SHRIMAD-BHAGAVAD-GITAThe Universal Message

PART IV

Message Of: Bhagavan Shri KrishnaCompiled By: Maharshi Vedavyas

Bhashya by: Jagadguru ShankaracharyaCommentary by: Swami Ranganathananda

Summary: Satyendra Nath Dwivedi

“Om, may God protect us (teacher and student) together. May we be nourished together. May we attain vigor together. May we become illumined by this study. May we not hate each other. Om, peace, peace, peace”

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CHAPTER 10: VIBHUTI YOGA THE YOGA OF THE DIVINE GLORY

‘Vibhuti’ means power of manifestation, God in the manifested state.

God is the pole star of our life. He is manifested in this universe. We are never away from Him at any time. Only if we can see clearly, we can see Him in everything here.

“One who knows Me, the birth-less and beginning-less One, the great Lord of the universe – such a one, among mortals, is un-deluded, and is freed from all sins.”

In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Yajnavalkya tells Maitreyi and Gargi, particularly Gargi, “By the power of that Imperishable Reality, the sun and the moon go in their respective courses, all the streams flow in the direction towards the ocean.”

“Intellect, knowledge, non-delusion, forbearance, truth, restraint of the external senses, calmness of heart, happiness, misery, birth, death, fear as well as fearlessness; non-injury, equality, contentment, austerity, benevolence, good name, (as well as) ill-fame – (these) different kinds of qualities of beings arise from Me alone.”

In these two verses Shri Krishna gives in summary that, the good, bad, indifferent everything has come from the One. What is good to one may be evil to another. What is good to you now may be evil to you a little later. So, Vedanta never made an absolute distinction between good and evil. They are relative values.

“I am the origin of all; from Me everything evolves – thus thinking, the wise worship Me with loving consciousness.”

Richness, diversity and intense humanity – that is the religion the Gita expounds; intensely human. Shri Krishna himself was such a person. He had a very rich heart, rich human feelings, responding to human situations.

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A living human personality, full of concern for others; you can go near and feel happy in his or her company. That kind of a rich human personality, emotionally rich, attracts others. Any system that destroys the emotions of human beings will destroy humanity. Without emotion there is no meaning to human life.

In fact, the best work you do is when you have emotion impelling you to work. If you merely have dry intellectual knowledge, you can’t do any great work efficiently. Efficiency and energy come from emotion, not from intellectual knowledge, which can only direct that emotional energy. But the real impulse comes from emotion. It makes you work at your highest and best.

“With their minds wholly in Me, with their senses absorbed in Me, enlightening each other, and always speaking of Me, they are satisfied and delighted.”

Service is the best means to shed the ego. By leading a life of service, we reduce the ego to thin proportions. And as the ego becomes less and less, the Divine becomes more and more manifest in the heart of a human being.

“To them ever steadfast and serving Me with affection, I give that ‘buddhi yoga’ by which they come unto Me.”

The best blessing we get from the Divine is that kind of clear thinking and pure reason, with the touch of the Atman behind. Buddhi yoga means that. Character- efficiency comes from buddhi yoga, the yoga of intelligence.

Out of mere compassion for them, I, abiding in their hearts, destroy the darkness (in them) born of ignorance, by the luminous lamp of knowledge.”

Then, he or she will always be on the right path, moving along towards the Divine and towards friendship and love for all beings in the world. That is the type of human transformation that takes place through this type of Bhakti combined with jnana.

Nobody loves darkness. We want light; the heart also cries for light and not darkness. In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, a universal prayer of human heart is found: ‘Asato ma sadgamaya (lead me from unreal to Real); tamaso ma jyotirgamaya (lead me from darkness to Light); mrityorma amritam gamaya’ (lead me from death to Immortality).

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Grace comes from being grace-worthy. We prepare ourselves for the touch of that grace. But grace comes. That is how the higher religions of the world have expressed human progress in spirituality: your own effort, and the grace of the Divine, blending beautifully in all high spiritual developments.

A devotee or ‘Bhakta’ is not interested in the transcendental dimension of the Divine, with whom he can communicate, establish love relationship, Bhakti relationship; that is the nature of all bhaktas.

We in India have got a tremendous power of spiritual appreciation. When any spiritually great person appears in our midst, we watch and see how he or she behaves, find out if he or she in genuinely great, and appreciate him or her.

The Hindu has been taught to seek religion in experience, in character, not in profession or belief. That is why even unbelievers are respected here, if they have character.

“I am the Self, O Gudakesh, existent in the heart of all beings; I am the beginning, the middle, and also the end of all beings.”

From God we come, in God we exist, and to God we return, using the word God in the Vedantic sense of the term – not something extra-cosmic, but as the one primordial Reality, as the infinite Consciousness, which has spread out in the vast universe in which you and I live.

“Of manifestations, I am the beginning, the middle, and also the end; of all types of knowledge, I am the knowledge of the Self; and ‘Vada’ among disputations.”

The human being revealed by the senses is a very truncated creature in the whole of creation. But behind that is a great reality, a great dimension. That is what the Upanishadic sages and seers tried to understand and succeeded in expounding it to humanity as an eternal message, a ‘Sanatana Dharma’. There is only one thing that is Sanatana, eternal, and that is the infinite Atman. Everything else is subject to change. The whole world is subject to change.

The philosophy of a political state is called ‘danda-niti’ in Sanskrit. The science of danda – ‘danda’ means punishment, a big stick to punish; that is all. Only the stick is there and because of that people go in the right way. And it is very very true that almost 99 percent of people need an external power to make them behave properly. Only those who are moral and highly spiritual do not need an

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external power. They have their own power of self-discipline; they will never go wrong in their attitude, never harm anybody else.

