Bhagwad Gita

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This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content.

Overview

Overview I

The Times of India, Feb 20 2016

Janki Santoke 

The Bhagwad Gita is a manual for life and living. The Gita presents the laws and principles on which life works. Well before there was any concept of `Hinduism', thousands of years ago, our ancestors called themselves the arya putra or noble race. Or Bharatas (bha ­ light and rata ­ revel), those revelling in the light of Consciousness. The result of this philosophy was prosperity , harmony and spiritual growth. The philosophy created a conducive environment for people to reflect on higher pursuits of life. The Gita was given to the skilled and noble Arjuna when he became despondent on the battlefield at Kurukshetra, unable to withstand the challenge of having to fight his own relatives, teachers and friends. The message of the Gita given by Krishna revived him despite the incapacitated state he was in.

The Gita can be divided into three parts of six chapters each. These three parts are said to represent the great upanishadic aphorism, Tat Tvam Asi, You Are That.

The first part talks about `tvam', you, the individual. You meet challenges and are overwhelmed by them. You need to understand the purpose of life and conduct yourself accordingly . Doing tha is your duty; it is karma yoga, path of action. Karma yoga is working for a higher cause in the spirit of cooperative endeavour. When a person functions thus his worldly desires wane away and he is prepared for meditation. Through meditation he realises his Self, the purpose of existence. The most famous verse in this section is probably karmanyevadhikaraste (II.47) ­ your right is to action and not to its fruit.

The second part talks of `tat', that, the Supreme Reality , God. Krishna shows how Reality or God is in everything and everything is in God. He demonstrates this both by analyses and syntheses. He names individual things and says they are God and then puts it all together, synthesises them in the form of Vishwarupa, His cosmic form. In it, Arjuna sees how everything is part of Krishna or Reality , the good, the bad and the ugly . Whatever one sees is a manifestation of the Lord. With this vision one's mind expands in love and demonstrates the first quality of a bhakta, a devotee of God ­ advesta sarva bhutanam, maitra, karuna eva cha. That is, no hatred towards any being, and to be friendly, compassionate (XII.13).

The third section talks about `asi', are, the relationship between the individual and God. He is the root and the world is the tree, the inverted ashvatha tree. Like any family tree, the parent is shown on top and the descendants below. The world is made up of the three gunas ­ tamas, ignorance; rajas, activity; and sattva, poise. They bind us in different ways and keep us from recognition of Reality .Beings in the world are all different ­ but different combinations of the three gunas. When one goes beyond the gunas one finds one's true Self.

The text ends with Arjuna overcoming the state of depression he was falling into and he is now ready to do his duty and fight a righteous war, Sanjaya tells us that where there is the skill of Arjuna and the yoga of Krishna ­ these are values they symbolise there will be success, prosperity , victory and sound policy .

Overview II

The Times of India, Apr 19 2016

Vijay Krishna Misra 

Edwin Arnold translated the Bhagwad Gita as `The Song Celestial' in English. Technically , Gita is part of the last major Sanskrit epic, The Mahabharata, written by Maharishi Veda Vyas. For the devout believer, the Gita is the word of God, teachings of Krishna imparted to Arjuna when he lost his nerve on the battlefield at Kurukshetra when he found himself facing his own kin. The Gita has come to be seen as a guide book worldwide, to analyse the conflicts in the human mind, social behaviour and philosophical nuances. The father of the atomic bomb Oppenheimer, at the time of the first atomic test in the Nevada desert quoted Krishna from the Gita after seeing the nuclear mushroom cloud rise up.“Kaloasmi Lokkshyakrit Praviraddha“ ­ I have become death.

The Gita is a scripture to be read, understood and internalised. It cannot be taught, though in the first instance it was a lecture. For the cognoscenti it is a treasure house of pearls of wisdom, for believers it is an article of faith, for the learned it is the ultimate in learning.But for sceptics it is just religious mumbo jumbo from the past, irrelevant to the modern world.

Whether the Gita is a religious scripture and should be taught in schools is a question which can be clearly and categorically answered by simply quoting some shlokas from the Gita itself.

It is clear that in different chapters the Gita defines, explains and expounds different forms of yogas, tapasya and yajnas, their practice, importance and effects. Above all, in the end, Krishna reveals himself to Arjuna in his virat swaroop ­ celestial form ­ and directs him to leave all dharmas and worship only Krishna.

In the last chapter he directs Arjuna: “Sarva dharma parityaga Mamakam Sharnam vraj.“ You should renounce (or discard) all other religions (dharmas) and seek refuge only in me.

In the concluding verse there is explicit prohibition from passing on the arcane teachings of Gita to four types of persons: atapaskaya, those who lack tapasya; abhaktaya, those who lack devotion; ashushruva, those who are not interested and abhyasuyati, those who find fault with it.

Therefore, any move to make the Gita a compulsory inclusion in school curriculum will expose it to some hostile and undeserving elements.

I had a very sad experience with such experiments a few decades ago in Los Angeles.The bhaktas and followers of the Hare Krishna Hare Rama movement, in their zeal to propagate the Gita's message among Mexicans in LA, got translations in Spanish printed and bound in a very attractive cover. Then they started distributing the copies free among the Mexicans of downtown areas in Los Angeles.

In the back alleys of Pershing Square I came across sidewalks littered with shining brand new unread copies of the Srimad Bhagwad Gita. Nonbelievers did not care for the sanctity of the scripture. As Jesus has said in the Bible, “Do not throw your pearls before swine lest they trample upon them.“

It will be in the best interest of a secular democracy to keep religion separate from day-to-day education, whether in science, humanities or vocational studies. Ralph W Emerson called the Gita “the voice of an old intelligence which in another age and climate had pondered and thus disposed of the same questions which exercise us“. Today also the new intelligentsia will listen to the old, for the rest, as the Bible says, why waste pearls by casting them... ?

What is the Gita?

A scientific handbook

The Times of India, Nov 20 2015

Jaya Row

The Bhagwad Gita as a scientific handbook

The Bhagwad Gita is a scientific handbook that takes you from spiritual infancy to heights of perfection. It resonates with everyone, because of its mind-stretching quality . If you think that to be assertive is the way to go, the Gita speaks of softness. If non-action seems to be the option, the Gita prescribes action. If grasping will help you acquire more of the world, it counsels you to let go ­ lose it, to gain it. The Gita's first lesson is on impor tance of the intellect. You have two gifts ­ choice of action and intellect. Choice is a given. Intellect has to be developed.Nobody understands the importance of the intellect and the need to strengthen it. Hence people are making choices with a weak intellect. The mind is the seat of emotion, impulse, like and dislike. Intellect discriminates, judges, discerns, weighs the pros and cons and arrives at a decision. Mind is irrational, intellect is rational. The purpose of life is to make the mind work for you and no against you. A mind not governed by the intellect is dangerous. It distracts, tricks and misleads you. The Gita helps you use your existing intellect and gives knowledge to fortify it.

