the words of course will not apply, you know in terms of the sarvasya dhātā, and so on.
But swarupa will apply to me, the formless existence. So like that- either I recognize swarupa or I recognize all nama-rupa (name and form) as Bhagavan. Of course you will recognize swarupa only after you cross this initial stage of recognition of all nama-rupa as Bhagavan. Only then. It’s not an either/or. This swarupa, recognizing as one’s own nature, will come only after you see all nama-rupa as Bhagavan, so we can’t short circuit. Especially that annoying colleague in the office, to see that person as a manifestation of Bhagavan. So you cannot short circuit.
What a fantastic reminder to choose our focus. I put this right on FB! Just so helpful.
Wow.. that sun movement was amazing!
Vairagya is not dvesha.
Thank you so much for sharing this awesome post on Vedanta. Nicely explained in different kinds of relationships. Now-a-days there are very few readers of Vedanta. But these types of posts are needed for mankind to live in peace and tranquility. Ancient knowledge of vedanta is important in all ages.
Happy to see your post.
I request you to visit my website 😊
https://arunsingha.in
Regards 🙏
Thanks very much Arun Singha. Best wishes and prayers for your pursuit.
😊🙏
Happy Valentines Day❤️❤️❤️😊🙏
Namaste Swaminiji… Just Listening to this chanting conjures up the image of Kurukshetra, Krishna, Arjuna and the entire scene in my mind. How powerful these verses and the language are!!! Grateful to you for the wonderful sessions, Swamini Ji.
Wonderful explanation of Dharma, Swamini Ji. Expansive nature of love.
Assignment – Questions for reflection and discussion, on Chapter 9 of the Bhagavad Gita
Like earlier, don’t worry about right or wrong answers. You and your understanding is what is important to me
1. Why is Brahma vidya called ‘Raja vidya’ and ‘Raja guhya’?
2. Explain verses 9.4 and 9.5
3. What is the relationship of Bhagavan to Prakrti?
4. Quote the verses (and the meaning) that reveal the different forms of Bhagavan?
5. How does Sri Krishna describe people who are like rakshasaas and asuraas?
6. Why is svarga not a desirable goal for mumukshus?
7. Even those devotees, who endowed with shraddha, worship other devatas, worship me alone – What does this verse mean?
8. How does bhakti culminate in jnanam? How does jnanam culminate in bhakti?
9. Why is karma a bondage? How can one be released from the bondage of karma?
10. How has Bhagavan taken care of your yoga-kshema? give some examples.
11. When can even the greatest paapi (not aligned with dharma) be regarded as a good person?
12. What are the pre-requisites for making an offering to Bhagavan?
13. How can Bhagavan be attained?
This is wonderful explanation. Thank you
Questions for reflection and discussion, on Chapter 12 of the Bhagavad Gita
Pease submit your notes in this channel itself from 25th July – 12th August 2023. I will encourage all those who read your submissions to post their comments in the ‘reply’ section.
We will discuss in small groups the answers to the following questions on 29th July in the next class. As you will see, most of the questions prompt a lot of personal reflection.
(Like earlier, don’t worry about right or wrong answers. You and your understanding is what is important to me )
1. Describe a devotee’s stages of Bhakti and related practices (if any)
2. What are the 12 qualities that a parabhakta, an exalted devotee has cultivated? Please share examples of you embodying all of them.
3. What are the 12 things that a parabhakta, an exalted devotee has freed himself from ? Please share some examples
4. Why is it said that karma-phala-tyaga leads to shanti, peace?
5. What does one need to tell oneself (in the light of the teaching) to be free from criticism and praise?
6. Explain the deeper significance of the description of a devotee being free from polarities – sukha-dukha, sheeta-ushna etc
7. How can I consider myself an instrument of Bhagavan?
8. What is shraddha and what has increased your shraddha in the Gita/Vedanta over time?