The ultimate Reality is described in the Upanishads as silence. ‘Shanto yam Atma’, this Atman is pure silence. Truth itself is beyond speech and thought. ‘Yato vacho nivartante aprapya mansa saha’, “that Reality from which speech and thought recoil not being able to comprehend It”. That is why at higher levels of mental development speech becomes less and less. The more you approach that highest Reality, your speech becomes less and less; your argumentation becomes less and less. It is pure experience. That is absolute science.

“And whatsoever is the seed of all beings, that also am I, O Arjuna. There is no being, whether moving or unmoving, that can exist without Me.”

Vedanta says Brahman or Atman plus name and form is the universe. Take away the name and form. What remains? Only Brahman.

“This entire manifested universe is nothing but the Divine, that infinite pure Consciousness.”[Ishavasyopanishad ]

“In Whom is this universe, from Whom also is this universe, by Whom is this universe, Who Himself is this universe, Who is far beyond the highest in the universe, I take refuge in Him.”[Bhagavat 8.3.3]

Then comes a very great utterance of the Gita which has educated the people of India to bow down before greatness wherever it occurs, in any country, in any community, in any religion. If they see greatness, they bow down.

“Whatever being there is great, prosperous, or powerful, you know that to be produced from a part of My splendor.”

This reality is infinite, universal, present in everyone – in some with a greater force, in some in lesser way. We have been educated to respect greatness which uplifts humanity wherever it happens.

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“When I saw these beautiful events taking place unifying the living and the non-living, I understood the meaning of the utterance of my great ancestors in the Vedas on the banks of the Ganges when they proclaimed this truth: he who sees the One in the many, to him belongs eternal peace, eternal happiness, and to none else.”

- Sir J. C. Bose

What Bose was referring to is this from Kathopanishad [2.2.13]:

The differences are on the surface. The deeper view is that they are essentially One. The Kathopanishad [2.1.11] says:

“Through mind alone you must realize this truth that there are no differences here. But if you still go on living with the idea of these differences, you will experience death after death.”

And life and more life comes only from the Knowledge that we are essentially One. Mind must be trained in this awareness. Minds of our children must be trained in the vision of oneness.

CHAPTER 11: VISHVARUPA DARSHANAMTHE VISION OF THE UNIVERSAL FORM

“If the splendor of a thousand suns were to rise up simultaneously in the sky that would be like the splendor of that mighty Being.”

This was the verse that came to the mind of nuclear scientist Openheimer, when he first exploded the atom bomb in USA just before the end of the Second World War. When he saw the brilliance of the huge explosion rising up to the sky, deafening and even blinding the eye, he repeated this verse to himself.

Remember this – the uniqueness of the country in which we live, the uniqueness and comprehensiveness of the philosophy that has been guiding us all these hundreds of years. So, any experience of the Divine, we respect. Show the

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beauty of it in your character. If you are pure, if you are noble, we will accept it. These visions must find place in one’s altered character. That is the test of a vision. This is the Indian tradition because of the Upanishads, the profound scientific approach to religion. That science had proclaimed that experience is the test of religion and not mere creed and dogma.

[Arjuna prays] “You are the Imperishable, the Supreme Being, the One thing to be known. You are the great Refuse of this universe; You are the undying guardian of the Eternal Dharma; You are the ancient Purusha, I wean.”

“Truthfulness is an Eternal Dharma”, ‘esha dharmah sanatanah’. We have ‘Sanatana Dharma’ and ‘Yuga Dharma’. Sanatana dharma is centered in the Upanishads, or the Vedas (Shruti). Yuga Dharma is represented by ‘Smritis’ and ‘Puranas’. They are changing, must be changing; so many times they have changed.

In the ‘Shrutis’ only beautiful ideas and great truths about the true nature of God, of human beings, of the relationship between the two, are given; and that is whatVedanta teaches.

“Therefore, do arise and acquire fame. Conquer the enemies, and enjoy unrivalled dominion. Verily, by Myself have they already been slain; be you merely an instrument, O Arjuna.”

Stand up; acquire the glory which belongs to every true human being. Facing obstacles, facing difficulties, facing death itself, try to achieve something great in life. That is the message of the Gita.

“Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.”

- Shakespeare

That valiant attitude is the central message of the Gita. Be a hero in every department of life. You need not be a soldier in the army to be a hero. An average citizen can be a hero

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Our enemies are poverty, backwardness, injustice in society. These are our enemies. Fight them. Every citizen must rise up, face them and then overcome them. And then enjoy life in this prosperous country of ours.

Destiny says, “India shall be great. India shall overcome its poverty and backwardness”. That is the dictate of the modern age. The Lord has already spoken that way. You only be the instrument for achieving your own greatness

and glory. , can apply to every one of us. Be an instrument for this great purpose – to build up India, its economy, its society, its politics, and develop a progressive social system and democratic state, and work devotedly for international peace. What a life we will have then! What happy human relationship we shall have!

If there is any injustice, we have to join together immediately, and protest against it. And injustice becomes less and less. Without protest no injustice can be destroyed.

“You are the primal ‘deva’, the ancient ‘Purusha’. You are the supreme Refuge of this universe, You are the knower, and the (One thing to be) known. You are the supreme Goal. By you is the universe pervaded, O you of bondless form.”

“You are the Father of the world, moving and unmoving; the Object of its worship, greater than the great. None else exists who is equal to You in the three worlds; who then can excel You, O You of power incomparable?”

“But by single-minded devotion I may be known in this Form, O Arjuna – and to know, to see, and truly enter into (Me), O scorcher of foes.”