The Gita bestows serenity, tranquillity and contentment. When the mind is calm, the intellect is sharp and you achieve success effortlessly . Across the world people are in varying degrees of agitation. The cause is unbridled desire. Ride on desire and you will be agitated.Rise above desire and you will be content. Shift from the attitude of grabbing to that of giving, sharing and contributing; from profiteering to offering. And you will be showered with prosperity. Grab and you lose; give and you gain. Think of yourself only and you will be discontent. Focus on others, you will be happy.

The Gita speaks of excellence ­ in the world and beyond. It inspires you with a higher ideal. Move from mere physical delights to emotional motivation, intellectual stimulation and the highest ­ the lure of the Infinite.With a higher ideal you tap into your potential, become creative and energetic, and transform from an ordinary mortal to an extraordinary immortal. The world does not need more brilliant or talented people. It needs ordinary people with extraordinary motivation. Chapter 3 of the Gita gives the ingredients of perfect action that help you gain the world and take you to the Transcendental.

The Gita extols the virtue of oneness ­ vasudhaiva kutumbakam, the entire universe is one. Just as the one ray of white light refracts into seven distinct and different colours when passed through a prism, the one Brahmn is seen as the pluralistic, diverse world when seen through the prism of the body, mind and intellect. You are strongly entrenched in feelings of otherness. You imagine adversaries where there are benefactors. You see opponents, not partners.You create a hell for yourself. When you see yourself in others, you revel in their victory. Then you never encounter failure. Drudgery becomes revelry and you gain power. The sixth chapter of the Gita gives oneness as the test of spiritual development. Spiritual growth is not measured by the number of scriptures mastered or pilgrimages undertaken. It is measured by the extent of oneness you experience and live.

The Gita offers many more valuable principles of life that you can use to achieve success and happiness in the world. And it takes you to enlightenment.

An Estrogenic, Feminine Civilisation

The Times of India Dec 21 2015

K M Gupta

There can be any number of approaches to the spirit and substance of the world which in common parlance is called God. In the Vaishnava approach, Krishna or Vishnu in any name or form is the sole male, and all living souls, jivatmas, are emale. Union of the female with the ole male Paramatman is spiritualism.The rasa lila in Vrindavan is symbolic of he union of female jivatmas with the male Paramatman.

In Vaishnava tradition, spiritual eekers are required to ingest and nurse eminine qualities. The more feminine you are in nature, the closer you are to God. Sri Ramakrishna would dress and behave like a woman. It was not just a performance; to him, it was an incredible ransmutation. He virtually transformed nto a sweet woman; he called this sweetness madhura bhava. According to him madhura bhava is the sweetest and easiest way to God. When he was in madhura bhava, people often found it hard to accept that this was Sri Ramakrishna! Krishna means `one who attracts'.The point of Krishna having thousands of consorts and sweethearts is that he is the sole male attracting all females, jivatmas, to him. Not only this, but, in his presence, even males wished they were female. People think that in the Bhagwad Gita, Krishna is urging Arjuna to `manliness' when in fact Krishna is actuating Arjuna to `womanliness', to madhura bhava. Krishna asks him to `be engrossed in me and fight' and `let go of all pursuits and take shelter solely in me'. He is asking Arjuna to be a `female warrior' with madhura bhava ­ an Amazon, a Semiramis of Nineveh, a Boudicca, a Queen Myrina, a Rani Jhansi, fighting w Myrina, a Rani Jhansi, fighting while still retaining the feminine madhura bhava. Observe how Arjuna conducted himself throughout the Mahabharata war. He was fighting with madhura bhava, without rancour. In all those 18 days, only once he lost his cool and that too with his own brother Yudhishtira, not with the opposite camp. Later in the Mahabharata, Arjuna once tells he has forgotten what Krishna taught him at Kuruskshetra. Arjuna forgot the text of Gita but retained its culture ­ which is waging the war of life with madhura bhava.

Krishna wants Arjuna to be a woman fighter and fight for him (Krishna) and not himself (Arjuna). That is action for God, action without reference to fruits. For men, acting without reference to fruits is hard, but it comes naturally to women.

Krishna assures Arjuna he is endowed with godly qualities. He says daivi s liberate and evil qualities qualities liberate and evil qualities bind. He gives a long list of 26 godly qualities. These are feminine; daivi or godly qualities are estrogenic and asuri or demonic qualities are testosteronic.Indic culture has been striving to cast people in feminine (godly) qualities.That is why India is rooting for ahimsa, peace and compassion, all female qualities. Paths like Jainism and Buddhism can take birth only on Indic soil, producing a Mahavira or Buddha.All testosteronic civilisations worldwide fought their way to selfdestruction and mutual destruction.Estrogenic India is the only surviving civilisation among the ancient ones.

In Indic culture, God is female, Shakti, not male. Male is the polarity of female Shakti. The female polarises for the sake of Creation. As Shankara puts it in Soundarya Lahari, the male cannot even stir without being charged by the female. The female is perpetually regenerative. India is regenerative.The Bhagwad Gita is not about a testosteronic war but the estrogenic tyaga, renunciation. (December 21is Gita Day .)

Management Science and the Gita

Swami Swaroopananda’s findings

Swami Swaroopananda, Nov 22, 2019: The Times of India

Whether you are seeking enlightenment, facing a moral dilemma or you are the managing director of a multinational corporation working for success, the Bhagwad Gita can guide you effectively in achieving your objectives. This article outlines the role of the Gita in Management Science.

Krishna gives many useful suggestions on how an executive could manage his company successfully. The executive must have the following qualifications:

Jnanam: This means a complete vision of the entire organisation, its aims and objectives, its place in the country and also in relation to other countries. There may be many functional divisions in the organisation, but the head must see unity in all of them. The relationship between the parts and the whole must be understood well.

Buddhi: Discrimination and discretion. The chief should be capable of imparting his vision to all his workers at their own level of understanding and field of work. This ability is buddhi. While translating this vision into reality, there will arise many problems, difficulties and obstacles that may be objective or manmade as well. At such moments what is required is buddhi – the ability to understand the very cause of such problems and to remove it effectively. Buddhi is required to manage two kinds of people: those who have difficulties and those who are difficult people! In order to do all this the executive must have good knowledge of the human mind.

