Gita

In school, one teacher (Sri Sidhara Thathacharyar) said this: ‘After the war, Krishna started the conversation – I taught you Gita before the war, do you recall? Arjuna laughed and replied – Did you dream? Gita! You taught me! That is funny. Krishna recapitulated the teaching.’

In Chocolate Krishna of Crazy Mohan, Arjuna rings up Krishna and asks him a doubt on Gita. Krishna is put off and says, ‘Instead of teaching you, I could have taught Duryodhana.’

I have a way of remembering the non-essential!

*

Nishkamya karma is not the central message of Gita.

Krishna urges Arjuna to fight reminding him that winning he will rule, and losing he will attain the heaven for the brave. That is not nishkamya in theory. Later in the war proper, Krishna guides him to win at any cost. That is not nishkamya in practice.

It is a call for action that is tailored to certain ends, dharma of the individual in a social structure, the organization of society itself being purposive. The result is not assured and one should be prepared to accept it and continue action with better insight and skill.

In several places in Gita the ‘palam’ of the particular course is given.

Life at human level is result-oriented action, and Gita does not challenge this.

To me the message of Gita is that we should do our duty with diligence not put down by failure or trouble.

April 8, 2016 ·
Nishkamya Karma
I wonder if it is practical.
Karma (voluntary) is propelled by kama. The two terms are phonetically similar. Desirelessness sounds lofty, but I have not seen it in action. (Excuse me for the paradox).
For a yogi, a sthitapragna, a jnani, the attribute sounds apt, but apart from the technical completeness of the description or definition, my observation has failed to find a practical example. May devotees forgive my ignorance and audacity.
So long as we are in the sheath of senses with mind weaving a web, desire and action induced by desire fill out life. It is in disciplining these vehicles that ethical effort must concern. Life is about action towards a desired objective.
(It is an idea that hatched out after long incubation. An idea is a working of the same mind that churns out desires. It is tentative.)

मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूः

Do not be motivated for fruits in undertaking action.

This advice in Gita is quoted widely. It is in straight conflict with the goal of any organization, and even with the goals of highly ambitious individuals. We cannot give this advice to executives or employees in any commercial organization. Result-oriented action is the in-thing.

We can explain it away in many ways. 1. It was given to Arjuna contextually. His duty was to fight regardless of victory or defeat. 2. When we enter any contest, we cannot prejudge the outcome. It would be funny if someone decided to enter the contest only if he is assured of victory (match fixing!) (But Arjuna was not fighting shy because he was afraid of losing. I do not understand why this argument is advanced to Arjuna. Someone may please elucidate. Nor is it quite appealing to me to argue that in any case everyone is going to die in body). 3. As many factors impact the outcome, not just our utmost effort, we must take our eyes away from the outcome and proceed in a way to maximize the outcome, realizing at the same time the possibility of failure.

I want to add another dimension.

As Krishna says, it is in human nature to be engaged in some action or other. We have to undertake action that is necessary to provide for our living. That apart, we have to busy ourselves in something. Participating in events with plum outcome is the prerogative of a few. We must quit the idea of a return in our actions that we undertake in keeping with our proneness to action. The more we undertake such action where there is no reward in mind, the greater is our inner satisfaction and strengthening of society. The tension and conflicts we experience result from our expecting a personal benefit in all our actions. We must understand that action is our nature and it sustains us in life by contributing to the pool from which we draw at will.

Who goes to God (while alive)?
Gita says there are four types of people who resort to God.
आर्ति (afflicted) , अर्थार्थि (one who is after some purpose), जिज्ञासु (one who is inquisitive of knowing the truth), ज्ञानि (the realised soul).
It is seen that those who seek God include the ones who seek redressal of their grievance and those who want their desires fulfilled. The advice that we should not seek anything from God does not find support here. We are human and are interested in this life. Even the staunch believer is in no hurry to go to the other world. There is no need to feel sanctimonious and look down on others that are interested in God for their personal ends.
It is another issue whether one always attains what he is after by prayer. If we believe, we know how to take it. And there are those who break the coconut on the idol rather than for the idol, if frustrated.

10/12/2013
Gita:
"One who sees action in inaction and inaction in action really sees."

Siva is in action continuously - dance, but Siva's action in the main is samana (prima facie destruction, but it is achievement of quietude). His silent teaching as Dakshinamurthy signifies this.
Vishnu is apparently idle - lying on a snake in milky ocean. But he is the energy of the universe - in his role as protector.
What appears as dead and inert to us is full of incessant activity at the subatomic level. The still-looking celestial bodies are hurtling at mind-boggling speed.

The message of the Gita

1.    Gita is a codification of the Upanishads and the then prevailing knowledge of what makes the world tick. Brahma Sutras codified the Upanishads in a cryptic way, but Gita does it in a more reader-friendly way.

We need to get into what it has to say. The setting in a battle-field should not make us waste our effort. Is it plausible that such an esoteric thing was discussed with the two armies confronting each other for decisive action? That line of inquiry is futile.

The message that runs through Gita is one of sincere effort in one’s field of action in the light of the knowledge then obtaining and not feeling frustrated with the outcome. It is good to see the sense in its message rather than split hairs about the immediate context which enabled it.

Does Gita glorify war? No. If we get that doubt, we must look back at the developments before. Multiple efforts were made for peace on honourable terms. That having failed, war ensued.

2. The dominant message of Gita is action in accord with our nature and role. We should do our job however inadequately (care! It is not a call for shoddy work) rather than do someone else’s job even if perfectly. But, we are not masters of the fruits of our action. Regardless of the outcome, we must do our job to the best of our ability. Inaction is not recommended, nor is it possible. Our nature is action. Do what you have to and dedicate it to god. You cannot give up action, but you must give up the fruits of action in order to attain liberation. Nishkamya karma, for worldly action, may be understood as avoiding action with greed in mind, it cannot mean that the action is not result-oriented. In this world our action is towards a purpose.  

3. What is the ‘nature’ that dictates our action and hence our personality?

The three qualities, satva, rajas and tamas, induce us to action. They are born from prakriti (nature). Roughly, they are tranquil, active and animal states. All of us have them in a blend. Even tranquil state induces action, though of a peaceful and desirable type. Tamas is not downright bad. Sleep is tamasic, but a necessary restorer. Our total personality is marked by the predominant one.

There are two tendencies (svabhava) that we possess – daiva (divine) and asura (devilish). Again, our personality takes shape according to what dominates.

Even our faith and quality of involvement are of three types, sattvic, rajasic  and tamasic. The food we eat also affects the qualities. The models we follow are according to the qualities. Our efforts and attitudes follow the three qualities.

We have a predisposition and careful grooming can balance the qualities for a desirable stance on life; that can be the message we take home from here. It will also help us understand others in sympathetic light.

4. 

Who seeks god?

There are four types of people who seek god.

(1)  Physical comfort: freedom from pain, etc. (आर्तः)

(2)  Physical possession (अर्थार्थी)

(3)  Intellectual curiosity (जिज्ञासुः)

(4)  Spiritual quest (ज्ञानि)    

Different paths are shown for different people. The various paths are valid. One is not superior to another, or the truth is not the prisoner of any one path. This is not left to be inferred. Krishna says it explicitly: “In whichever form a devotee worships me, I grace him through that form.” This is the crux of Hinduism. There is no fixed form or path that defines god. Faith shapes the reality in a chosen form. Krishna clarifies in another place that a person is what his faith is. A person is defined by his faith. He becomes what he believes. We can choose a peaceful faith, an active faith that involves a lot of action, a violent or infatuating faith. The choice is ours, but the consequence follows from the faith. There is none without faith.

“As he is of the same truth as all others and of that ineffable truth, he attains the same truth by unremitting faith that he has chosen.”

Krishna’s words how he manifests himself in times of offence to dharma, can be extended to great souls that have appeared elsewhere also. That would mean that the various faiths are from the same source. To seek distinction among them, positing one as superior to another, has no place in Sanatana Dharma.*

5.    Gita covers the Vedic take on varnasrama dharma as created by god. It is in accordance with one’s svabhava (nature, which is genetic). One’s next birth is influenced by one’s deeds and the mental stance he had at the time of death. Deviating from the varna dharma is presented as disastrous. We must read scripture making allowance for social changes, and that is not a sacrilege in Hinduism.

6.    The nature of the soul is covered in detail.

The soul is whole, indivisible, neither born nor dies.  

(My thought: if so, how can a new soul be born with every being? Gita is explicit that a thing born dies. Also, how can there be multiple souls?)

A sthitapragna is one who finds contentment with Atma by Atma. For such a person, there is nothing to be done.

Hierarchy of faculties: the sense organs are said to be superior, but mind is superior to them, and buddhi (intellect) is superior to the mind. ‘He’ is superior to buddhi also. ‘He’ is the same as ‘I’.

(I believe Buddhism stops with buddhi. Perhaps that is why it is called ‘Buddhi’sm!)

There is real difficulty in visualizing ‘I’. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad leaves it open. ‘Who will know the knower?’

In mathematics, we sometimes assume an unknown quantity and arrive at a solution, but may not get a solution to the assumed unknown quantity. For example, ‘i’, imaginary number, being the square root of -1. We solve many problems with it, but can never know what the value of ‘i’ is. ‘I’ also is like that. Sankara says bluntly that the only source from which we know it is scripture. No other means of knowledge can reveal it to us. Those who try to prove the soul are in self-deception (unintended, but telling pun).

But, the assumption is very practical. I am afraid, we will never know the truth of it, but that does not matter. It gives a basis for morality and relating with others joyfully. Messages like ‘see yourself in others and others in yourself’ are derived from it. That is the basis of human bond. We need the picture of continuity to remain sane and submit to order.

Viswarupa

7.    The display of cosmic form to Arjuna may be taken not to mean as a pointer to Krishna’s divinity, but as to an illustration of how god is ‘ananta’. ‘Satyam, gnanam, anantam Brahma’. Krishna tells Arjuna that such a form is not visible to the normal senses. He empowers Arjuna with ‘divine’ vision. Divine vision is attained with disciplined senses and mind, and a guru. That is what happens here.