It is said that Gita is the essence of all Upanishads, and this shloka is the essential meaning of the Gita, to be practiced in day-to-day life.

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“One who does work for Me alone and has Me for his or her goal, is devoted to Me, is free from sensory attachment, and bears no enmity towards any being – he or she attains to Me O Pandava.”

This is what Indians and people all over the world must learn today – a religion which finds expression in high character. No hatred towards anybody; only love for all; with a detached mind. What a beautiful idea! Good work we do, but offer it to Divine. I don’t claim anything for myself.

CHAPTER 12: BHAKTI YOGATHE WAY OF DEVOTION

“Those who, fixing their mind on Me, worship Me, ever-steadfast, and endowed with supreme ‘shraddha’ or faith, they, in My opinion, are the best-versed in yoga.”

Shri Krishna tells us that the path of ‘jnana’ or knowledge is very difficult for those who have body consciousness, ‘dehatma-buddhi’. Therefore, the path of ‘Bhakti is meant for all.

“Fix your eye on Me only; place your intellect in Me; then you shall, no doubt, live in Me alone hereafter.

“He or she who hates no creature, and is friendly and compassionate towards all, who is free from the feelings of ‘I and mine’ even minded in plain and pleasure, forbearing, ever content, steady in meditation, self-controlled, and possessed of firm conviction, with mid and intellect fixed on Me – one who is thus devoted to Me, is dear to Me.”

“One by whom the world is not agitated, and who also cannot be agitated by the world, who is freed from excessive joy, intolerance, fear, and anxiety – such a man is dear to Me.”

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“One who is free from dependence, who is pure, prompt, unconcerned, untroubled, renouncing every undertaking – one who is devoted to Me, is dear to Me.”

“One who neither rejoices, nor hates, nor grieves, nor desires, renouncing good and evil, full of devotion, such a one is dear to Me.”

“One who is the same to friend and foe, and also in honor and dishonor, who is the same in heat and cold, and in pleasure and pain, who is free from attachment; to whom censure and praise are equal, who is silent, content with anything, homeless, steady-minded, full of devotion, such a person is dear to Me.”

“And they who follow this Immortal Dharma (socially stabilizing and Atman revealing), as described above, endued with ‘shraddha’ and regarding Me as the Supreme Goal, and devoted – they are exceedingly dear to Me.”

Human march from sense-bound worldliness to spirituality begins with this development; this the meaning of the word ‘dharmayam’ mentioned by Shri Krishna in the last verse. Its further march to complete spiritual freedom of the human being by realizing one’s ever-present Immortal Divine Atman constitutes what is meant by the second word ‘amritam’. That is the goal of human evolution.

CHAPTER 13: KSETRA-KHETRAJNA-VIBHAG YOGATHE DISCRIMINATION OF KSETRA AND KHETRAJNA

There are three things: knower or ‘jnata’, knowledge or ‘jnana’ and the object of knowledge or ‘jneya’. This is called ‘triputi’ in Vedanta; these three always go together. Dissolution of this triputi through specific investigation and arrival at the supreme unity of knowledge is Vedanta’s great work. Knowledge alone is the one truth of things.

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This diversity is an appearance; there is only one pure consciousness as the knower of all the observed items in the whole universe as well as in all the observers. That fills the universe. That is in you, in me, and in all.

Normally we are in a crowd. In society we are in a crowd. But, a little withdrawal is essential for cultivating higher knowledge. No creativity can come in a crowd, but only when you are alone. When you speak very little and are calm, then only can the creative mind find expression. The closer we are to the Atman, the more creative we are.

“All things in this world – the Vedas, the Puranas, the Tantras, the six systems of philosophy – have been defiled (become ucchishta), like food that has been touched by the tongue. Only one thing has not been defiled in this way, and that is Brahman.”

- Shri Ramakrishna

The ultimate reality can be realized only through silence. You can’t comprehend that reality as this or that. You can become that. Mind trying to plumb the infinite depth of the Brahman, gets merged in it. ‘Shantoyam Atma’, “this Atman is silence”, says the Brihadaranyak Upanishad. When you begin to speak, you come away from the Atman. This is the greatness of silence.

“With hands and feet everywhere, with eyes, heads, and mouths everywhere, with ears everywhere in the universe – That exists pervading all.”

“Shining by the functions of all the senses, yet without the senses; unattached, yet sustaining all; devoid of gunas’ yet there experiencer.”

“Without and within (all) beings, the unmoving and also the moving; because of its subtlety, I is incomprehensible; It is far and also It is near.”

That is the great achievement of the sages of the Upanishads. Vivekananda summarizes Vedantic teachings as follows:

1. Each soul is potentially divine.2. The goal is to manifest this divine, by controlling nature, external as well

as internal.3. Do this … and be free.4. Doctrines or dogmas, or rituals or books, or temples or forms are but

secondary details.

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Wherever you are, whatever is your activity; your inner development can take place. Activity has nothing to do with that development. This activity is going on, but inwardly your awareness gets deeper. You then realize your true self – even a little. This is how Shri Krishna speaks of a truth which all can practice.

“He or she (really) sees who sees the supreme Lord existing equally in all beings, the Imperishable in the perishable.”

This country has proclaimed ‘samatva’ and ‘samadarshitva’, yet in practice we are far away from this truth; always seeing differences between one and another, low, lower, still lower, and high, higher, still higher – all these differences we have cultivated for centuries.

In spite of this teaching, we have been most oppressed by inequality. Today we have an opportunity to change and create a healthy society. We can bring about healthy inter-human relation. The Gita gives you this kind of wisdom in the midst of its teaching on spiritual life which has tremendous consequence for our society. For a healthy society it is a great blessing.