Dhriti: This means patience and fortitude. The ability to consistently hold on to your goal is called dhriti. No goal is achieved easily and quickly. We meet with many obstacles that try our patience. Similar is the case when all workers are not able to see the vision and they frustrate even an effective leader. On all such occasions the leader must have extreme patience to win them over and achieve the goal.

The success of a project depends on the appointment of right persons for various jobs. There will be diversity in jobs and functions but there should be unity in purpose and total dedication to it. The greater the goal and higher the inspiration, the more spectacular the success will be. The way Krishna managed the crisis at Kurukshetra on the battlefield, teaching Arjuna and then leading the Pandavas to victory, is proof of this fact.

Worship and meditation: The mind operates at two levels – conscious and the subconscious. The subconscious mind is very powerful. By cleaning up the mind and empowering it, we can garner full energy of the subconscious mind.

Worship helps us to meditate; the mind takes the form of the object of meditation. Thus, while meditating on the form, the mind develops and manifests the qualities of the deity. Krishna presents elaborate details on the ‘why’, ‘how’ and ‘obstacles’ in the process of meditation. Reflect and meditate when you face obstacles and challenges, when you are losing your enthusiasm and when you are unable to lead.

Leadership does not mean that all have to become presidents or CEOs. If you can be an inspiration to any person, you are a leader. If you can help, motivate and guide just one person, you are a leader. (The writer is global head, Chinmaya Mission)

Devotion

Sri Krishn mentions five different paths

Hasmukh Adhia, Several Alternative Paths Of Devotion, March 20, 2020: The Times of India

Krishna gives as many as five different paths of devotion to follow – in the Bhagwad Gita’s 12th chapter – giving seekers the option to choose from any one of them. The wide spectrum of choice is given keeping in mind the differences in preferences of people and their disposition.

First is the Path of Meditation on formless Consciousness. Also called Brahmn, consciousness is omnipresent, formless, and is the same as satchitanand Atman. It is because of the presence of formless consciousness that all objects of nature exist. Seeing Brahmn in Self is the best form of meditation, called nirguna upasana.

This path, by Krishna’s own admission, is difficult for people who have not renounced everything, and who still live in body-consciousness. So he suggests four other paths of devotion. Next comes the path of seeing god in every aspect of creation. God is present in pure consciousness in all created objects. There is nothing in the world that is not of divine origin. With this perspective, there would be love, kindness to all and no conflict. To see entire creation and all beings as divine is the second best meditation.

Another option is to meditate on any particular form of Brahmn – sculpture, picture or word, for example. One can see god’s presence in a particular form. That form can be chosen by us based on our own sanskara or preference. Since entire creation is divine, worshipping god in any form is fine. That explains the 330 million devatas in Hindu tradition. Virtually every single form is divine. This kind of meditation on a form is called saguna upasana. This method is very popular.

Some people are so action-oriented that they cannot do any meditation – neither saguna nor nirguna. For them, there are the fourth and fifth options.

The fourth option is to dedicate all actions to god, performed only in divine service of god or in service of the world, abandoning desire for selfish gains. Some people devote their life to temples; others, to certain social organisations. Any selfless service is devotional in nature.

If this is also difficult to do, the fifth and the last option of karma yoga is given. One can continue to do what one is doing but the fruits of karma can be dedicated to god and accepted as prasad only to take care of our needs, not greed. If we accept salary or profit as prasad, we can’t consume it entirely. Prasad has to be shared. So we must share our gains with those in need. Also, karma has to be performed with greatest efficiency, since we are offering it to god; we should have no ego in performing it or in achieving some good results out of it. The credit for any superior output should go to god, so we can be humble. Karma performed with this attitude is karma yoga. The short definition of karma yoga can be this. It is performance of one’s chosen duty without carelessness, without selfishness and without ego.

These are the five different paths of devotion given by Krishna in the Gita. The choice of path is left to us. We can choose what appeals to us most. Any one path will gradually lead to the next better path and eventually to lasting happiness and peace. (The writer is former finance secretary, Government of India)

The Perfect Dhyan

Anup Taneja, Dec 18, 2023: The Times of India

Bhagwad Gita’s Golden Rules To Perfect Dhyan

The Bhagwad Gita is the golden path which presents to its reader a variety of yogic systems that enable him to experience the Ultimate Beatitude. The conspicuous feature of this path is that it attaches equal importance both to the spiritual and worldly aspects of life.


Seekers often complain that as soon as they sit to meditate, all sorts of turbulent thoughts begin to rush in their minds, causing untold distraction. This happens because of the deeprooted tendency of the mind to rove in the pleasure garden of senses. Swami Vivekananda makes this further clear by explaining that chitta is the mindstuff, and the ‘vrittis’ are the waves and ripples rising in it. These vrittis are our universe comprising myriad objects. We cannot see the bottom of the lake because its surface is covered with ripples. One can catch a glimpse of the bottom only when the ripples have subsided and the water is calm. The bottom of the lake, thus, is our own true Self; the lake is the chitta, and the waves, the vrittis.


In Discourse VI of the Gita, which elaborates on Dhyan Yog, Krishn enlightens us about the process through which the seeker endeavours to disconnect the mind from the sensual pleasures and shift its focus inwards, thereby making it calm and serene. In his commentary on the Gita, S Radhakrishnan explains that the “human mind is ordinarily turned outwards. Yoga attempts to explore the inner world. We must divest our minds of all sensual desires, abstract our attention from all external objects and absorb it in the object of meditation,” Gita 6:10. In this Discourse, Krishn lays down some golden principles for meditation. To start with, the use of an asana made from kusha-grass – a bad conductor of electricity – is recommended. This helps in conserving the powerful spiritual currents within the body that are generated during meditation; Gita 6:11.


Secondly, while practising meditation, the seeker should firmly hold his body, head and neck erect and still without looking around. This helps in smooth flow of the lifecurrent from the sensory nerve branches through the spine; Gita 6:13. Thirdly, Krishn asserts that the seeker should exercise utmost moderation in his eating and sleeping habits. Yog, he says, is not possible for that yogi who eats too much, nor for him who does not eat at all, nor for him who sleeps too much nor for him who is constantly awake; Gita 6:16. Rajasic food items like meat, eggs, pickles should be strictly avoided as these give rise to carnal cravings.