The world is huge beyond imagination and is in perpetual flux. It has no end, and as a corollary, no beginning or middle. ‘Anadimadhyantam’.

As Arjuna finds, it is not possible to live in that vision with this body, continuously.

When I listened to MS, there would sit behind her Smt Gowri Ramnarayanan on the tambura, singing along, looking at MS askance with a wonder-filled gaze that brought out her Svanubhava of the music MS created.

When Dr. Padma Subramanian took up theme of Viswarupa darsanam, I wondered why she chose that theme and how she would bring out viswarupa darsanam in a live performance. I was awe-struck the way she brought it out in abhinayam more than words could convey.

Viswarupadarsanam by Krishna was symbolic. Arjuna could appreciate it only with divine eyes, which is an attitudinal paradigm change. The vision was only for Arjuna though many others must have been there in the battlefield. Sanjaya also saw by some boon.

The idea of god as different from the world is a primary lesson. As we gain knowledge, we must be able to handle facts without assumptions and metaphors. God in the form of the universe is the literal meaning of viswarupam. It was not a special phenomenon, but the common one, but our senses are trained to look at Viswam in a disjointed way. The unified vision which results from a selfless orientation makes us see reality as it is rather than as we are. That episode was to make Arjuna realize that the universe-god continuum operates inscrutably and human action must concern with the context and dharma.

Heard in Paramarthananda’s Gita discourse:

1.    Duryodhana complains to Drona that his forces are inferior to that of the Pandavas. In reality, he has more in number and quality, but the weight of adharma he perpetrated, makes him afraid.

2.    Escapist sanyasa (running away at the sight of a problem) is adharma.

3.    Rituals are verbalisastion or physicalisation of abstract values.

4.    Gita is about strengthening oneself- developing inner resistance – freedom from psychological disturbances – that is moksha. It is for those that seek it.

5.    A wise man should not advise unless the person sincerely asks for it. In the long run advising makes the receiver dependent. We should teach a person how to make decisions independently. Recall the Chinese saying: if you give a man fish, you feed him once, but if you teach him to fish, he will earn food by himself for all time.

6.    The relationship between Krishna and Arjuna is one as between guru and sishya. (Interestingly, Katopanishad uses the simile of Sarathi for buddhi).

7.    Krishna advises Arjuna to fight from three standpoints:

(i) Philosophical (अध्यात्मिक दृष्टि)

(ii) Ethical (धार्मिक दृष्टि)

(iii) Practical (लौकिक दृष्टि)

8.    Resistance to fact is sorrow.

9.    The whole life is a series of opposite experiences, disturbances.

10. Namaskara is done to another being because of atma in them.

11. Atma does not travel because it is all-pervasive. The bodies come and go.

12. According to sastras, there is no higher and lower consciousness (atma).

13. We talk of philosophy when there is bereavement in others’ families.

14. Act where there is choice. Accept where there is none.

15. Michael Pritchard: ‘Fear is that little dark room where negatives are developed.’

16. Omnipotency is power to do what is possible. Even god cannot create an atom of matter. (Conservation of mass of science corresponds to this).

17. Atma is neither outside me nor inside me, it is me.

18. Samanya dharma (सामान्य धर्म) is universal dharma irrespective of one’s special position, comprising yama and niyama. But, a person’s special dharma may overrule at times the samanya dharma. For example, ahimsa is common dharma. But, a kshatriya’s dharma involves taking part in war. Kshatriya means one who protects people from adharma. If there is adharma, a Kshatriya must try to remove it by sama, dana and bheda, and if it does not resolve the issue, he has to use danda.

19. Drona was criticized by all for violating his dharma, which did not include fighting, and he had no defence.

20. Samatvam (समत्वं) is doing one’s duty with balanced mind. It is E.Q.

21. Krishna does not teach how to succeed. Materially, ups and downs are inevitable. If one has the proper attitude, he will never experience spiritual downfall.

22. A quote: ‘Adversity exposes a person to himself.’

23. Only jnana yoga can ensure liberation, but everyone is not prepared for it. Karma yoga is a stepping stone for preparing the mind for jnana yoga.

24. Practising religion without some knowledge of scriptures will produce adverse results.

25. Money can buy many things, but cannot buy many important things.

26. Not many people want svarga because one has to die to go to svarga.

27. Vedas provide for the pleasure of the senses, but a wise man must not get over-attached to them. It must be subservient to dharma and moksha.

28. You have no total choice for your action; you are only one of the contributory factors.

29. First stage of life is action; second stage is withdrawal.

30. Someone asked a successful man, ”What is the secret of your success?”

“Right decisions.”

“What is the secret of your right decisions?”

“Experience.”

“What is the secret of your experience?”

“Wrong decisions.”

31. Vedanta never ignores body and health.

32. After 2.53, teaching is over. After that Krishna clarifies Arjuna’s doubts. Vedanta is not doctrinaire. It allows free discussions.

33. Using a thing is different from needing it.

34. The use of jnana is when prajna (knowledge) is converted to sthirapragna (emotional strength).

35. All desires are not forbidden. There are legitimate desires. After all, god also desired to manifest the world and did so. Desires, to be permissible, must be legitimate, moderate, must provide for spirituality and be non-binding. Bhagawan’s and jnani’s desires are suddha kama.

36. A prajna can interact with the world, but when a conflict arises, he must withdraw.

37. Intellect cannot know anything without raising doubts.

38. Psychologists say that Upanishads suggest suppression of feelings which is harmful. They prescribe ‘let go’, but now it is said that ‘let go’ also is dangerous. Upanishads do not teach suppression or ‘let go’, but intelligent regulation, channelization of sensory and mental energy.

39. Tonsure of head is symbolic of turning to jnana; each hair represents one false idea.

40. Quote: ‘To err is human; to put the blame on someone else is more human.’

41. We should not compare jnana yoga and karma yoga. Comparison is possible only where there is option. Both jnana yoga and karma yoga are not alternatives; they are compulsory. ‘Act, purify, know, be free.’

42. Quote: ‘A value is a value only when the value of the value is valued by you.’

43. Gita does not reveal anything new. It only revives Vedas.

44. Mind is not for stopping but for action. Vedantic teaching is not for stopping the mind but for orienting it.

45. Parents cannot countenance children taking their own decision because of their breaking the dependence syndrome. Heard in Paramarthananda’s discourse on Gita:

46. Karma yoga is about proper attitude towards action and result. Proper action is five yagnas: deva yagna, worship of god; pitru yagna, worship of forebears; rishi yagna, worship of seers and scripture; manushya yagna, social service; bhuta yagna, environmental protection. In action, the proper attitude is dedicating it to god. As regards fruits, the proper attitude is taking it as god’s grace. In other words, Karma yoga is associated with proper knowledge or discrimination, sense of dedication to god, appreciation of other factors involved in outcome, humility, and equanimity. Karma yoga is about giving more and taking less. It is a life of contribution, not necessarily of money, but knowledge, energy, time, love, etc.

47. Everything should flow, not stagnate, be it money, knowledge, love or whatever. The principle of giving is to maintain harmony.      A way of life by which I maintain the harmony of the creation (world) is dharma.       Animals have an inborn sense of maintaining universal harmony.

48. Lila is an act done with fulfilment or in fulfilment.

49. When I use body to serve others, mind to love others, intellect to share knowledge with others, it is worship of god.

50. Samskara is purification. Anything we do has to be purified. Even a Brahmana cannot learn Vedas without upanayana samskara.

51. What is the source of dharma? श्रुति: Vedas; स्मृति: Works in exposition of Vedas (Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas, etc.); श्रेष्ठ contemporary best people, models (not ramp walkers!). The third is the most powerful. Mother is our first model, followed by father and teacher.

52. A jnani does not require to act for himself, but as long as he is in society, he must act for others.

52. How to choose a profession? Sastras give two ways. One is on guna (aptitude). That is preferable. When that is not possible, it is better to be on janma, as children can learn easily what their parents are doing. We see it in medical, legal professions, music, etc.

53. If someone works for happiness, he is samsari. If one works with happiness, he is jnani. The latter is swami (sami), the former is aswami (aasaami).

54. Ahamkara: in the context of dharmasastra, it means pride as opposed to humility. In Vedanta, it refers to body-mind complex animated by Atma. It is different from Atma. It is transient (atma is eternal), subject to change (atma is unchanging), it considers itself doer and enjoyer (atma is neither), and engrossed in worldly interests (atma is ever free).

55. Detachment should not be forced, it must be the result of normal growth. Forced detachment will make one melancholic.

59. Anything external is finite. The consciousness under the control of senses is also finite. Finite interacting with finite cannot produce infinite.

60.World is never a source of joy or sorrow. The same thing gives one joy and another a sorrow. Mistaken ‘I’ is the source.

61. Control of the senses (dama), control of the mind (sama) and control of the intellect (viveka) is required for jnana.‘நாவடங்கினால் நாலும் அடங்கும்.’

62. Control of tongue is the key to control the other senses.

63. Jnanam is paroksha; it is the knowledge of Brahman. Vijnanam is aparoksha. It is realization that ‘I am Brahman’.

64.Desires arise because of a sense of incompleteness. 

65.Dayananda: ‘Converting everything around you to luxury – that is, feeling abundance in what is around you – is moksha.’

66. Para means superior. It is subtle, pervasive and closer to you. Anything subtler is more powerful that what is grosser.

67. All external factors put together is दैवतं (fate).

68.Value can be protected only by protecting those that practise the values (sadhus). 

69. Avatara is not required for moksha, only a guru is required. Krishna taught Gita to Arjuna, not as god, but as guru.

70. विवस्वान् (a name for the sun) means giver of energy/food.

71. Rama taught (indirectly) by living and Krishna (directly) by preaching. We celebrate these two avataras more because they anchor us in dharma. “Do as Rama did and as Krishna said.”