“Seeing the Lord equally present everywhere, he or she injures not the Self by the self, and so goes to the highest goal.”

We evaluate people in terms of their externals. They are all variable, and therefore, we put emphasis on the differences; differences lead to conflicts; and everything gets distorted by that kind of stress on differences. But when we don’t deal with the variable – variables are there and we accept them, but we can see in and through the variable the ‘Invariable’ that is there – then we are able to understand the correctness of seeing the Unchanging in the midst of the changing.

“As the one sun illuminates all this world, so does He who abides in the ‘kshetra’, O descendent of Bharata, illumine the whole ‘kshetra’.”

The stress on unity, the stress on equality is there again and again in the Gita: ‘Ekam eva advitiyam’, it is one alone and non-dual.

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“They, who, thus, with the eye of knowledge, perceive the distinction between the ‘kshetra’ and the ‘kshetrajna’, and also the emancipation from the ‘Prakriti’ of beings, go to the Supreme.”

Shri Ramakrishna says four types of human beings are there, ‘baddha’, ‘mumukshu’, ‘mukta’ and ‘nittyamukta'. One is the bound one; quite happy to be bound. He or she is ‘baddha’ and does not know that after sometime he will be hauled up and destroyed. That far-sight is not there. But some are struggling. They are not happy with this bondage to nature. They are called ‘mumukshu’, the struggling persons who desire to be free. Then ‘mukta’, those who escape from this kind of bondage and become free. And the fourth is the ‘nityamukta’, the ever-free; no bondage can bind them. Maya cannot take them in its net.

There are two ways: ‘jnana’ and ‘Bhakti’. The ‘jnani’ says, ‘I am the Infinite One’ and so no net can catch him or her. But the ‘Bhakta’ says, ‘I am nobody. God is everything.” So, he or she passes through the interstices of the net. Maya cannot touch such people.

CHAPTER 14: GUNATRAY – VIBHAGA – YOGATHE DISCRIMINATION OF THE THREE GUNAS

“O mighty armed one, the gunas – sattva, rajas, and tamas – born on Prakriti, bind the embodied beings to the body.”

“Sattva makes for attachment to happiness, and Rajas to action, O Bharat, while tamas, shrouding discrimination, attached to miscomprehension.”

“The fruit of good action, they say, is Sattvika and pure; verily the fruit of Rajas is pain, and ignorance is the fruit of Tamas.”

“From Sattva arises wisdom, and from Rajas greed; misconception, delusion and ignorance arise from Tamas.”

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“The embodied one having gone beyond these three gunas, out of which the body is evolved, is freed from birth, death, old age and sorrow, and attains to immortality.”

Human emancipation, human freedom, that is the main subject; we are not free now; we are caught up in the coils of Prakriti, not only of ‘rajas’ and ‘tamas’, but also of ‘sattva’. Go beyond sattva also, says Vedanta. ‘Go beyond the three gunas’; become a ‘trigunatita’ – a wonderful state of pure freedom and delight. Great sages attained it; all can attain it depending on the effort one puts forth.

When one goes beyond the three ‘gunas’, he or she gets the freedom from ‘janma’, ‘jara’, mrityu’ and ‘duhkha’; and thus he or she enjoys Immortality. The highest state is the immortal state. We are mortal now; the body is mortal; but what is inside the body is not mortal. The Atman is immortal, but it gets caught up in the body, it becomes like mortal. When you realize the highest Truth, you become immortal, deathless.

Children up to the age of five are beyond the three gunas. These gunas begin to operate only after five years of age. Little children are spontaneous. They are living absolutely a free life. That is their nature.

“He or she who is alike in pleasure and pain, self-abiding, who regards a clod of earth, a stone and gold alike; who is same to agreeable and disagreeable events; who is wise, and same in censure and praise; who is same in honor and disgrace; same to friend and foe and who has relinquished all undertaking; he or she is said to have gone beyond the three ‘gunas’.”

“He or she who serves Me with unswerving devotion, having gone beyond the gunas, is fit for becoming one with Brahman. For I am well known as the abode of the Brahman – the Immortal and Immutable – and of everlasting ‘Dharma’ and Absolute bliss.”

We, in India, call religion as “Santa Dharma”, the Eternal religion. It has no name, no location. It is a set of Truths. It runs through various religions of the world.

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CHAPTER 15: PURUSHOTTAMA – YOGATHE WAY OF THE SUPREME SPIRIT

“They speak of an eternal ‘Ashvattha’ rooted above and branching below whose leaves are the Vedas; one who knows it, is a knower of Vedas.”

This is an adaptation from the verse from Kathopanishad [2.3.1]:

“That is the tree with roots above and branches below; this is a ‘Sanatana’ or eternal ‘Ashvattha’ tree; that alone is pure, that alone is Brahman, that alone is truly immortal, it is said; all the worlds are fixed on that tree, none transcends that.”