Lastly, he attaches great importance to the practice of brahmacharya. That yogi who has preserved his vital force by the vow of celibacy and sublimated it into ojas, transmutation of sexual energy into spiritual energy, can practise steady meditation for a long period without distraction. In the absence of continence, it is not possible to attain success in the field of yoga; Gita 6:14.


Thus, yog is not about attaining God; it is more about disciplining the mind and shifting its focus inwards, towards the Self. We may conclude with the Gita verse 6:15 which states: “The yogi of subdued mind, ever keeping himself thus harmonised, attains to peace, the Supreme Nirvana, which abides in me.”


December 22 is Gita Jayanti

History

Why Sri Krishn chose Arjun

Aruna Narlikar, February 2, 2022: The Times of India

When all negotiation efforts had failed and war became certain, both the Kaurav and Pandav cousins decided to approach Krishn for assistance. Duryodhan, representing the Kaurav side, arrived first; Krishn was asleep and so Duryodhan took a seat near the Lord’s head. Arjun followed, and placed himself at Krishn’s feet. When Krishn woke up, his eyes settled first on Arjun. Duryodhan, however, insisted on the first come, first served basis, and therefore, believed his claim on Krishn’s help to supersede Arjun’s.


The wise Krishn recognised both claims. Duryodhan had arrived first, but Arjun had been seen first. Both would receive his help. And stating this, he offered them a choice: One side could

have Krishn’s vast army – all hardy, skilled and armed Yadav warriors. The other side could have Krishn. But Krishn would not fight, and he would be alone and unarmed.

Between Narayan and the Narayani Sena, which would the cousins choose? Krishn offered Arjun the first choice as the ancient code was clear: The youngest should be given the opportunity to opt first.

Without hesitation, Arjun chose Krishn. Duryodhan was filled with glee, certain that the already strong Kaurav army would now be invincible with its expanded numbers and weaponry. But Arjun was just as certain that he had made the right choice. And as it would turn out in the great war, having Krishn on their side was crucial to the Pandav victory. The story offers several important lessons.

Firstly, the son of Pandu placing himself at the Lord’s feet was indicative of his humility, while Duryodhan’s assumption of a position by the Lord’s head suggested hubris.

Secondly, Duryodhan was seduced by the promise of victory, of which he felt assured now that he had Krishn’s army and weapons working on his side. In contrast, Arjun chose the path of Dharma and glory, knowing that Krishn embodied these values. The Kaurav king had opted for a path that he believed would fulfil his interests. But the more rewarding choice was the one made by Arjun, not only because it reflected his values, but also because a strong basis in values helped the Pandav side achieve material victory too.

Thirdly, there was also a high level of intelligence reflected in Arjun’s choice. While he did not underestimate the importance of having powerful military forces, he probably knew thatstrategic thinking and cunning would be indispensable for defeating the formidable Kaurav side. And on war strategy, he knew Krishn was unrivalled.

Lastly, having a trusted friend and guide by one’s side in times of mental distress can be more effective than owning all the riches and forces of the world. When Arjun was consumed with selfdoubt on the battlefield, Krishn – and Krishn alone – could have, and indeed did, persuade him back to do his duty. That act of persuasion took the shape of the Bhagwad Gita. And we are all richer today, thanks to Arjun’s choice.

Monotheism

A

Bansi Mahajan, May 22, 2023: The Times of India

Is Hinduism a polytheistic religion? No, its followers mostly believe there is One God, who can take many forms. They choose one of the forms as their main, Ishta, deity, and direct their devotional practices towards him. 
The idea of One God is professed in the Bhagwad Gita, too. Krishn says in the Gita, verse 4:11, “Ye yatha mam prapadyante, tan tathaiva bhajami aham” – by whatsoever way men seek me, I accept them the same way. Thus, there is One God, who appears to us in the form that we seek him in. In the Gita, he appears as both, as nirakaar, formless, and sakaar, with form. The logic being that Ishwar who creates the universe, can also assume any form – in any way, anywhere, and simultaneously at many places. Krishn’s Ras Lila is one such example, when dancing with gopis, cowherd girls, he appears to each of them to be with her alone.

In the Gita, verse 9:29, he says that to him, all beings are equal. They can be from anywhere. “Samo’ham sarvabhooteshu, na me dveshyo’sti na priyah. Ye bhajanti tu mam bhaktya, mayi te teshu chapyaham” – I am the same to all beings. There is none whom I hate, nor is anyone dear to me. However, those who worship me, in devotion, abide in me and I also remain in them.

In Chapter 7 of the Gita, Krishn says that whatever form sadhaks, seekers, spiritual practitioners, choose to worship him in, with faith, he fixes their faith in that very form. When a sadhak worships a particular deity with faith, he gets the desired fruits, these too are granted by Krishn alone. All deities are forms of that One God. Krishn emphasises his supremacy in the Gita, verse 7:7, “Mattah parataram nanyat kinchid-asti dhananjaya; mayi sarvamidam protam, sootre manigana iva” – there is nothing, no one, higher than me, O Arjun. All are woven in me; just as precious stones are strung in a single thread. Here, too, One God, the string, holds together numerous divine manifestations, that is, precious stones.

In verse 7:19, Krishn further adds, “A man, endowed with the highest knowledge, reaches me after a long journey of many lives and knows that I, Vasudev, am everything. Such holy men are rare. ”

At several other places in the Gita, for example, verses 13:17, 15:15 and 18:61, Krishn declares that God resides in the hearts of all. That is yet another pointer to One God pervading the entire universe. God, in the highest sense, is the very life, the essential conscious principle that empowers anyone in any manner.

The vishwa-roop – cosmic form of Krishn, described in the Gita, Chapter 11, is another splendid display of all divine expressions being present in the One God. The One appears as many; the One God that Krishn professes is the source of many forms, including Ram, Krishn, and Shiv.

And lastly, the chapter on Vibhuti Yog talks of God being the basis of everything in the entire universe that shines with extraordinary charm and power. “Please understand,” says Krishn in Gita 10:41, “that anything or anybody in this vast universe, endowed with the most impressive qualities or glory, has arisen from a part of my effulgence. ” Thus, reveals the Gita, the overarching truth that God is One and his expressions are many.

Nishkam Karm

I

The Times of India, Apr 08 2016

The Gita Doctrine Of Nishkama Karma

B Shankar

Nishkama is not mere worklessness, external passivity or idleness. It is the state of establishment in the experience that one is the Atman, pure spirit, the uninvolved witness of passivity as well as activity of body-mind. Willful worklessness amounting to idleness is not the aim.