72. We can only contribute to future. We cannot control future.

73. "A successful person is one who is prepared for failure.” Dayananda Saraswathi

74. Intelligent person is one who is prepared for the inevitable.

75. Gita talks of varna, a classification. Varna can be on the basis of guna (character), karma (profession) or janma or Jati (birth). Only that based on birth is Jati.

There is no gradation based on birth or profession. However, there is gradation based on guna. Brahmana is one with satva guna and guided by knowledge. Kshatriya is one with rajo guna and selfless activity. Vaisya is one with rajo guna and selfish activity. A Sudra is one with tamo guna and no activity.

76. Karma kanda is for transformation from tamo to rajo guna; upasana kanda, from rajo guna to satva guna; jnana kanda from satva guna to nirguna.

Planning leads to efficiency. Worrying leads to deficiency.

77. Upanishads are for jnana, not karma or bhakti.

78. A filament in a bulb becomes incandescent because of invisible electricity. Likewise, the gross body-mind complex is blessed by consciousness (atma).

79. A jnani sees actionlessness of atma in the actions of anatma. He sees potential action in actionlessness of body-mind complex.

80. Consciousness is not a part of the body; ‘I’ is consciousness; the animating power. Surviving ‘I’ cannot transact with the world as the medium of transaction (body) is not there. Body-mind-intellect are matter.

81. The ultimate offer is that in which the offeror offers himself (I) to the Lord – atmanivedana-bhakti.

82. Every experience is a worship.

83. We need a mirror to see our eyes which can see everything else. We need Sastras to reveal Atma which reveals everything else. 

84. Difference between Iswara avatara and jiva janma

                                        Iswara                                    Jiva

Karana (cause)          Awareness,  compassion      Ignorance, papa-punya

Swarupa (nature)       Leela (mukta – self-willed     Baddha (bound)

Uddesyam (purpose) Maintenance of creation        Exhausting papa and punya     

85. Animals are called  तिर्यक् because they are horizontal – head and body level. Humans have head above body. Humans must keep their head high and take responsibility.

86. God expects world to operate dharmically, and interventions are rare.

87. Benefits of jnana are: end to infatuation, sinlessness and end to action (for personal gain) and realisation of identity of self with Brahman.

88. Every step in life involves risk and unpredictability.

89. Bhaktiyoga as sadhana is karmayoga. Bhaktiyoga of higher type is jnanayoga.

90. Buddhists teach to do everything deliberately.

91. Until you are able to realise the higher self, depend on god in any form you like.

92. We progress from world-dependence to god-dependence to self-dependence.

93. Words are used in different meanings. While interpreting scripture, we should know मीमांसा. When westerners interpret, they do not have a hold of this and go haywire.

94. Vedanta is not going to transform the world. It is going to transform my perspective of the world.

95. My view of world depends on my view of myself.

96. समदृष्टि is through internal eye; if through the physical eyes, there is some defect in the eyes.

97. Emotional sanity is the pre-requisite for Vedantic wisdom.

98. सर्वभूतहिते रतः ability to feel the feelings of others – empathy. The purpose of marriage is empathy. It is अहिंसक inability to hurt others.

99. Dharma and punya only can kindle spiritual quest.

100. If god decides whom to liberate, he will be a partial god. God’s grace is required, but it is available to all. It is up to the individuals to harness it.

101. Our spontaneous actions are not from the conscious level, but from inner mind. What we learn from teacher remains in conscious mind only. We must meditate to make it to sink to inner mind.

102. Jnana marga is systematic and consistent study of spiritual scriptures under the guidance of a competent guru for a length of time.

103. Meditation is not a means to knowledge or liberation. Knowledge can take place at the intellect level only. Meditation has two roles for jnana. Preparation of mind for spiritual knowledge – upasanadhyana, and internalization of what has been heard (sravana) and debated (manana) – nididhyasanadhyana.

104. Respect does not mean that you should accept all I say. You can respectfully disagree with me.

105. If a tank is full and the tap is open, but still the water does not flow, there is no use in pumping more water to the tank. There is some obstacle and we must remove the obstacle. If the mind is clogged, more experience will not clear it. Purifying the mind is the solution.

106. Puranas and yoga sastra talk of acquiring extraordinary powers through meditation, but a seeker of liberation is not interested in them. Such powers are obstacles to liberation. Liberation does not require such powers.

107. I need not put any effort to experience consciousness. Consciousness is self-evident and ever evident. That is Brahman. Therefore Brahman experience does not require special effort.

108. The world is a mirror. Whatever you do will come back to you.

109. A businessman-philosopher was told that the ship carrying his merchandise had sunk. He exclaimed, ‘What?’ and soon regained his balance (samatva) and said, ‘So what?”

110. Meditation can never be the first stage of sadhana. We are in the state of mind of ‘ஆவியை விட்டாலும் சாவியை விடேன்.’ (Even if I give up my life, I will not give up the keys.)

111. If you feel insecure, you may feel so with any amount of wealth.

112. Vivekananda: “An astika is one who believes in oneself.”

113. Fatalistic attitude: “If god wants to save me, my effort is not required. If god does not want, no amount of effort will do.”

Krishna is against it. Self-effort cannot be replaced by god’s grace. God can help only those who are willing to put forth effort. Guru can help only those who believe in themselves.

114. The world has no intrinsic capacity to bind. I give the power to the world to disturb by an unhealthy practice.

115. सुहृत् is an innate well-wisher (स्वभावेन हित-आसंशी)

मित्रं is a conditional helper

साधु is a person who lives a life of value धार्मिकः

अरिः is परोक्षं अप्रियः enemy behind us

द्वेषि   अपरोक्षं अप्रियः enemy in our presence

According to Vedanta, there is no innate criminal in the world. Crimes are incidental impurities. 

116. Eightfold steps before commencing meditation: place, time, seat, the stance of body, even breath, control of senses, control of mind, grit.

117. Ashtanga yoga:

Yama and Niyama: Do’s and Don’ts; asana for fitness of body; pranayama i.e. lengthening of breath; pratyahara i.e. withdrawal of sense organs from objects; dharana i.e. freeing mind from sense objects and focusing on the object of meditation; Samadhi.

118. Yogic meditation talks of thoughtlessness. Vedantic meditation does not talk of thoughtlessness. It is useless. Thought centred on Atma is the focus of Vedanta.

119. निर्विकलपसमाधि: It does not involve mystery or mysticism. It is a natural faculty all of us have. We had it when we were babies.

120. No doctor gives you health. Health is a natural state. Disease is unnatural. The doctor removes disease. Then, we go back to our natural health. That is why health is called स्वास्थ्य. Similarly, आनन्द is our natural state. Sorrow is what we have acquired. Vedanta only removes sorrow through antibiotic called आत्मज्ञानं.

121. Words express the way we think. Changing our language can bring about a change in the way we look at things.

122. अभिभव : We do not solve the problem, we dissolve it. Stars are there in the daytime, but overpowered by sunlight.

अभिभूत : Our problems can be overshadowed by a new perception of ourselves.

Vedas do अभिभव of the ego. Meditation enables अभिभूत.

123. The greatest tragedy of human beings is expecting security from insecure things, places and stations.

124. Do not identify with anyone, or with everyone. Sanyasa is withdrawal from limited identification. It is dropping ‘i’ and becoming ‘I’.

125. Obstacles to meditation:

क्षयः : dullness of mind

विक्षेपः : overactive mind

कषायः : non-functional mind

रागद्वेषः : intense like/dislike

रसास्वादः : a pleasant experience. It is not ब्रह्मानन्द.

Vedantic happiness is of a permanent nature – in all situations, not in certain selected situations.

126. Students are of three types (i) receive and retain; (ii) receive, but do not retain; (iii) neither receive nor retain.

127. Jnanam is saguna brahma jnanam; it is bheda jnanam; dvaitam.

Vijnanam is nirguna brahma jnanam; it is abheda jnanam; advaitam.

128. Change and division are possible only in space-time. ‘Para’ is above space-time.

129. Veda condensed is Gayatri; Gayatri condensed is Vyahriti (bhur bhuvas suvah); Vyahriti condensed is Pranava (Om).

130. Karmayogi avoids violent reactions.

131. Nowhere in Vedas is fatalism talked of. They say, ‘Take charge of your life.’

132. We need a permanent relationship in the midst of a number of changing relationships.

133. Security, permanence and happiness are the three things people desire. World cannot give these. It is full of hazards, changing ever and imperfect. Only jnani will attain this. Even Vedanta cannot give security. It opens up our mind to the reality that I do not require security outside me. It removes the sense of insecurity.

134. A personal god is finite but can symbolize infinite, just as a flag symbolizes a nation.

135. World is cause of neither happiness nor sorrow. Happiness is knowing self. Sorrow is not knowing self.

136. Vedanta does not accept creation and the question of why god created does not arise. It is manifestation, not creation. World is always there, either potential or manifest. No new Jiva is created. There is a jiva-stat like rheostat.

137. Consciousness is not located in space-time. In fact, space-time is located in consciousness. God is neither space nor time. He is consciousness, not subject to change.

138. Time of death will not determine your fate, but quality of life.

139. असूया is intolerance of good in others, a tendency to find fault in the glory of others. मात्सर्य is envy.

Atri is so named because ‘न त्रिः इति अत्रिः’. He is free from three (karya, karana, kartrrutva, or the three qualities). As such he will have no असूया. That is why his wife is अनसूया.

140. For an illogical question, there can be no logical answer. ‘When did the creation start?’ is an illogical question.

141. The idea of god evolves, first as a personal god (एकरूपः), then as everything (अनेकरूपः), and finally as having no form (अरूपः).

142. Swami Chinmayananda established an Asram and installed the idol of Siva there. ISKCON people complained, ‘He made money using Gita (Krishna’s teaching), but has installed the idol of Siva in the Asram.’