In his comment on this Upanishad verse, Shankaracharya puts flesh and blood, as it were, into the bare Upanishadic imagery and makes this tree of existence pulsate with life and movement: “This Ashvattha tree, consisting of unbroken and manifold miseries of birth, death, and grief; changing its nature every moment like (the products of magic), waters of the mirage, (or) city formed by cloud formations in the sky, etc.; being of such nature as these, to be perceived only to vanish again and become ultimately non-existent like a tree; insubstantial like the stem of the plantation tree; the subject of doubt-ridden conclusions of many hundreds of skeptics; the mysterious, unascertained phenomenal fact to seekers of scientific truth; receiving its substantiality (reality) from the supreme Brahman, as ascertained by Vedanta; issuing from the seed of ‘avyakta’ (undifferentiated nature) constituted of ‘avidya’ (ignorance), ‘kama’ (desire), and ‘karma’ (action); having for its sprout ‘hiranyagarbha’ (cosmic mind), which is Brahman in its manifested form, and which combines in itself the two powers of knowledge and action; having for its trunk the various subtle bodies of all living beings; having for its tender buds the objects perceived by the intellect and sense-organs; having for its leaves (the knowledge contained in) the ‘Shruti’ (Vedas), the ‘Smritis’ (books on religious and social law and duty), ‘nyaya’ (logic and scientific method), ‘vidya’ (the sciences collectively), and ‘Upadesha’ (spiritual instruction); with lovely flowers consisting of sacrifice, charity, austerity, and various other deeds; endowed with diverse tastes such as the experiences of joy and sorrow; having innumerable fruits on which living beings subsist; with its (secondary) branches (consisting of tendencies) well

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grown by being irrigated with the waters of the respective desires of the beings and fastened firm by intertwining; with the ‘nests’ built by birds, namely the worlds beginning with what is called ‘satya’ (the plane of truth) built by all living from Brahma (the cosmic mind) downwards; reverberating with the diverse and tumultuous sounds arising from the joys and sorrows of beings due to their pleasures and pains resulting from dancing, vocal singing, joking, clapping on the shoulders, laughing, pulling, crying with exclamations of ‘release me’, ‘release me’ etc.; this tree of ‘sansara’ (relative existence), whose nature is such as to rustle constantly like ( the leaves of) the “ashvattha’ tree due to the wind of desire and action, it is to be destroyed by the weapon of non-attachment forged by the realization of the unity of Brahman and Atman as taught by Vedanta.”

“An internal portion of Myself, having become a living soul in the world of living, draws (to itself) from external nature, the five senses with the mind for the sixth.”

The status of a human being has never been expressed so highly in any literature compared to what we get in Vedanta and also this shloka of Gita. The discovery of the Atman is the discovery of a very wonderful truth – that is in this tiny body, such a wonderful truth is hidden. So the Upanishads addressed all human beings as ‘Amartya-Putras’, children of Immortality.

I am centred in the hearts of all; memory and perception as well as their loss comes from Me. I am verily that which has to be known by all the Vedas; I indeed am the Author of the Vedanta, and knower of the Vedas am I.”

“As I transcend the perishable and am also above the imperishable, therefore I, in the world, and the Veda, celebrated as ‘Purushottama’ – the highest ‘Purusha’.”

The God of the ‘Bhakta’, and the God of the ‘jnani’, is the ‘Purushottama’. That same Brahman is both ‘saguna’ and ‘nirguna’, with qualities and without qualities, and they are one and the same. The same reality is finding expression as the world, from another point of view. We call these in Sanskrit

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as ‘Nitya’ and ‘Lila’. Brahman as itself is ‘Nitya-svarupa’ and as the world is ‘Lila-svarupa’, the play of the Lord.

“Thus, O sinless one, has this most profound science been imparted by Me; knowing this, one attains the highest intelligence and will have accomplished all one’s duties, O descendent of Bharat.”

CHAPTER 16; DAIVISAMPAD – VIBHAGA – YOGATHE CLASSIFICATION OF THE DIVINE AND NON-DIVINE ATTRIBUTES

Human beings are divided into two categories: the moral and the immoral. In Sanskrit they are called ‘daivi’ and ‘asuri’. Those who strive for higher values are endowed with the ‘daivi sampat’. And those who strive for sensory values only are possessed of ‘asuri sampat’.

“Fearlessness, purity of heart, steadfastness in knowledge and yoga, almsgiving, control of senses, yajna or sacrifice, study of the Shatras, austerity, uprightness, non-injury, truth, absence of anger, renunciation, tranquility, absence of calumny, compassion to beings, non-coveted-ness, gentleness, modesty, absence of fickleness, energy, forbearance, fortitude, purity, absence of hatred, absence of pride – these belong to one who is born for the divine state, O descendent of Bharat.”

There is no separate place called hell or heaven. Also, there are no separate people called ‘asura’ or ‘deva’. Humanity itself is of these two types. We can choose to be either this or that. Our choice is in our hands.

“The gateway to hell, destructive of the self, is of three kinds, namely, lust, anger and greed; therefore, one should forsake these three.”

When you appreciate virtue, you are on the road to becoming virtuous. If you appreciate evil, you are on the road to becoming a hellish person. There is still respect for virtue, appreciation of virtue all over the world. And therefore, there is hope.

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“One who has got freed from these three gates of darkness, O son of Kunti, practices what is good for oneself, and thus goes to the Goal Supreme.”

So, there is a divine spark in every one of us. It may assert sometime or the other. Nobody is, therefore, eternally condemned. There is no eternal damnation in Vedanta. It is all temporary. Therefore, Shri Krishna says here that such a person practices one’s own welfare after giving us the ways that lead to hell, and goes to the highest state of experience. A ray of light, a ray of illumination comes and the mind and heart become illumined. Moral life becomes natural to such a person.

Shruti is only one because it deals with Truth – the truth about human beings, the truth about human relationships, the truth about the Divine hidden in all, and that truth is unchanging, eternal.

The same Atman is in every being. So, any kind of discriminatory teaching cannot come from a true ‘Shastra’.

The ideal society is that where justice and law coincide. Let there be more of justice in society. Then law and justice will coincide. That is a healthy society.

Whenever there is injustice, we must protest. We must join together and protest. This is the spirit that keeps justice alive in society, what we call ‘Dharma’.