When one's ego identifies itself with the body and feels `I am the body', he becomes an actor, one involved in works.On the other hand if he feels that `I am the Atman', he remains as spirit, the pure witness, this state is called `nishkama' or egoless passivity of the spirit.

Further, absolute passivity is impractical as living becomes impossible.

So what one is expected to do is to work, controlling the senses by the mind and doing his duty with utter dedication and submission to the Lord and without caring for the fruits.

Practice of nishkama karma is easier said than done. This is because an attitude of being a witness does not come unless one feels detached. This happens after he understands and appreciates about what one really owns in life as well as the glories of the Creator.

Nothing belongs to us. We came with nothing. Oxygen was provided to us and we are provided with food so that the body can last possibly a hundred years. Nature meets all our wants. Yes, the world is a well-endowed guesthouse.Thus mutually we can live, helping each other, according to Nature's design.

You cannot be an owner if you are not the author. The Creator is the material cause of Creation in addition to being the efficient cause.

You cannot say that you created a business empire, becau created a business empire, because you must exist to start with. And all that was needed by you, like the ground, building materials, human beings and other raw material, was already available.

Human ownership is only a notion! The individual will is only a distortion of the Divine Will by man's egoism.

When this distortion is overcome through devotion and submission to Divine will, complete peace and perfection is attained even in the midst of all work.

Once the relationship between man and God is reconciled, it will be easy to practice detachment, slowly graduating to the state of being a witness. One will begin to see and appreciate His manifestations all around with a sense of awe and wonder.

Creation and Time are he endless, being cyclic. The process of Creation has a purpose for the jiva or individual soul and that is to help him evolve to regain his full divine nature. Human birth is said to be precious as it is the only vehicle with potential to reach the goal. The worldly man needs only to change his attitude towards work.

One will be successful in doing nishkama karma when he can dwell in the state of a witness in discharging life's duties, without caring for results.This can happen in two stages, the first in which all fruits of action are resigned to God. This is called prasada buddhi, graceful acceptance as prasad, a Divine blessing.

The yogi has still the sense of agency, the feeling of doer-ship. At a higher level of perfection the sense of agency is also resigned, this is known as isvarararpana buddhi, offering of choice of action to the Divine. This attitude is based on an appreciation of the Divine even before you begin your action.

Thus it is bhakti that completes the Gita doctrine of dedicated and detached work and practice of nishkama karma leads one eventually to nishkama siddhi ­ an interim stage before enlightenment.

Nishkâm Karm II

B Shankar, Nishkama Karma: Even-mindedness For Right Action, March 3, 2017: The Times of India

There are two defining sentences of the `Doctrine of dedicated work' ­ Karma Yoga ­ in the Bhagwad Gita. One, `samatvam yoga uchyate' means sameness of mind is yoga. The other, `karmasu kausalam', that the right choice in respect of action is yoga.

Samatvam, equanimity of mind, is possible with neutral response to the results of action. Prasada buddhi, glad acceptance, grants the attitude to have sameness of mind to various results of action.

The exact meaning of `kausalam' is skill, meaning skill in action. As per this definition, it can be interpreted that even a criminal action has to be done with skill. This is incorrect, for it is to be understood that the action should be dharmic and is to be done with a total sense of devotion and dedication. The Gita says, `You have choice only regarding action, not regarding the results thereof.' Karma yoga is performance of action with the attitude that all results are shaped by the Laws of Nature, they come from the Divine, to be gladly accepted.

The choice with reference to action is to go by what is right and wrong as said in scriptures even if the choice is against one's personal likes and dislikes.

In the Mahabharata, Vidura's advice to the Pandavas is relevant even today when he says, “Do unto others what you wish to be done to you.“

In Chapter 13, Krishna says In Chapter 13, Krishna says that Knowledge of the Self can be attained by cultivation of virtues ­ absence of pride and vanity , non-injury, patience, perseverance, service of the teac perseverance, service of the teacher, self-control, resisting tempting objects of senses, reflection on the ephemerality of life, non-attachment, non-entanglement with family , imperturbability , intense devotion to the Divine, frequent solitude, steady pursuit of spiritual enquiry and strong aspiration for the Truth.Cultivation of these virtues leads one to knowledge of Self.

Further, describing divine and demonic types of humans, Krishna says that the cause of all degeneration in the individu al and society is the triple traits of sexuality, anger and greed which are described as factors leading to the destruction of man's spiritual nature. `Trivid ham narakasyedam dvaaram naasanam aatmanah,' meaning, the triad of lust, anger and greed leads to destruction of man's spiritual nature, the gateway to imals do exhibit these qualities hell. Animals do exhibit these qualities but they are limited to Nature's call, satiation of hunger or when in danger.When man does not exercise his inbuilt capacity to control, regulate and overcome his lower nature, he will lose his humanity and will not be able to progress spiritually . He is said to go down in the trans-migratory cycle.

In performing an action one will certainly look for a result and what is required is a change in attitude towards the result, whether or not the result meets with the expectation and glad acceptance thereof. This is samatvam, equanimity of the mind.

Adhering to virtuous living, discharging one's duty ­ which is whatever one's lot is in life ­ not for his own sake but for His sake to whom all and everything ultimately belongs and to be in spiritual communion with Him with total devotion and accepting the result of all actions as prasad given by Him will be the right road to salvation. Constant practice of such nishkama karma leads one to nishkama siddhi which is an interim stage before Enlightenment.

Krishna does NOT ask us to work without expecting results

Swami Swaroopananda, Work And Not Expectation, Produces Results, February 12, 2019: The Times of India

The only thing we all seek is happiness. But, we indulge in contrary actions: one gets married because one wants to be happy; one seeks divorce because one wants to be happy! Is permanent happiness really possible? ‘Yes’, says Sri Krishna, and gives wonderful tips for happiness, success, satisfaction and self-discovery in the Bhagwad Gita.

His first message is, ‘Refuse to be miserable’. Life can be painful, but it need not be sorrowful. If you want to be happy, find occasions to be cheerful. Before you fall into self-pity and blame games, remember that responsibility comes to only those who feel responsible. Challenges are faced by the strong and courageous, and if life brings you such opportunities, then turn failures into success. This is the art of right contact in life.

Hence, develop the right perspective. If we choose to see situations as problems, we will be bogged down. If we choose to see them as opportunities, we will be inspired. Take them as occasions to make a difference, to make a change, and develop inner strength.