143. It has been established statistically that religious people have better emotional stability and immunity.

144. Convert every moment into a spiritual exercise/improvement.

145. Guilt is a powerful obstacle as it leads to diffidence.

146. Love follows understanding.

147. No knowledge can be transferred physically or by grace, but by systematic teaching only.

148. If you want a favour from someone, you must praise him.

149. अ is the most fundamental sound/letter. When you open the mouth and let out the wind, अ is produced. (There is no letter for this sound in English). According to phonetics, all other sounds are a modification of अ only.

150. Seeing extraordinary things does not bring spirituality, but seeing god in ordinary things is what spirituality is about. Develop extraordinary attitude to ordinary things.

151. View everything as मङ्गलं to avoid shocks and disappointments.

152. Krishna does not sympathise with grief of people over death. They have to attain maturity and understand the principle of life and death. ‘Kala’ tatvam affects not only in old age, but at all times.

153. In व्यावहारिक सत्यं time plays an integral part. God is ‘kala’ tatvam here. One must accept or reject it totally. It comes only with आत्मज्ञानं. In पारमार्थिक सत्यं, god is कालाधीत तत्वं – beyond time.

154. Planets do not influence our life. They are only indicators.

155. Any perspective which dismisses free will is untenable. Adi Sankara’s exposition on free will:

(i) If there is no free will, god becomes karta and also bhokta. God becomes samsari.

 (ii) If we are only insruments (nimitta), we should not get any karma palam.

 (iii) God is subject to charge of cruelty if we have to suffer for action out of our control.

 (iv) God is also subject to partiality because enjoyment also not even across beings.

 (v) Dharma sastra will not be applicable to human beings.

 (vi) We should have no choice and no conflicts.

156. Treat suffering as spiritual purification.

157. Receiving namaskara is supposed to cause downfall because we do not deserve namaskara. We must hand it over to god if someone does namaskara.

158. Impossible questions:

 (i) When did god create time?

 (ii) Where does space exist?

 (iii) How did cause-effect principle come into existence i.e. what is the cause of cause-effect?

159. ‘Bhakti’ is not used practically in Veda and Vedanta. Karma, upasana and jnana are grouped as bhakti. Bhakti has five subdivisions:

         i.        सकामकर्म (action with fruits in mind)

       ii.        निष्कामकर्म (action without fruits in mind)

      iii.        एकरूप (इष्ठदेवता) ईश्वर उपासना (worship of a deity)

      iv.        सगुण ईश्वर उपासना (worship of god with attributes)

       v.        निर्गुण ईश्वर उपासना (worship of god without attributes; this is actually realization, not formal worship. Traditional ritual upasana is not possible for nirguna brahman. Upasana is through enquiry and enlightenment.)

Nobody is born with bhakti for lord.

160. Success is not proportional to taking, but to giving. The former is materialism (acquisition) and the latter is spiritualism (sharing or tyaga)

161. We have the biggest departmental store of gods.

162. Any fictitious thing becomes surreal by repeated upasana or abhyasa.

163. Kama (desire) and comma (indicates continuation) seem to be connected.

164. According to Sastra, there is no justified or justifiable hatred. Everyone is essentially pure Atma. We cannot hate the person nor the behaviour. Hatred of behaviour will not change the behaviour. Hatred will destroy the hater.

165. Vaikunta is our hrdaya.

166. An Advaitin can enjoy dvaita bhakti more.

167. Sensitive people do not hurt others. A jnani neither hurts nor feels hurt.

168. Life is nothing but a series of pairs of opposites - dvandvas (birth/death; happiness/sorrow; union/separation; success/failure, etc.).

169. Mahavakyas are translated as great equations. When two quantities are totally different, an equation does not arise. When they are evidently equal, an equation is redundant. We need not say 8=8. When they are seemingly different but essentially equal, an equation becomes relevant. The jivatma and paramatma are seemingly dfferent, but are intrinsically one and the same. That is why the Mahavakyas are there.

170. Only a dharmic mind can absorb Vedanta.

171. Body is called kshetram for several reasons according to Adi Sankara.  One is etymological – kheeyate iti kshetram. It is subject to decay. It is like field which converts seeds to plant and fruits. The body is required for fructification of punya and papa of previous births. 

172. Consciousness:

 (a) Not a part, product or property of the body

 (b) Independent entity which pervades the inert body and makes it sentient

 (c) Not limted by the boundaries of the body

 (d) Continues to exist even when the body perishes

 (e) The surviving consciousness is not recognizable

 (f)  Not subject to laws of creation.

173. Matter is a medium of expression of consciousness and when matter goes away, only the expression ceases. 

174. Mind converts objects (पदार्थ) to sense objects (विषय).

175. The world is like a bank. I can take only what I deposit.

176. Tendency to hurt is impulsive and natural. When our desires are not fulfilled, we are hurt. A hurt person hurts. If the mind becomes sensitive it will feel the pain of others. A gross mind only can hurt others comfortably. A sensitive mind will not. Vedanta is subtle and requires a sensitive mind.

177. Regretting cannot change the past. Even god cannot change the past.

178.  तितिक्षा is accepting past and present; क्षमा is capacity to wait for future.

179. Acharya represents knowledge of scripture. Scripture is like the sixth sense.

180. अमानित्वं is absence of mental pride; अनहङ्कार is absence of verbal pride (egotism).

181. Controlling the mind is difficult. That is why distancing the mind from sense objects is advocated before mind control.

182. It is not possible to avoid attachment altogether. Over-attachment must be avoided. (अनभिष्वङ्गः).

183. Life is like a train journey where people enter at various stations and leave at various stations and we have their temporary company.

184. Puranas teach us how even great people went through ups and downs, and prepare us to accept the vicissitudes of our lives.

185. Karma yoga and bhakti yoga go hand in hand.

186. Cause (कारणं) is असत् because it is in unusable potential form. सत् is effect (कार्यं).

187. Before creation, there was no subject-object duality. Consciousness encased in a body becomes the subject just as space enclosed within walls becomes house.

188.  Vedanta does not insist on any text/language, but only on content. The same message can come in any language from any source.  The content of scriptures was available to all people at all time even though the texts themselves were not. What liberates is not the textual Vedanta but the content.

189. For temple many doors are there but for the sanctum sanctorum there is only one. For preparation for moksha several ways are there but for moksha only one way is there – jnana.

190. For jnana, steps prescribed in Tatvabodha:

(i)    Qualification – adhikaaritvam

(ii)  Micro-analysis – vyashti-vichaara

(iii) Macro-analysis – samashti-vichaara

(iv) Oneness – vyashti-samashti-svaroopa-aikyam

(v)  Knowledge – aikya jnanam, aikya bhaavam

191. After waking up, the dream world disappears. But, after jnana the external world continues to appear. A jnani will enjoy the glory of the world, but not be frightened by it as he is aware of its being of the nature of dream.

192. Sat-gunas – dharmic values – are required for jnana. Without values, it will be an academic exercise. Knowledge with only study leads to information. Only knowledge with values leads to transformation.

193. Karma yoga is for mala-nivrtti – attainment of purity. Upasana margam is for arresting the restlessness of mind – vikshepa-nivrtti.

194. You have understood maya when you understand that it is ununderstandable.

195. Lakshmi is in the chest of Vishnu. That is why we keep money in the shirt pocket. 

196. Before creation the three gunas are in equilibrium (sama-avastha). When the equilibrium is disturbed, creation results (vishama-avastha). Satva is associated with jnana and Rajas with karma. Tamas suppresses both. Gunas abide in ahamkara. Atma is Saakshi and is unaffected by gunas. 

197. Nobody can escape from the three gunas. All the gunas bind us. Transcending the gunas (gunatita) only results in liberation. Ahamkara can never become gunatita, only sakshi is gunatita ever. The mind of a jnani or even Bhagawan is tri-gunatmaka.

198. Each guna requires a particular set-up and rebels when that set-up is not there. There is no ideal set-up. Changing the set-up for practical purposes of samsara is different. When the identification is shifted from ahamkara to sakshi and one attains purnatva, the set-up is immaterial.

199. Considering the problems of the world as insignificant by changing the perspective through knowledge is jivan-mukti.

200, Moksha does not involve a physical journey, transformation or a watershed event like revelation.

201. Vedanta does not talk of mysticism.

202. When ‘puri’ is placed in hot oil, it goes round and round and becomes still when done. It has attained purnatvam. It is called ‘puri’ for that reason.

203. Marriage is dharma-based, not compatibility-based. Even if compatible to start with, both keep changing and compatibility may not be continuous.

204. Approval-seeking is an indication of slow self-esteem. Can do nothing if everyone has to approve.

205. ‘Preaching and teaching are different,’ Swami Dayananda Saraswati. 206. Common features of aswattha tree and samsara: unseen root, unknown beginning, many branches, bearing fruit, swayed by wind/events, can be uprooted.

207. Saranagati and virtues cannot remove ignorance, only knowledge can. They can prepare the mind for knowledge.

208. According to Vedanta, light stands for that in whose presence things are known. In this light, every sense organ can be compared to light. Anything sensed through light or any pramana is prameya. God is aprameya. It illumines the inert world but is not illumined by the inert world.

209. A physical merger is temporary. Even if going to Vaikuntam or Kailasa is real, it will only be temporary.

210. Krishna uses aham and mama loosely. Sometimes, he means ekarupa Iswara, sometimes anekarupa Virat, and occasionally (Ch. 7 and 9) arupa Brahma-chaitanyam. In ‘mamaiva amsah’ he refers to Brahma-chaitanyam by ‘mama’; amsah is reflection. Jiva is a reflection of Brahman.

211. When a mother asks her child to find out whether there is current in the next house, the child asks the neighbour though the lights and fans are working. A grown up person will not ask. He will know from observation. A mature person will not ask for proof of Brahman.

212. Bhagawan is in anything and everything. That is why we worship anything – tree, stone, animal, fire, elements, etc. as god.

213. Eating is Prangnihotri. So all of us are agnihotris!

214. Jagrat (waking state) corresponds to jnanam – gathering new knowledge.

        Svapna (dream state) is smrti –remembering what is gathered.

        Sushupti (deep sleep) is apohanam –forgetfulness.