CHAPTER 17: SHRADDHATRAY – VIBHAGA – YOGATHE ENQUIRY INTO THE THREE-FOLD SHRADDHA

“Threefold is the ‘Shraddha’ of the embodied, which is embedded in their nature – the ‘sattvika’, the ‘rajasik’ and the ‘tamasik’. Listen about it (from Me).”

“The ‘Shraddha’ of each is according to his or her natural disposition, O descendent of Bharat. A person consists of his or her ‘Shraddha’. One is verily what one’s ‘Shraddha’ is.”

It is the mind that acts. If the mind is ‘sattvika’, then the action will also be ‘sattvika’. If the mind is ‘rajasik’, then action will be ‘rajasik’. So also, if the mind

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is ‘tamasik’, action too will be ‘tamasik’. The central idea is therefore this: Take care of the mental disposition. Try to improve it. There is no use in improving your action. Rather, improve that force from which actions proceed. This is a very profound idea in human life.

So, do not forget to take care of the mind in the midst of all your life and actions, and see how it is shaping itself in the course of action. This is a very important teaching in the Gita. Out of this alone can come high character efficiency, coming out of day-to-day life and action.

“The foods which augment vitality, energy, strength, health, cheerfulness, and appetite, which are savory and oleaginous, substantial and agreeable are liked by the ‘Sattvika’.”

“Worship of the gods, ‘dvijas’, the ‘guru’, and the wise; purity, straight-forwardness, continence, and non-injury are called the austerity of the body.”

“Speech which causes no vexation, and which is true, as also agreeable and beneficial, and regular study of the Vedas – these are said to the austerity of speech.”

“Serenity of mind, kindliness, silence, self-control, honesty of motive – this is called the mental austerity.”

“This three-fold austerity, if practiced by steadfast people, with great ‘Shraddha’ desiring no fruits is said to be ‘Sattvika’.”

“’To give is right’ – gift given with this idea, to one who can do no service in return, in a fit place, time and to worthy person, that gift is held to be ‘Sattvika’.”

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‘Dana’ was a great idea developed in India. Always share what you have with others. It is very much emphasized in our literature. So, ‘Dana’ has a high place: I have something; somebody does not have it, let me share, let me give it to another who does not have it. India was known for this quality of charity and hospitality for centuries together. Anyone could travel all over India without carrying a single pie in one’s pocket. You would be looked after by people everywhere.

Charity must be done with a generous mind, with an open hand, not with a hand that is drawn back. ‘Taittiriya’ Upanishad says: ‘Shraddhaya deyam’ (whatever you give in charity, give it with ‘Shraddha’); ‘Ashraddhaya adeyam’ (without that ‘Shraddha’ don’t give); ‘Shriya deyam’ (give with a sense of plenty); ‘Hriya deyam’ (give with humility); ‘Bhiya deyam’ (give with fear for the cause is so great and the amount of donation made is so small); ‘Samvida deyam’ (give with knowledge of the purpose for which the gift is made).

“Om, Tat, Sat: this has been declared to be the triple designation of Brahman. By That were made the ‘Brahmanas’, the Vedas, and the ‘yajnas’ in the days of the yore.”

“Therefore, uttering ‘Om’, are the acts of sacrifice, gift and austerity, as enjoined in the ordinances, always begun by the followers of the Vedas.”

“Uttering ‘Tat’, and without aiming at fruits, are the various acts of sacrifice, austerity, and gift performed by seekers of ‘Moksha’.”

“The word ‘Sat’ is used in the sense of reality and of goodness; and so also, O Partha, the word ‘Sat’ is used in the sense of an auspicious act.”

“Steadiness in ‘yajna’, austerity and gift is also called ‘Sat’; action in connection with these (or action for the sake of Lord) is also called ‘Sat’.”

Shri Ramakrishna said, “Put God first and then everything else. Then they all become meaningful. Take away God and everything becomes meaningless.

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Shankaracharya said in his commentary on Upanishads: ’Tadatmana vinirmuktah jagat asat sampadyate’, “when you negate the Atman from the whole manifested universe, the universe becomes ‘asat’. It becomes a non-entity.”

CHAPTER 18: MOKSHA – SANYAS – YOGATHE WAY OF LIBERATION IN RENUNCIATION

Lokamanya Tilak, in his Gita Rahasya, a famous two volume book, mentions: if you do work, some trouble will come; if you don’t do any work, no trouble will come. And the Hindu decided: we shall not do any work at all! But the heart is craving for many things! Lot of hypocrisy came in human life because of that. The heart is craving, but the mind says I shall not do anything. Therefore, all troubles came.

“The renunciation of ‘kamya’ actions, the sages understand as ‘sannyas’; the wise declare abandonment of the fruit of works as ‘tyaga’.”

Here in the world itself one can be a ‘sannyasi’ by living a life of inward spiritual striving and outward human service, characterized by the absence of attachment to the work that one does. Here itself one can achieve the highest.

“The work of ‘yajna’, ‘Dana’, and ‘tapas’ should not be relinquished, but it should indeed be performed; (for) ‘yajna’, ‘Dana’, and ‘tapas’ are purifying agents according to the wise.”

“But even these works, O Partha, should be performed renouncing attachment and the fruits; such is My best and certain conviction.”

So, men and women must go beyond the genetic limitation which nature has given to us. Our own higher nature can overcome this limitation. So, assert human nature above physical nature. This is the importance of all spiritual life.

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“When obligatory work is performed, O Arjuna, only because it ought to be done, leaving attachment and fruit, such’ tyaga’ or renunciation is regarded as ‘sattvika’.”

“The renouncer endued with ‘sattva’, who is wise, and with one’s doubts dispelled, hates not a disagreeable work, nor is attached to an agreeable work.”