Second, pay full attention to the action at hand. Mostly, our mind is busy focussing on results. They do not come according to our whims and fancies. They emerge from the quality of our action in the present. There is a widespread misunderstanding that Krishna directs us to work, without expecting results. Actually, Krishna advises us to concentrate our energy and attention on the work at hand. Even if the outcome of your actions is unfavourable, at least you would have enjoyed the journey.

Therefore, plan out the result and work with a sense of expectation; it inspires you to work, but recognise that the work itself will produce the result, not the expectation. So, expect if you need to, but do not be disappointed. Calmly accept the result and learn from it. If expectation drives you to action, acceptance keeps you working till the end. Apply this to every situation in life. Once you decide to accept the result, not only will you be mindful in your work, you will continue to expect as well as accept. Thereby, you will enjoy both the process and the result. Hence, do your best, leave the rest and accept whatever comes. This is the right attitude, born of right knowledge.

Another beautiful message is: ‘Happiness in life does not depend upon things, but on the people you love and are loved by.’ Therefore, love and be loved. Teamwork is possible, solidarity in the family unit is achievable, harmony in society is possible – only if there is mutual sharing. Share whatever you have in abundance. If you have talent, knowledge, wealth, or even a charming smile, share it freely.

Always remember that values are more valuable than valuables. Whom do we like in this world? Become whatever we admire in others. If we want people to be kind to us, be kind; if we want happiness, give happiness to others. One who brings values into his life, becomes valuable. We should never compromise on our values, irrespective of the behaviour of people around us. The greatest value we respect in others, is humility. The greatest spiritual knowledge is gained by only those who are humble.

Revelation

Dimple Sharma, Sep 26, 2023: The Times of India

Almost everyone, whom I interact with regarding Srimad Bhagavad Gita, agrees that one should definitely read this holy scripture, at least once. Many of them do admit that one should also follow the teachings of Gita. But only a handful of them are able to recognise the real purpose of Gita. Why is there more stress on Gita than any other holy book? Of course, there are plenty of other holy scriptures available, especially in the Santana Culture.

Primarily, there are two reasons why you should read, understand and then implement the teachings revealed in Srimad Bhagavad Gita. These are summarised as under:

Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the essence of all the Vedic knowledge that the truth seekers have been able to gather till date or will ever be able to gather in the future, using the faculties of mind and body possessed by human beings. It may sound like a comparatively bold statement to you, but it is true. One is able to understand this statement when one witness the truths revealed in Gita being verified, very often, by modern science.

Srimad Bhagavad Gita teaches you how to handle that knowledge. It not only inculcates in you, the right and unbiased perspective of observing and knowing your own self as well as the entire creation but also teaches you how to handle that knowledge acquired through such observance. The beauty of the text is that all this has been done while explaining the narrative between two friends who are at the verge of entering into the most fierce battle of their lifetime.

Srimad Bhagavad Gita is, thus, a compendium of knowledge with detailed description on how to put that knowledge to practical use. It reveals the absolute truth and at the same time, it discourses you, while treating like a child who is bewildered on receiving a new toy but does not know how to handle that. It does not leave you to discover your own ways to handle and use that knowledge. It does not leave you brainwashed. Chapter by chapter it takes you on a journey to understand the various aspects of this Supreme knowledge and keeps on narrating how to master them and use them to raise yourself to the highest possible position in life.

Srimad Bhagavad Gita does not even prescribe one particular path or solution for you. Lord Krishna, while speaking as the Brahman itself, promises that your individual faith and choice will be honoured. He will fix your faith and will make you achieve whatever goal you choose for yourself in your life, be it the most demonic or the most divine. He definitely makes it clear that when you actually have the choice to wish for something in life then why run after petty things? Why not wish for the highest seat available in the creation, the seat of the Brahman? He lovingly invites you to His heavenly abode. It is up to you to decide. He has even elaborated the highest achievable positions, in almost every category, that you can desire for.

Srimad Bhagavad Gita is not only a book of wisdom. It is ‘the Book’ of the absolute truth, the absolute knowledge appended with a detailed manual on how to use that knowledge for your ascension. The entire absolute knowledge is revealed by the Lord in the second chapter only. After that, he takes on the challenge to satisfy the queries of Arjuna and makes sure that there is not even an iota of doubt left, in Arjuna, that remains unanswered. He keeps on delivering until Arjuna is convinced that he is ready to take on the world with the divine knowledge that he has just received.

It’s high time you also start equipping yourself with the absolute knowledge.


Samkhya

Its wisdom

Anup Taneja, Dec 2, 2022: The Times of India

The Bhagwad Gita is perhaps the most systematic scriptural statement of the Perennial Philosophy,” wrote Aldous Huxley. 
Popularised by Huxley, the term ‘Perennial Philosophy’ recognises the highest common core or the essence of all religions regarding the ultimate purpose of human life.


And purpose is to achieve a mystical or experiential union of one’s Self with the Supreme Being – ‘Tat tvam asi’ – That Thou Art.


The Gita indeed is a complete work on the science of spirituality that encompasses divergent themes like Samkhya – Jnana, Karma, Bhakti and Dhyan arranged in a most systematic manner.


It presents to its devotee a vision of the Supreme, tells him how to discover Him, recognise Him in His true nature and magnitude, merge inHim and how to attain the Ultimate Beatitude.


Right at the eleventh hour when the war is about to begin, Arjun, seeing his venerable preceptors, sires and grandsires, sons and grandsons in the battlefield, is tormented at the thought of fratricidal carnage and bloodshed that would occur. 
Thus, laden with sorrow, he sits on the chariot, dropping his bow and arrows. 


Seeing Arjun’s reluctance to fight, Krishn feels that it ill-behoves a warrior to show such impotent feeble-heartedness and impresses upon the Pandav prince to pick up his arms. When despite all efforts, Krishn is not able to rid Arjun of his mental agony and motivate him to fight, he decides that time is ripe to impart profound spiritual knowledge to the Pandav prince, to enable him to see things from a different perspective.


Krishn first says to Arjun: “Thou hast grieved for those that should not be grieved for, yet thou speakest words of wisdom. The wise grieve neither for the living nor for the dead. ” The implication behind these words of wisdom is that death is nothing more than disintegration of matter and merging of the five elements, of which the body is composed, in their source.


Krishn further says: “Never was there a time when I was not, nor thou, nor these lords of men, nor verily will there ever be a time hereafter when we shall cease to be. ” This statement suggests that the soul is immortal and the Supreme Self that dwells within is imperishable.