Krishna says that all avasthas are due to him.

215. Manifest matter is kshara purusha. Unmanifest matter is akshara purusha. Independent entity (consciousness) is uttama purusha (same as pra prakrti of Ch. 7). Matter can’t exist independent of consciousness. Consciousness can exist independent of matter. Consciousness only gives existence to matter. 216. Goal of life and way of life must harmonise. Vedas are particular about this. It is like a plant requiring a specific environment. Beginning of Vedas concentrates on ways. The end focuses on the goal (moksha). Our culture can be understood only by keeping this in mind. 217. Ahimsa is advocated in many places, but Krishna asks Arjuna to fight. There is no contradiction. If by non-violence dharma cannot be protected, fighting is inevitable. 218. Our music and dance centre on spirituality.

219. Spiritual seekers are a minority. It is a lonely journey and one requires enormous courage.

220. Many things can happen in time, but not knowledge. Bodhodaya did not happen to Buddha just under a tree.

221. Advaita is ‘There is no second’ in paramarthika level. In vyavaharika state, it is harmony of things/people.

222. Dama is general sense control. Aloluptavam is sense control against specific temptations (like alcohol).

223. Darpa is arrogance that is shown in words; atimana is arrogance felt in thought.

224. Swami Chinmayananda: Rich people are comfortably unhappy. Poor people are uncomfortably unhappy.

225. Offering to god is pouring water to the root of a tree.

226. A materialistic person is one who is interested only in Artha and Kama. When material knowledge is acquired without dharmic knowledge, problems arise.

227. Happiness is the ratio of number of fulfilled desires to total desires (Swami Chinmayananda).

228. Total giving up of kama is neither possible nor necessary.  What is required is a refinement, a qualitative change. Convert tamasik kama to rajasic, and rajasik kama to satvik. Through self-knowledge satvik kama will become non-binding. It will be as good as no desire.

229.  “Faith is useful even if there is no god.” Anon.

230. Vedanta should never be used to promote adharma.

231. Bharatha – भारत: भा is that which has effulgence, ‘Brahman’; रत means ‘engaged in’. Bharata is one who is engaged in Brahman i.e. spirituality.

232. There is no particular merit in extreme austerity (like severe fasting, total silence, etc.). Reasonable use of faculties is in keeping with nature.

233. In Hinduism, even natural, instinctive practices (like breathing, eating, etc.) are organized as spiritual practices.

234. பசித்திரு; தனித்திரு; விழித்திரு. 1.Be hungry: do not overeat; stop even as you feel like having something more. 2. Practise solitude. 3. Be aware, alert.

235. Sraddha is not for forefathers primarily. It is for the benefit of the performer. Similarly, naivedyam is not for god, but for the welfare of the devotee. 236. Rituals are a good exercise. They refresh our relationship with god. Efficiency is not in ritual but in the performer.

237. Planning for future is action. Worrying about future is reaction.

238. People come to speak, not listen. Those who come for my advice talk for an hour and leave me thanking for my advice though I did not have a chance to open my mouth. If we decide that we will talk only to a listener, the quantity of speech will come down.

239. Tapas must not be enforced. It must be voluntary. Voluntary self-restraint is tapas.

October 01, 2015

Management and Gita

I read in a management book, ‘A manager should be invisible when everything is going smoothly, and visible when there is problem.’

In Gita, Krishna says, ‘Whenever there is decline of dharma and preponderance of adharma, I appear.’

A beautiful simile makes a telling comment on Gita, comparing the Gitacharya to a cowherd as indeed he was.

“All the Upanishads are the cows, the cowherd is the enchanter of cowherds, Aruna is the calf, the consumers are all men of good sense, and the milk is the great nectar of Gita.

सर्वोपनिषदो गावो दोग्धा गोपालनन्दनः।

पार्थो वत्सः सुधीर्भोक्ता दुग्धं गीतामृतं महत् II”

The Upanishads are the source and nothing is said in Gita which is not in Upanishads (source: Swami Paramarthananda).

“We do not have in Upanishads a single well-articulated system of thought.” Dr. S Radhakrishnan.

Brahma Sutras encapsulated the central ideas in pithy, rather recondite, aphorisms. Gita made it like a “Upanishads made easy’ or “Do it Yourself’ manual. Acharyas provided elaborate interpretations from a particular standpoint.

While Gita contains no fresh metaphysical idea, it emphasises bhakti repeatedly, a theme not evident in Upanishads which is about jnana as it is called jnana kanda of the Vedas. Gitacharya says, rightly, that the path of knana is beyond the ken of ordinary men. It is enough for us to have faith and do our duty with faith. It is like taking medicine without knowing about the mechanism of the medicine. The patient need not know the mechanism; it only creates half-baked doubts.

Bhakti has given rise to some points either scripturally or traditionally:

i) Think of nothing else but god and god will take care of

you.

ii) Forget about everything and surrender to god and god

will redeem you.

iii) If god is for you, who can be against you? If god is

against you, who can really help you?

iv) Life is full of suffering which can be removed only by

god.

v) God can mitigate the adverse effects of our actions.

vi) We should obey implicitly what some great man has

said and never question it.

To me, the essence of life is effort and grit to face its ups and downs. Faith must prepare our mind to get the ability to gain knowledge and live practically. Faith should aid us in achieving the possible and palpable, not make us expect superlative results at any time.

If we overstate the efficacy of bhakti, we may be weakening the part of effort and scope of human action. Historians point out how we lost out in the past because we did not equip ourselves against marauders. Nehru makes a sarcastic comment about the Somnath devotees trusting in god and getting killed time and again.

There may be some truth that lopsided emphasis on bhakti has rendered us lethargic. We must see how the pioneers of bhakti movement have been energetic people taking action for results, not just leaving it to god. Their efforts have produced durable results. We must also at all times take action for results. Mere bhakti will be infructuous in a majority of cases. Exaggeration must have been used for emphasis, not for blind following.

·         संशयात्मा विनश्यति

This is an oft-quoted quarter from Gita. Literally it means, ‘A soul in doubt perishes.’

But, it cannot be so. Krishna has said categorically ‘avinasi tu tam viddhi ‘– know it as imperishable.’

This is one of the difficulties in interpreting the words. Atma is used in different meanings in different contexts. That has come handy for interpreters to suit it to their pet theory. Interestingly, both Brahma Sutras that encapsulated Vedanta in pithy epigrams, and Gita that elaborated on it, have introduced ambiguity and scope for divergence.

That aside, the meaning of this dictum is puzzling to me.

The entire Gita is about doubt of a mortal and divine clarification.

It is more like in:

“எண்ணித் துணிகக் கருமம் துணிந்தபின்

எண்ணுவது என்பது இழுக்கு.

Think before you act, not after being engaged in the action."

Once a decision has been taken, it must be executed. Any thinking will be about execution. Arjuna, having arrived in the battlefield to fight for justice, must not waver.

The advice of Krishna to start with was that Arjuna must fight as a warrior. Krishna explains to him the intricacies of dharma and metaphysics as the questions propped up. In the end, Krishna reverts to the topic of imminent war. Krishna does not dictate to Arjuna absolutely. He tells him in the end, “Consider everything and do what you think is proper.” That is the final word for all practical purposes.

Arjuna is ourselves.

Krishna is the conscience. We are often in conflict with conscience in what we want to do. We have to weigh the circumstances and take a well-considered decision. That is the take away for us.

But, Krishna adds, and that has become a gospel for devotees, “Leave everything to me. I will absolve

you of all bad consequences.” We have to be careful in interpreting this. It should not deny our personality and responsibility. There are times when we are not sure. In those times, we must do what is expected of us and leave it to god as to the ethics of it.

Bhagavad Gita

Swami Parmarthananda’s discourse is the basis. To get the correct picture, one should read at: https://archive.org/details/srimadbhagavadgitaswamiparamarthananda/mode/2up

We should look at the message of Gita and not bother about the credibility of its context. The message delivered to Arjuna is intended for all. Arjuna is caught in samsara, a vortex of desire, action, consequence, grief and confusion. He is an ideal disciple looking for guidance. Krishna is free from the samsara and knows what the remedy is for release from samsara, and is an ideal guru. Thus Gita is a dialogue between a guru and a disciple and a scripture for attaining right knowledge and moksha, which is freeing the mind from the sway of the external happenings.

Gist of Chapter 1
Arjuna Vishada Yoga

Our health depends on environment (hygiene) and our immunity. One is objective, the other subjective. Our health depends on our mind also (subjective). We must ensure proper mental health. Freedom from mental diseases
caused by external factors is called moksha.

The first chapter introduces the inner weakness of Arjuna.

Duryodhana fears that the Pandavas are stronger though his
forces are greater in strength. That is due to his adharma.

Arjuna desires to have a close look at the opponents.

Arjuna’s problem is presented – that of attachment*
‘The opponents are my relatives.’ The consequence of the attachment is grief, which manifests next. (Arjuna vishada).

Arjuna is overcome by moha – confusion between right and wrong. The dharma yuddha which has been a fait accompli after genuine efforts for peace failed, appears to him as adharma. He talks on profound issues to no less a person than Krishna – like the need to avoid sin, how culture will collapse if family is annihilated, and so on. He is also confused about his own dharma, which is to fight.

The combination of raga, soka, moha is samsara.
Irrespective of the asrama, anyone who has this chain is a samsari. The problem discovered by Arjuna is that of samsara.

Arjuna throws down the arms and sits on the chariot with
his mind crushed by grief.

(*Difference between attachment and love: Attachement is
based on selfishness, love on selflessness. Attachement is in the form of taking whereas love is in the form of giving. Attachment is conditional while love is unconditional. Attachment comes out of a weak mind which looks for
support, but love emanates from strength and fullness. Attachment may cloud the intellect and lead to adharma, but love is from a sane mind and will never land
one in adharma.)



Gist of Chapter 2
Sankhya Yoga

Though called Sankhya Yoga, it is not about the Sankhya philosophy of Kapila. It is about jnana that the Upanishads, esp. Katopanishad, describe.