‘Medha’ is a great word in Sanskrit and according to the Yoga philosophy the best intelligence energy of the system, refined and further refined, becomes ultimately ‘Medha’.

This refining of the inner energy is the essence of character development. All human growth and development come from this particular discipline. If this is emphasized, everything else becomes emphasized.

“Learn from Me, O mighty-armed, these five causes for the accomplishment of all works as declared in the wisdom which is the end of all action.”

“The body as well as the agent, the various senses, the different functions of a manifold kind, and the presiding divinity, the fifth of these.”

‘Hitopadesh’, the famous book of morals in Sanskrit language, defines: ‘Purva janma kritam karma, tat daivam iti kathyate’, “The actions that were done in the past life, in previous births, they are operating as destiny in the present life.” So, it is our own making. Destiny comes from ourselves; not from others. Putting the blame on destiny as something from outside, especially putting the blame on stars and planets for being responsible for our troubles is not accepted by Vedanta and Sanatana Dharma. Our own ‘karmas’ done long ago are waiting for maturity. They influence our endeavors at a particular moment to make for success or failure.

“That by which the one indestructible reality is seen in all beings, in-separate in the separated, know that knowledge to be ‘sattvika’.”

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In India in our great Advaitic vision, we discovered the One in the many, and the One existing fully in each of these particular entities of the world. ‘Avibhaktam vibhakteshu’, undivided in all apparently divided things. This is a very profound idea, extremely subtle. That is why ‘sattvika’ knowledge is very profound and subtle.This knowledge has a profound impact on human culture and civilization. No harmony, peace or understanding can come to a society until this ‘sattvika jnana’ comes into the minds of the people.

“An ordained action, done without attachment, and without love or hatred, by one not desirous of its fruit, is declared to be ‘sattvika’.”

“An agent who is free from attachment, non-egoistic, endued with fortitude and enthusiasm, and unaffected in success and failure, is called ‘sattvika’.”

“The fortitude by which functions of mind, the ‘Prana’, and the senses, O Partha, are regulated, that fortitude unswerving through yoga, is ‘sattvika’.”

“Buddhi’ and ‘Dhriti’ are close to each other. Buddhi or intellect is the capacity for discrimination. ‘Dhriti’ or will power is the motive force that takes us forward. A will is that which makes things move. It is the will power that makes things move. When prompted by the will, knowledge grows into action; knowledge moves into world moving activity. That is the role of ‘Dhriti’, a pure will.

When the Gita will be studied by the whole nation and by the people abroad, and when lot of thinking goes into it, I am sure, that little by little people will develop this type of character. All the power needed for it – the power of knowledge, the power of inspiration - is here. But one has to experiment with these teachings in one’s life. Our life must be an experiment.

A society is developed not because there is plenty of money in it, but because there is plenty of natural trust. There fearlessness becomes natural and spontaneous.

“That which is like poison at first, but like nectar at the end; that happiness is declared to be ‘sattvika’, which is born of the serenity of the self and intellect.”

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In India it is held that the words of the elders may be unpleasant in the beginning but very pleasant at the end.

We call education as ‘tapa’. ‘Vidya’ or knowledge is a ‘tapa’; you have to struggle for it.

Vedanta treats us as human beings in search of excellence – one excellence giving place to another excellence, a third excellence, and so on. That is the meaning and the process of human education.

The capacity to go from one ‘guna’ to another (e.g. tamsika - to – rajasika – to sattvika) is within us because we are essentially the Atman which is above these ‘gunas’. Only, we do not know that truth now. We are drawing upon that truth to deal with life in the three ‘gunas’. So, this knowledge of the three ‘gunas’ and their operation is helpful in developing character.

Vedanta tells everyone that one is one’s own master, if only one knows how to go about it. Putting the responsibility on our own self is the great contribution of the Vedanta. We can bring our self down; we can also raise ourselves up by changing our mind and attitude, which also means changing the ratio of the three forces – sattva, rajas and tamas, within ourselves.

Let there be a search for the human energy system and its refinement. This is all what is to be understood as religion and also as education: changing this mind from one going down to one going up. Gravitational pull of the lower nature, the genetic nature, the biological nature is very strong and the mind goes down. Now another force pulls up the mind little by little. So, raise yourself by yourself.

“Devoted each to his own duty, a person attains the highest perfection, engaged in one’s own duty, how a person attains perfection, here that (from Me).”

“From Whom is the evolution of all beings, by Whom all this is pervaded, worshipping Him with one’s own work, a person attains perfection.”

This wide relevance of the Gita is the conversion of all work into a means for higher spiritual development. The concept of work, of human development and fulfillment, is what affects everyone in the world. It is a universal theme, as Shri

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Krishna has given us in this verse – how this work is related to the highest Reality or to God in the heart of all human beings and nature.

The Vedantic statement is: “Brahman is the consummation of all knowledge.” Shankaracharya in his commentary on ‘Brahma sutras’ says: ‘Atma ekatva vidya pratipattaye sarve Vedanta arabhyate’, “all Upanishads (Vedanta) are there for the attainment of the knowledge of the unity of the Self.” We are essentially one. There is only one infinite Self in this whole universe, and that is realized in experience, and not merely in an intellectual conception. Again, ‘anubhava avasanam Brahma vijnanam’, “knowledge of Brahman consummates in the experience of Brahman.”

“Being endued with a pure intellect, and subduing the body and the senses with fortitude; relinquishing sound and other sense objects, and abandoning attraction and hatred; one who resorts to a sequestered spot; eats but little; who is ever engaged in the yoga of meditation, and who is possessed of dispassion; one who has forsaken egoism, power, pride, lust, wrath, and property, freed from the notion of mine; and who is tranquil – becomes fit for becoming Brahman.”