The soul exists in the three periods of time – past, present and future – and man continues to exist even after the death of the physical body. Thatwhich is born, dies; and that which dies is born again. Like the wheels of a water-clock this cycle continues. Or as sunrise and sunset follow each other, so in this world birth and death are inevitable.


Having uttered these words of wisdom, Krishn advises Arjun to cast away wrong understanding from his mind; it is better to lay down one’s life in the battlefield than not participate in it at all.


Those who get killed in the battlefield enjoy the pleasures of heaven simply because they did not abandon their duty. 
And if you emerge victorious in the battle, you will be greatly honoured on the earth and the deed of your bravery will spread far and wide. Therefore, gird your loins, free your mind of deception, and plunge into the battle with all your might. 
This is the jnana, the wisdom of the Samkhya, which Krishn imparts to Arjun.

Sri Krishn’s Virât Rûp

Devdutt Pattanaik, July 19, 2021: The Times of India

Before entering a temple, it is important to recognise the bazaars around it, for it is these which indicate whether the temple is prosperous, with many visiting pilgrims

Vedic gods resided in the sky. They were unbound by geography. Temple gods are firmly bound by geography. Jagannath is firmly linked to Odisha, Tirupati to Andhra Pradesh, Nathdvara to Rajasthan. The temple, as we know it today, is closely linked to land given by kings to village gods via Brahmins - a practice that became widespread 1,500 years ago. Through the temple, the wealth generated from farms was circulated among weavers, garland makers, dancers, and musicians, who contributed to the many rites, rituals and festivals of the temple. It created an economy.

Before entering a temple, therefore, it is important to recognise the bazaars around it, for it is these which indicate the temple is prosperous. The shops provide sweets and cloth and lamps that visiting pilgrims will offer to the deity. The shops also provide food, accommodation, and souvenirs to the travellers. It is around the temple that we discover the local arts and crafts, the local cuisines.

Temples are typically built on a plinth - at a height to protect it from floods. A flight of stairs takes us up the plinth. Older temples such as the one at Khajuraho, Old Bhubaneshwar and Mamallapuram, did not have walls around them. But when invasions and attacks became common, massive walls were built around temples. The enclosure includes water tanks and orchards, that were once the original sacred spaces, before they were eclipsed by manmade structures.

In south Indian temples, there is the unique gateway known as Gopuram. It originated in the times of the Vijayanagara dynasty, to proclaim the splendour of the king. A series of gateways, created by later kings, grew taller in size. They are covered with images of gods and goddesses, and remind us of the statues of Vikramaditya’s throne, telling stories of heroes of yore. In earlier times, before the Gopuram, the gate was indicated by a free-standing torana, marking the entrance, that separates the world of man from the world of gods. The earliest toranas were raised in front of Buddhist stupas.

The walls around the temple are decorated with images that tell you stories of the gods and goddesses. There is usually a circle of nymphs said to usher in prosperity. And there is a circle of ferocious beasts and monsters who offer protection. Entrances are marked by the river goddesses, Ganga and Yamuna, who make the temple a ‘sangam’ and remind us that all temples in India seek to evoke the auspiciousness linked to Prayag-kshetra, the birthplace of Vedic culture. A pair of doorkeepers, who look like fierce manifestations of the deity inside, ushers in the devotee. If it is a Shiva temple, then the pair is Vetala-Bhootnath. If it is a Vishnu temple the pair is Jay-Vijay. If it is a Shakti temple, the pair is Maya-Laya.

Once you cross the gateway, you can often find free-standing pillars. There is the Dhwaja-stambha for flags. The authority and power of the temple reached as far as the flags could be seen. Atop some pillars, you find images of the Garuda praying to Vishnu, or Aruna praying to Surya. This was probably inspired by the mana-stambha, found in Jain temples, that some contend predate Hindu temples. In Maharashtra, you find the Deepa-stambha - pillars lined by lamps that are lit during celebrations such as Mahashivratri. Temples in Rameshwaram and Madurai are famous for their corridors, which are lined with pillars. They are also famous for their ceilings which are painted with vibrant colours. The main temple usually has pillared halls where devotees gather to see the deity. These are the pavilions known as Mandapas. These are not found in older temples.

In the innermost room is the deity, hidden by curtains, and visible by lamps. Atop this room is the Viman or Shikhara, a pyramidal or conical structure, that grew taller and more elaborate with improving technology and the wealth and power of kings. Around it is a path to circumambulate the deity. Access to the deity is limited. Usually, only priests are allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum, especially in Vishnu temples. The more Brahmin control, the less direct access to the deity. But the deity sometimes travels outside, for boat and chariot rides, and on palanquins. This was started for the benefit of those devotees who were not considered ‘pure’ enough to enter the sanctum sanctorum - a reminder of India’s caste system that Hinduism struggles to shake away.

A temple brought prosperity to the vicinity. The presence of the God ensured regular rains and good harvests. The more wishes the deity fulfilled, the more pilgrims came to the temple, further enhancing the prosperity of the temple and the local economy.

Devdutt Pattanaik writes a fortnightly column that filters the voices on all sides

The teachings of the Gita

Why Should The Bhagwad Gita Be Studied?

Janki Santoke, Why Should The Bhagwad Gita Be Studied?, March 6, 2018: The Times of India

Most scriptures are thousands of years old. But we know that old things tend to lose their relevance – old computers, machines and clothes, for instance. Then why are old texts still revered? What could they possibly tell us that could be relevant today? Life has changed so much.

Many old values are not practical in today’s context.

A society needs periodically to discard its old values and get new, relevant ones. To place this in perspective, one needs to understand the concept of shruti and smriti. Shruti refers to what is heard. Shruti refers to those scriptures which contain sanatana dharma, eternal principles that are true for all people at all times. They are not dependent on time or space. They are eternal laws of life. Take for example the law of gravity. This is an example of an eternal law from science. It will always hold true. It doesn’t depend on who you are or where you are on earth.

Smriti is what is remembered. Smriti refers to those scriptures which are the opinions of sages and saints who gave out part of the shruti for the welfare of the people. If the knowledge gained from earning an MBBS can be compared to shruti, then smriti would be the prescription of the doctor for an individual. The doctor having the knowledge of medicine prescribes only what is immediately applicable to the patient. These opinions of the prophets were no doubt very useful for the people they spoke to. But to assume they will be relevant to all is akin to believing a good doctor’s prescription will be relevant to all sick persons. Smriti contains the dos and don’ts, the instructions the great men gave to benefit their particular people. These instructions may or may not be relevant to other people at other times or other places.