Krishna counsels Arjuna to fight adducing many reasons like, the body only is killed, not the soul, it is his dharma to fight and a chance to fight has developed inevitably, he may win and enjoy the kingdom or attain the heaven of the warriors if killed, and he would be derided if he refrained from fighting.

The chapter can be broadly divided into four parts. Part one is Arjuna’s surrender to Krishna for direction, part two is about jnana yoga, part three can be called karma yoga and part four describes sthirapragna.

The actual sastra starts from the 11th verse of the second chapter. 11-25 is a summary of Upanishads.

We consider the body and mind as the self falsely. We are the consciousness principle. Consciousness is neither a part, nor a product nor a property of this body. It is an independent entity which pervades and enlivens the body.  It is beyond the boundaries of this perishable body. It continues to survive the body. It is Atma, one’s true nature.

Atma is eternal, real, all-pervading, immeasurable (cannot be experienced, it is the experiencer), non-doer and hence non-enjoyer, free from modifications. The external conditions are of changing nature and produce opposite experiences which do not affect a balanced person. The Jiva travels from one body to another till liberation.

Proper action and proper attitude is karma yoga. (Pl see under next chapter gist).

A sthirapragna is one who has successfully gone through karmayoga and jnanayoga and therefore has clearly gained Self-knowledge. He has not only intellectual knowledge but emotional strength to face life. To become a sthirapragna, one must exercise control over senses and mind and do nidhidhyasana. A sthirapragna has freedom from binding desires, born out of purnatvam, and equanimity.  



Gist of Chapter 3
Karma Yoga

Which is better – karmayoga or jnanayoga?

There is no choice as they are not exclusive. Follow karmayoga (pravrtti marga), acquire qualifications; follow jnanamarga (nivrtti marga), attain moksha.

Action is natural and superior to inaction. One must do karma without attachment. Following one’s vihita karma (prescribed duty) even slightly is preferable to following the vihita karma of someone else. Many great people have distinguished themselves by staying in their karma steadfast.

Proper action with proper attitude is karma yoga.

Karma (action) is of three types: satvika promotes spiritual growth the most, rajasika less, and tamasika not at all. Satvika action, the best, is action in which the beneficiaries are more. Rajasika action is one where beneficiaries are less, mostly kith and kin. Tamasika action is one in which the doer benefits at the cost of others.

Proper attitude (samatvam) is whatever action I do, I do with love and sincerity. I enjoy what I do. It is doing action as offering to the Lord and receiving the result as the gift of the Lord.

Karma yoga is looked at from four angles. 1. as a commandment of the Lord. 2. out of a sense of gratitude, as an offering to the Lord, as a yagna. 3. As a purifier. 4. As a dharma to maintain social harmony.

Next comes the duties of a jnani. A jnani has no do’s and don’t’s or need for discipline, but as the society looks up to him as a model, he has to observe the best conduct.

Krishna demarcates a five-point path of karma yoga. 1. Have spiritual goal. 2. Convert it into worship. 3. Be prepared to accept the future. 4. Have humility. 5. Have no anxiety.

What is the obstacle for karma yoga? Kama-krodha. One need practise restraint of the senses and mind, and also develop discrimination to overcome kama-krodha.



Gist of Chapter 4
Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga

It can be divided into three parts.

The first part is about incarnation. Krishna shows the difference between god’s incarnation and the birth of a jiva. At the level of cause, jiva goes through the cycle because of ignorance, but god is sarvajna and purna, and takes birth to uplift the humans. The cause of incarnation for jiva is karma, for god it is protection of the virtuous and annihilation of the wicked. This is achieved either by drastic action of annihilating the wicked, or by educating humanity. At the svarupa level, the jiva is bound because of ignorance, whereas god is free.

The second part is the theme jnana-karma-sanyasa, which is the central theme of not only the fourth chapter but also the entire Gita.

One type of renunciation is the popular renunciation in which a person quits the society and becomes a monk, in which he has given up all the karmas.

And the second type has nothing to do with our external personality; it is purely inner, by discovering detachment, exactly like the lotus leaf which is within the water but it does not get wet by the water. Body and mind are integrally related to the world, therefore interactions are inevitable. You have to discover a different I which is higher than the body-mind-complex, which is called Atma tatva. It is asanga, and like akasa, pervading  everything but  not polluted by anything. You have to do Self-enquiry and clearly understand you are not the body or mind.
Body-mind-complex is part of this creation and this part will continue to
interact with the world. Even god cannot stop it. Jnanam will serve to reduce
the impact of the life situations. A jnani has quick resilience and is
unattached to the outcome of action.

ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम् ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना ||

This is the most important sloka of Gita. Without jnana every asrama is risky, with jnana every asrama is wonderful. There is only one substance called Brahman, all others are different names and forms only.

The third part is how to attain jnana and what the benefits are. Twelve yajnas are mentioned: worship of a deity, converting all interactions into worship, sense mastery, mind mastery, charity, moderation, performing eightfold yoga (Patanjali), study of scriptures, self-knowledge, pranayama, faith and commitment. It is obtained through serving a guru and having doubts clarified. Benefits of jnana are confidence to face the future, avoidance of sin, liberation from karma, and realizing the identity of jiva and Isvara. Jnanam alone can remove ignorance and give moksha.



Gist of Chapter 5
Sanyasa Yoga

Krishna had given the entire teaching of the Gita in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th chapters and in the 5th chapter he is summarizing the teaching. It can be broadly classified into four portions.

1)    The first one is two types of lifestyles – the life of a householder and the life of a monk. Arjuna’s confusion was whether Sanyasa was necessary for liberation. Krishna replies in the negative. Both asramas have advantages and disadvantages. For most people grhasthasrama is better.

2)    The second one is choice between karma yoga and jnana yoga. As explained earlier, there is no choice. Both are necessary. Action is natural to everyone. A jnani sees everything as Atma and therefore he sees no difference at all.

3)    Krishna then explains how our happiness should not be predicated on external happenings.

4)    Finally, the chapter segues into the theme of the next chapter i.e. dhyana.

In short, this chapter clarifies that outer sanyasi is not important; inner sanyasi is real sanyasa; external renunciation is not compulsory, inner renunciation is the real renunciation.



Gist of Chapter 6
Dhyana Yoga

Meditation (for a seeker of liberation) is not meant for liberation, knowledge, or mystic experiences. The role of meditation is preparation of the mind for spiritual knowledge, for study of scriptures and removing doubts. Meditation before the study is called upasana, and after the study is called nidhidhyasana – internalizing the knowledge. Upasana gives jnanayogyata, sravanam gives jnanam and nidhidhyasanam gives jnananishta.

Seven topics are discussed.

The first topic is external discipline – karma yoga (with proper attitude), self-confidence, self-control and moderation.

The second is internal discipline – proper place, time, and seat; condition of body, sense organs, breathing, mind and intellect.

The third is process of meditation which is mind dwelling on a chosen object, not silencing the mind. The chosen object is Brahman. There are three stages in the process – dharana (focusing), dhyana (staying focused) and Samadhi (being absorbed). Samadhi is defined by mind being absorbed in itself, mind visualizing atma, experiencing Ananda, being established in one’s reality, realizing one’s highest life, release from sorrows, and extricating from association with the outside world.

The fourth: What is the outcome? The world is as it was, but my engagement with it changes. Equanimity prevails.

The fifth: Why is not everyone doing it? The chief obstacle is the restlessness of the mind which has to be arrested by abhyasa (practice) and vairagya (freeing the mind from attachment and hatred).

The sixth is an aside. What if a person is remiss in dhyana? He will get to svarga and then get a birth that will be more conducive to moksha.

The seventh is glorification of yoga.



Gist of Chapter 7
Jnana Vignana yoga

The first six chapters were about jivasvarupa, jivaprayatna and karmayoga. The next six concern isvarasvarupa, isvara upasanam and isvara anugraha.

This is about jnana (knowledge of saguna Brahman) and vijnana (knowledge of nirguna Brahman).

First, Iswara svarupa is described. Isvara consists of two aspects – para prakrti (spirit, i.e. consciousness) and apara prakrti (matter). There is no world separate from god. The world, body, mind are apara prakrti. The self is para prakrti which remains unseen. It is the seer.

Next, the cause of samsara is discussed viz. obsession with apara parkrti to the exclusion of para prakrti, and the remedy is surrender (bhakti) to para prakrti – god. Bhakti is a sadhana for jnanam which alone can give moksha. A bhakta may  be a sufferer, one who desires wealth, one desires knowledge or a jnani. The path to becoming a jnani is long and arduous.

Two types of bhakti are described next. Sakama bhakti is for fulfilment of worldly desires. The fruits are transient. Krishna says that he fructifies for a devotee in the form in which the devotee worships him. Nishkama bhakti on the other hand brings lasting realization of para prakrti.



Gist of Chapter 8
Akshara Brahma Yoga

Some terms are explained.

Consciousness looked at from micro level is called adyatmam and from macro angle it is called Brahman. Adhibhutam is the material universe. Adhidaivam is Hiranyagarbha – total mind. Adhiyajnam is Isvara, a step above Hiranyagarbha, giver of fruits of action. Karma refers to punya and papa which are the cause for creation.

Krishna then talks of remembering Isvara at the time of death as a person assumes that personality which he remembers at death. Choosing healthy thoughts, good company and remembering god throughout life will facilitate a favourable bhava at death.

There are two types of goals: material prosperity and the path to it is Krishna gati (rituals); and spiritual realization and the path to it is sukla gati (upasana). Krishna concludes that of the two –karma and upasana- upasana is preferable.


Gist of Chapter 9
Rajavidya Rajaguhya Yoga

The subject matter is Isvara jnanam – nirguna brahma jnanam. It requires sraddha – persistence till one understands.

The svarupa of Brahman is – all-pervading; not susceptible to sense perception; the support of the apparent world; not associated with the transactions of the world; the cause of creation, maintenance and destruction; just a witness for the activities of the world; not a doer-enjoyer just as light is not responsible for the activities we perform.