“One who has attained Brahman, and who is tranquil-minded, neither grieves nor desires; same to all beings, attains supreme devotion unto Me.”

All love is included in that Love of God, because God is all, is in the hearts of all. That is why he is all. A devotee of God is a lover of all. His God is One.

“Even doing all actions always taking refuge in Me – by My grace one attains to the eternal immutable State.”

“Resigning mentally all deeds unto Me, having Me as the highest goal, resorting to ‘buddhi-yoga’, ever fix your mind on Me.”

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‘Yoga-buddhi’ is a ‘buddhi’ which is in tune with the Divine, because just behind this ‘buddhi’ is the Atman. The senses are far away, but the ‘buddhi’ is nearest. Shankaracharya calls ‘buddhi’ as ‘Nedishtham Brahma’, “nearest to Brahman.”

“”When the self-controlled spiritual aspirant realizes, in this very body, the truth of Brahman through the truth of the Atman’ self-luminous as light, then knowing the Divinity which is unborn, eternal, and untouched by the modification of nature, he is freed from all bondage.”

“The Supreme Lord, O Arjuna, dwells in the hearts of all beings, causing all beings, by his Maya, to revolve, (as if) mounted on a machine.”

“Take refuge in Him alone with all your heart, O Bharat; by His grace you shall attain Supreme Peace (and) the Eternal Abode.”

“Occupy your mind with Me, be devoted to Me, bow down to Me. You shall then reach Me only: truly do I promise to you, (for) you are dear to Me.”

“Relinquishing all ‘Dharmas’ take refuge in Me alone; I will liberate you from all sins; grieve not.”

This is called the ‘Charam Shloka’ – the finale, the ultimate wisdom of spiritual life.

Philosophy is what imparts wisdom to human life. Textbook philosophy does not do that, but a deeper vision of truth is what gives philosophy its high value. With that philosophy one can find one’s way in life. It is like a lamp which throws light on our path and shows us way.

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“This great Purana, the profound Shastra, the Bhagavat was conveyed out of compassion by the great sage “Shuka’ from his own experience. This scripture is the essence of all ‘Shrutis’ and a spiritual lamp for those who live in this ‘sansara’. I take refuge in him, ‘Shuka’ the teacher of sages and the son of Vyas.”[Bhagavat1.2.3]Religious teachings will be valuable only if it comes from experience, not from academic achievement. Academic pursuit has a value, but not in this field of spiritual guidance. Here, only spiritual experience has a value. Whatever the Shruti teaches is the product of experience. We can also experience it in our life.

“Unless we build ourselves above ourselves, how poor a thing is man.”- Wordsworth

“One who, with supreme devotion to Me, will teach this deeply profound philosophy to My devotees, shall doubtless come to Me alone.”

Human beings communicate with each other. That communication must be for the good of all, for uplifting people. So, Shri Krishna tells, “Those who spread among devotees this profound truth that I communicated to you, with supreme devotion to Me, they will come unto Me without doubt.

“And one who will study this dialogue of ours conducive to social stability and enrichment, by him or her shall I be worshipped by the ‘yajna’ of knowledge; such is my conviction.”

Studying and spreading great ideas is a great ‘yajna’ by itself. We call it ‘Adhyayana’ (study) and ‘Adhyapana’ (teaching). Both must go side by side. From Upanishads up to our own times, this idea has been expounded. In the Taittiriya Upanishad, the Vice Chancellor, addressing the students, says, ‘Swadhyaya pravachanabhyam na pramaditavyam’, “Don’t forsake learning and teaching.”

India has a great concept in sociology and that is: Every child is born with three debts – ‘Pitri-Rina’ (the genetic debt), ‘Rishi-Rina’ (the debt to our sages) and ‘Deva-Rina (debt to the gods). We discharge ‘Pitri-Rina’ by leaving good healthy children to continue the genetic succession. We discharge ‘Rishi-Rina’ by studying, by acquisition of knowledge left behind by sages and enhancing it. ‘Deva-Rina’ is discharged by protecting our environment.

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Study of the Gita and trying to live it is worship of the Divine.

We seek philosophy in order to give us guidance in our day-to-day life. This philosophy of life is very important. It does not mean an academic philosophy. Philosophy is something by which we put our little actions of life in the context of a profound thought, a profound idea, a profound ideal; we put all of them together; then we get a philosophy to guide our life and action.Knowledge is the greatest gift according to our literature. If a person wants to give a small packet of money or knowledge, a good person will choose knowledge and not money. Money comes and goes; tomorrow it will all be finished. Knowledge will make us live a better and still better life. Knowledge is the supreme wealth, according to a Sanskrit verse: ‘Vidya dhanam sarvadhana pradhanam’.

A valuable thing has value when we search for it. If it comes to us without searching, it has no value.

“Wherever is Krishna, the Lord of Yoga, wherever is Partha, the wielder of the bow; there are prosperity, victory, welfare and constant justice; such is my convention.”

The energies of Shri Krishna and of Arjuna must combine together in a society. Shri Krishna, the Man of vision, of far-sight and foresight, combined with the tremendous energy of implementation in Arjuna, the man of action, ensures in any nation, these blessings: ‘Shrih’, ‘Vijayah’, ‘Bhutih’ and ‘Dhruva Nitih’. This is the message of the Upanishad.

We can build up a new society, a new civilization, perfectly creative and intensely humanistic, based on the philosophy of the Upanishad, a philosophy, which speaks only of strength, human equality, and service.

Summary: Satyendra Nath Dwivedi

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