Samsara is the result of ignorance of apara prakrti – Nirguna Brahman.

Bhakti is explained as a way out of samsara, bhakti that would culminate in knowledge of Nirguna Brahman. Krishna touches upon three levels of Bhakti more elaborately set out in the twelfth chapter.

Krishna then distinguished between sakama and nishkama bhakti.

Then glorification of bhakti follows.


Gist of Chapter 10
Vibhuti Yoga

First, Krishna gives the definition of God. God is both para prakrti (intelligent cause) and apara prakrti (material cause) of the universe.

Arjuna asks Krishna for expansion of the many-faceted nature of Isvara.

Krishna responds by describing his own glories – how he is
the best of everything. “Anything wonderful you see is the glory of the
Lord, anything powerful you see is the glory of the Lord. These glories are
inexhaustible.”



Gist of Chapter 11

Visvarupa-darsana Yoga

When we look at the universe as Isvara, it is visvarupadarsanam. Krishna endows Arjuna with an extraordinary attitude (divyachakshu) to appreciate the new take on the universe.

First Sanjaya describes Arjuna’s vision. Arjuna himself expresses his wonder at the unusual sight. Arjuna describes how everything enters the mouth of Krishna – indicating the function of time.

When you appreciate the totality and appreciate the orderliness and harmony of the creation as an integral part of the Lord, you will use your free-will also in accordance with the universal harmony which is called dharma. Therefore when the free-will has alignment with dharma, the universal order, the visvarupa’s order, that alignment is called surrender.

Visvarupa serves the purpose of instilling in us giving up hatred, conquest of conceit, the mindset to see everything as sacred, respect for all forms of worship, and broadmindedness.


Gist of chapter 12
Bhakti Yoga

Twelfth chapter is a natural consequence and culmination of the previous five chapters. In this chapter Krishna has condensed the essence of the entire Vedic teaching, both Vedic Purva bhaga as well as Vedanta bhaga. This chapter has two parts – bhaktiyoga and bhaktiyogapalam.

Arjuna’s doubt was whether saguna dhyanam is superior or nirguna dhyanam. Saguna dhyanam is stepping stone to nirguna dhyanam.

Krishna presents it as a series consisting of five levels: 1. Karmayoga where a person does work to fulfil desires. 2. Learning to transfer our concern for yoga-kshema to the Lord. 3. Ishta-devata-upasana 4. Broadening the horizon – understanding the whole universe as god – visvarupa darsanam. 5. Jnana yoga.

At the end, one gets the realization that purnatvam is his state – oneness with the absolute - and is released from the travails of samsara.


Gist of chapter 13
Kshetra-kshetrajna-vibhaga Yoga

The final six chapters are about jiva-isvara-aikyam, jnanayoga as sadhana for realizing the aikya and the need for values to be eligible for jnana.

The entire upanishat-sara is given in the thirteenth chapter.

The terms Prakrti, Purusha, Kshetra, Kshetrajna, Jnanam, Jneyam are explained.

The words Purusha, Kshtrajna and Jneyam talk about the same principle –Atma. Similarly, Prakrti and Kshetram refer to the same topic, say, anatma. Jnanam does not come under either, and is different.

Kshetram refers to anatma – the entire universe, the object of experience, including the mind. It is inert, has attributes and subject to change. As opposed to it, the unobjectifiable experiencer is Kshetragna – Atma. It is consciousness which enlivens the inert body. It is unbounded and independent of the body. Atma without body is not subject to experience as the body, the medium of experience, is absent. Atma is like Akasa – unique, non-moving, indivisible, uncontaminated and supporting everything. It is like the sun – illuminator.

Krishna presents five stages to attain knowledge: Karmayoga (to remove the impurities of the mind), Upasanam (to remove the restlessness of the mind), sravanam (guided study of scripture to remove ignorance), mananam (for removal of doubt), nidhidhyasanam (to remove false orientation).

The fruit of this process is sarvatra sama darsanam – equanimity, attainment of immortality by identifying with the soul, realizing boundlessness.

In short, it takes one from bondage to liberation.



Gist of chapter 14
Gunatraya-vibhaga-yoga

Brahman is the supreme reality and knowing Brahman is liberation. The world is a manifestation of Brahman in association with the three gunas – Satva, Rajas and Tamas.

All the three gunas are causes of bondage.

The three gunas are presented in terms of their definition, how they bind, which is the dominant guna, how they are carried posthumously, and their effect.

Definition: Satva is prakasatmakam (illuminating), Rajas is ragatmakam (attachment), Tamas is mohanatmakam (infatuating).

Bondage: Satva induces thirst for knowledge; Rajas for action; and Tamas for inertia.

Dominant guna: When aptitude for knowledge is supreme, Satva is dominant; Rajas when tendency for action is to the fore; Tamas when idleness is adored.

Post-death: Satvika goes to higher world; Rajasika is reborn in this world; Tamasika is reborn as a lesser being.

Effect: Satva guna makes one knowledgeable and wise; Rajo guna makes one ambitious and active; Tamo guna makes one closer to animal existence.

We must upgrade ourselves from the lower guna to higher guna. After attaining Satva guna, we must aim at becoming gunatita i.e transcend all gunas.

A gunatita is less and less reactive to a situation because he has an enlightened mind. A gunatita practices equanimity and the process of getting over reactive mind is gradual. Surrender to the Lord and by his grace, you will get jnanam and become gunatita.



Gist of chapter 15
Purushothama Yoga

It is a short chapter encapsulating Upanishadic teachings. It consists of six topics.

1.Samasara
The whole universe is compared to an Asvattha tree borrowing from Katopanishad. The jivas are like the birds eating the fruits of the tree. The fruits of samsara and sukham and duhkham. We have to either accept both or reject both. There is no choice to accept one only.

2. Moksha sadhanani
Detachment, virtues, surrender and self-enquiry are the means to liberation. All these four will cumulatively contribute to the reinforcement or the strengthening of the mind, which will lead to moksha i.e. freedom from mental weakness.

3. Sarvatmakatvam of Brahman
Brahman alone appears or manifests in the form of the world. There is only one substance called Consciousness. The formless Consciousness manifests as the formed materials of the creation. When the chit is manifest in some portion, it is called jiva . When sat alone is manifest, it is called jagat.

4. Purushottmatvam of Brahman
The universe is thought of as consisting of three parts: manifest matter (ksharah purushah), unmanifest matter (aksharah purushah), say, energy, and all-pervading consciousness (uttama purushah). Everyone cannot understand the attributeless Brahman, so we have gods of one’s choice.

5. Brahma-jnanam and its effect
To understand the meaning of life one has to attain Brahma-jnanam.



Gist of chapter 16
Daivasuree-sampat Yoga

The central theme of Bhagavad Gita is self-knowledge, but chapters 16 and 17 deal with preparation for self-knowledge, not self-knowledge proper.

Human nature can be broadly divided between divine and devilish. Divine qualities (daivee sampat) comprise fearlessness, purity of mind, being rooted in knowledge and control, charity, etc. Demoniac qualities (asuree sampat) are boastfulness, pride, harshness, anger, attachment, etc.
Divine qualities free a person whereas the opposite ones degrade him. Avoiding
the bad ones and cultivating the good ones leads one to a good life and
realization.

The divine qualities foster mental health or emotional well-being while the opposites cause mental illness.

The importance of scripture is stressed.

In a different way of looking at it, it is about becoming

- a healthy and integrated individual,

- a thoughtful and wise doer,

- a wise, strong, skilful and receptive experiencer, and

- a spiritual seeker with faith and association with god, guru and scripture.



Gist of chapter 17
Sraddha-traya-vibhaga-yoga

In reply to Arjuna’s question, Krishna mentions three types of faith, satvika, rajasa and tamasa, based on the deity, method and motive. He mentions the three types in respect of food, worship, discipline and charity. Finally he instructs on Om Tat Sat.

The food that we consume also is a contributory factor towards spiritual growth. Satvika food is vegetarian, alcohol-free and tobacco-free, moderate in quantity and eaten in fixed times.

Any religious activity used for internal growth is satvika; any religious activity used for external material growth is rajasika; any religious activity used for harming others is tamasika.

Discipline is at the physical, verbal and mental level. The discipline with conviction and no ostentation is satvika, that with intent to show off and expecting reward is rajasika, and that which is torturous and done to harm others is tamasika.

Charity is satvika when done with no ulterior motive to the right people at the right place and time; rajasika when done in expectation of return; tamasika when done to unfit persons in inappropriate place and time with contempt.

Om, tat and sat are three names of Brahman and it is uttered during sacrifice, charity, austerity and good deeds.

Krishna praises virtues, but does not elaborate how to cultivate the virtues. Swami Paramarthananda discusses it drawing from scriptures:

1.    Prarthana - Prayer: prayer works in two ways – one, auto-suggestion and two, by thinking of god as a repository of virtues.

2.    Satsanga: association with good people

3.    Sankalpa: resolution

4.    Give up unhealthy things – whatever vitiates the mind

5.    Emotional education.  



Gist of chapter 18
Moksha Sanyasa Yoga

Chapter 18 summarises the entire Gita.

Chapter 2 is the other important chapter where the upanishatsaram is condensed. It is elaborated in the next 15 chapters, covering 9 topics.

Sadhanatraya vichara
1.    Karma yoga – for purification of mind
2.    Upasana yoga - for integration of mind
3.    Jnana yoga – for enlightenment of mind

Padatraya vichara (tat tvam asi)
4.    1-6 chapters discuss tvam –jivasvarupa
5.    7-12 chapters discuss tat –iswatasvarupa
6.    13-18 chapters discuss asi – jiva-brahma-aikya

Ghatakatraya vichara (factors for spiritual success)
7.    Prayatna – effort (first 6 chapters)
8.    Prasada – grace (next 6 chapters)
9.    Character (last 6 chapters esp. 16 and 17)

The first portion 1-12 is on sanyasa.

The second 13-17 describes atmasvarupam.

The third 18-40 discusses 6 topics viz. jnanam, karma,
karta, buddhi, dhrti, sukham.

The fourth 41-66 covers karmayoga and jnanayoga.

The fifth 67-78 is conclusion.

In reply to Arjuna’s question, Krishna clarifies that both sanyasa and tyaga mean renunciation.

Renunciation is associated with karma. Karma is of 5 types.
(1) vihita karma – scripturally enjoined; (2) kamya karma – action undertaken for desired results; (3) nishiddha karma – prohibited activities; (4) prayaschitta karma – compensatory action; and (5) naimittika karma – action as situation demands.

One opinion is that giving up karma is sanyasa and giving up karma-pala is tyaga. But Krishna rules out that distinction. Krishna says that yajna, dana and tapas are purificatory and must be practiced without attachment.

There are two types of sanyasa – mukhya and gowna. Mukhya sanyasi is for the advanced students and is rigorous (one has to leave family and possessions and cut himself off society). However, Krishna tells Arjuna here about Gowna Sanyasa which is relevant to him. To give up karma would be wrong for Arjuna or anyone who is not fit. To do so would be Rajasa Tamasa sanyasa. If you give up sankalpa (binding expectations), it is Satvika sanyasi. You are prepared to accept the result of your effort with equanimity.

Chaitanya (consciousness) is atmasvarupam. Atma is akarta (non-doer) and abhokta (non-enjoyer). The pancha-kosas (five material factors – body, mind, prana, ) are performing the action.

Six topics are analysed under three categories – satvika, rajasika and tamasika. Whatever contributes to spiritual or inner growth is satvika. Whatever contributes to the spiritual downfall is called rajasika. Whatever contributes to material growth, but leads to spiritual stagnation is tamasika.

Proper action and proper attitude is karma yoga. Proper action is svadharma anushtana (performing one’s duty). Material success is getting more than what we put in, but spiritual success is contributing more than we get. Proper attitude is considering all action as an offering to the Lord and accepting whatever we get as his prasada. Jnana yoga is sravanam (learning scripture), mananam (getting doubts clarified and getting a firm hold) and nidhidhyasanam (meditation).

Finally the charama sloka – 66th.
Sarva dharman parityajya

(This sloka created problems for me. It does not sit easily with me that a person can abandon dharma and be salvaged by surrender. That, if followed, will throw the world out of gear totally. Let us see briefly how Swami explains Sankara’s interpretation.)

Jnana is not explicitly covered in this sloka; it is implicit.

Krishna has preached up to now how following one’s dharma is essential and how doing karma is in-built in human beings. Here he seems to reverse it – he urges Arjuna to give up all dharma. He further says – surrender unto ME (what appears to be exclusive). The apparent meaning is conflicting with the whole message of Gita and has to be seen in proper light.

Karma arises with body-mind complex, by attachment to body. It is this attachment we have to give up. To give up the attachment, we need the jnana as to who ‘I’ am. ‘I’ am  atmachaitanyam. This atmachaitanyam is atma-jnanam.

Sarva dharman parityajaya – means gaining jiva-svarupam. That is the first step to jnanam.

Mamekam saranam vraja is jiva-brahma-aikya jnanam, the consummate step.

Isvara is conceived in three forms – ekarupa, anekarupa and arupa or nirguna brahman. Here ‘maam’ must be taken to mean nirguna brahman.

Reaching (vraja) is figurative. It is not travel, but getting over the false notion of difference.

The result of this knowledge is moksha.

The step is: to attain moksha is to rise above all punya and papa, all dharma and adharma.

In the winding up portion, the qualifications for study of Gita are listed: tapas (discipline), bhakti (devotion), sushrusa (desire) and anasuya (absence of disregard).


Round up

Ours is Vaidika culture – god-centred. From the time of getting up to the time of retiring to bed, every activity is associated with remembering god in one way or another. Any human or other relationship is incidental. Our fundamental relationship is with god. In our busy life we are centred on the worldly relationships, which is in order, but it should not be at the cost of the fundamental relationship. When that is forgotten, our life will become directionless.

Psychologists say that we must give quality time to strengthen relationships – with spouse and children and so on. That applies to our relationship with god also.

Any practice will be meaningful if we know the theory behind it. Religious practices are no exception. Theory is incomplete without practice and practice is mechanical and empty without knowledge of the theory behind it. The theory behind religious practices are enshrined in the scriptures. Scriptures are vast and Gita gives their essence succinctly.

It is not enough if one reads Gita. One must internalize it.  

Aum Tat Sat

My Take Away from Gita

1.   Do your assigned or assumed duty with utmost diligence. That is what is in your control. There are factors beyond your control which also affect the outcome.

Good conduct and knowledge are long term investments.   

Renunciation is a state of mind, not really physical.

The path of jnana is arduous and is a rare pursuit.

Equanimity is a desired stance of life.

The body is perishable, the soul is ever present.

Faith and focus facilitate performance.

Eat healthily, discipline mind by yoga and practise satvic qualities.

You are responsible for your life.

Take life and the faculties as gift of god, do whatever you do as an offering to god and accept whatever comes as the grace of god.  

Karma

I have confusion about this term. The best thing to do when you are confused is to confuse others. 

When karma is talked of in Gita, it is in the context of Vedic karma. Krishna does not leave it in any doubt. He claims to have created the four varnas and naturally, the dharma of each varna is to follow the injunctions of Veda as to their karma. 

But, when he says that no one can remain without doing anything, the karma does not refer to vihita karma, but involuntary karma. It cannot be vihita karma because there are many who do not do vihita karma. 

When he says that you should not be guided by fruits of your karma, it must be vihita karma. The idea seems to be to preserve social order by making everyone do his prescribed duties. It is the same as the job cards and code of conduct in an organisation. 

The lofty principle of doing karma regardless of fruits (nishkamyakarma) must apply to purta karma also. Though one does not expect personal benefit in purta karma, attachment develops and that is not a good sign in the spirit of Gita.

What one carries at death (for those who believe) is not the karma, but the vasanas, i.e. the fruits of karma that have not manifested. This must be for commission and omission in vihita karma, not for involuntary karma which must stop with physical effects they induce. Otherwise, it will be an insoluble maze and directionless. 

The final spin is when it is said that bhakti will nullify the vasanas. That would mean that one may be remiss and escape with bhakti. That cannot be the message. Bhakti must shape one's attitude to do the right thing and not offer unconditional release from the bad effects of wrong deeds. 

I hope the confusion is well put together. 

·   The purpose of Gita is spiritual knowledge and the setting of Mahabharata war has been chosen for introducing it. The confusion of Arjuna is improvised to set the narrative. The shakiness of Arjuna does not fit with his character delineated thus far nor with the background where alternatives to war were tried repeatedly. With this understanding, we must approach Gita. As Swami Parmarthananda said, the relevance of Gita in the war setting is not as important as its relevance to our life.

The argument urged upon a warrior to fight because he kills only the body and not the soul has to be understood in the above perspective. Immortality of the soul is not a pressing consideration in the conduct of worldly life. It is about living it as well as possible and as long as possible. It also sounds inappropriate that god has already killed all of them and Arjuna is only flogging a dead horse.

Dr. S Radhakrishnan writes: “The inevitability of death, however, cannot justify murders, suicides or wars. We cannot desire deliberately the death of others, simply because all men are bound to die.”

There are other good reasons why Arjuna could not have ceased to fight against the background, but immortality of the soul cannot be one.

 

Some related ideas:

Will Durant: “What the author had in mind to do, apparently, was to shake the Hindu soul out of the enervating quietism of Buddhist piety into a willingness to fight for India; it was rebellion of a Kshatriya who felt that religion was weakening his country, and who proudly reckoned that many things were more precious than peace. All in all it was a good lesson which, if India had learned it, might have kept her free.”

(A totally absurd take of Gita).

 

Kalki in Ponniyin Selvan:

Malayaman says this to Aditya Karikalan) “It is the nature of a vulture to kill and eat a pigeon. If a lion shows mercy to a goat, it is no more a lion. It will be a goat too. Those who aspire to be coronated must slay the enemies and conspirators.”

The crunch moment of Gita:

इति ते ज्ञानमाख्यातं गुह्याद्गुह्यतरं मया |

विमृश्यैतदशेषेण यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु ||

(Thus has wisdom more secret than all secrets, been declared to you by me. Having reflected on it fully, do as you choose.)

This is the most important lesson of Gita. One must take available information and counsel and decide for himself. One must take responsibility for his action and be prepared to face its consequences. Any other lesson will lower the dignity of human personality.

GITA

Gita is overglorified as Kural is. Both lack in merit as a cogent and well-knit document. They contain aphorisms and thought provoking Truths and pointers to Truth. Both suffer in being in verse form. In verse, words usurp the place of meaning. In chaste prose it is possible to pack meaning tightly.

Krishna’s arguments why Arjuna should engage in fratricidal warfare are not presented elegantly. It is obviously an attempt to introduce a codification of Hindu thought up to the time when Gita was written. War is recommended on specious grounds. All of us are bound to die and the soul is immortal. This can be no sensible argument to fight. Arjuna is a warrior and he cannot desert fighting. It is not suggested that the cause is worth fighting for. From mythology we learn that Krishna is born to mitigate the burden on Mother Earth. If Krishna is egging on Arjuna to fight cleverly to achieve that purpose, it is not a good example.

The emphasis of Gita is surrender to God’s will. Other things are talked about, but the refrain is surrender. The return to this theme is striking and unmistakable. The viewpoint of Gita is identical with Islam and Christianity. The essence of Vedanta, which lets us embark on a spiritual sojourn, is not so much in evidence in Gita. In fact, Krishna dissuades one from undertaking the exacting methods of personal discovery of the Truth and to this extent, Gita undermines the essence of Hinduism. It is the message for the modern man in a hurry who cannot wait. The capsule age has started with the Gita. The Brahmasutras are also pithy and abstruse, but they are a philosophical treatise and are different in context and content.