When Krishna tells Arjuna to fight, this is smriti. It is applicable to Arjuna at that particular time. It may or may not be applicable to the old granny at home! But when he tells Arjuna that ‘I am the kshetrajna, enlivening principle, in all kshetras, fields’, ‘I am the same Enlivener in all’, this is shruti. When Christ says if someone smotes thee on one cheek, lend him the other, this was relevant to the fishermen he spoke to. It might not have been applicable to others in a different situation. But when he says ‘The kingdom of heaven is within’, this is true for all people at all times.

So too all religions have this demarcation in all the scriptures. Humanity needs the sanatana dharma in all scriptures. The rest we can check for continued relevance. Some may or may not be relevant any more. But to discard the eternal principles would be like re-inventing the wheel. These principles are very useful to humanity. They function as the manual for life. They help us understand our world and ourselves in it. As for the Bhagwad Gita, it is very useful because Krishna takes the trouble of informing us clearly whenever he gives out statements of opinions. The rest can be taken as shruti. This useful tip helps us in understanding the relevance of all scriptures.

Bhakti Yoga

C.L. Kaloo , Bhagwat Gita explains Bhakti Yoga “India Today” 3/12/2017

GITA JAYANTI is celebrated every year with great enthusiasm and this pious day fell this year on 30th of November, 2017. According to the version given by Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda- “The word ‘Gita’ means song, Bhagavad Gita signifies- song of the spirit. Various scriptural commentators have pointed out that phonetically, the syllables of Gita reversed, make the word “Ta-gi”- the renunciant (Tyagi). The main theme of the Gita is the renunciation by the soul of its incarnate wastful wanderings by conquering material and physical desires and so reclaiming its blessed home in spirit.” How this can be attained through surrendering process- that is through “Bhakti marg” (path) or “Bhakti yoga” as explained in the Holy Gita is outlined here for information of the spiritual aspirants in particular and readers in general.

Bhakti-yoga or union with God through devotion has been classified by the Lord Krishna in the Holy Gita in Adhaya 12th. A question is raised whether a spiritual aspirant or yogis should worship the un-manifest, or a personal God? In 12th Adhyaya- shloka 1 (12:1 B.G), Arjuna inquired:

“Evam satata- yuktaye- bhaktastvam paryupasate; Ye cappy aksaram avyaktam – tesam ke yoga – vittamah”

Means: which are considered to be more perfect, those who are always properly engaged in your devotional service or those who worship the unmanifest (impersonal Brahmen)?

We find here that Arjuna refers to the devotee as described in 11th Adhyaya which speaks of a devotee or a spiritual aspirant who thinks of God as the Cosmic- Bodied Lord immanent in all manifestations, and who, therefore, works for HIM without personal attachment to anything, without feeling enmity to anyone, enshrining God as his supreme goal; and to the devotee who worships God directly by devotional service (Bhakti) which is the easiest means for union with the divine. Thus, those who worship the Lord directly by “Bhakti-Marg” are called personalists. Those who engage themselves in meditation on the unmanifest (the impersonal Brahman) are called impersonalists. So, Arjuna here inquires which technique is better for uniting soul with the spirit- say union with God. It may be explained that factually there are two classes of Transcendentalists and in this context, Arjuna is trying to settle the question of which process or technique is easier and which of the paths are most perfect. In other words, he is clarifying his own position because he is attached to the personal form of Krishna. He is not attached to the impersonal Brahman. The impersonal manifestation, either in this material world or in the spiritual world, is a problem for meditation. Actually, one cannot perfectly conceive of the impersonal feature of the absolute truth.

Now after listening to his disciple, Arjuna, Sri Bhagavan said in Adhaya 12th- shloka 2 (12:2 B.G)

“May avesya manoyemam – nitya yukta upasate; Sraddeya parayopetas – teme yuktatama matah”

Means: those who fix their minds on my personal form and are always engaged in worshipping ME with great faith (transcendental) are considered by ME, to be most perfect.

Thus, in answer to Arjuna’s question, the Lord clearly says that he who concentrates upon HIS personal form and he who worships HIM with faith and devotion is to be considered most perfect in Yoga. Therefore, a pure devotee remains constantly engaged in Lord’s devotion. Sometimes, the chants, sometimes he hears songs in praise of HIS glory, reads books about the Lord and more so does other devotional services in temples or places of Pilgrimage; even serve the ailing humanity in one way or the other or according to his physical or economical capacity and through all this devotional service, he proceeds step by step to achieve the science of the union of soul and spirit (union with the God). Thus, this method of Bhakti yoga leads one to realization of God In and beyond creation. To dilate this scientific view point as given in the Holy Gita, all manifestations and activities in creation are the Lord’s cosmic yoga. HE is the singularity that evolves as these multi expressions and that unifies them in one cosmic consciousness of HIS ETERNAL BEING. The devotee who recognizes immanence (omnipresence) of God, and who follows the prescribed yogic steps to attain realization of Divinity, understands how the one becomes individualized and active in the many; and how, in a scientific way that descension from cosmic consciousness may be reversed in oneself into ascension or reunion with spirit. Even a yogi who attains the highest “Samadhi” (nirvikalpa) realizes God in duality as well as in unity. Thus, by following the scientific steps of “Bhakti-yoga”, he attains fixity of the mind on God and remains devoted to Him in intense “Bhakti”. While rising above all material allurements, he attains progressively spiritual elevation. Thus, the Lord tells Arjuna,” That a devotee who fixes his mind on ME, worship ME with supreme single hearted devotion,” realizes that God is the sole object and goal of life. It is, therefore, through “Bhakti – yoga” or through intense devotion that acquaints a devotee with the technique of uniting soul and spirit. The Lord further explains to Arjuna in Adhaya 12th Shloka 3&4 (12:3&4 B.G) that those who do not directly worship the God but who attempt to achieve the same goal by an indirect process also achieve the Lord. The Lord makes it clear from these two shlokas (3&4) about the type of worshiper who is devoted to the concept of God as the transcendent Supreme Being who is the creator and ruler of the universe. In deference to the supernal spirit, such a devotee leads a disciplined life of self control maintains even mindedness by faith in God, and behaves in a righteous, serviceful manner, but he follows no formal course of scientific yoga.

Thus, by various methods of concentration, he gradually detaches his ego from the senses and attaches his life force, mind and ego to the super conscious soul, and thereby he attains spectacle ecstasy (nirvikalpa). Now, further about paths of “Jnana-yoga” and “Bhakti-yoga”, the lord explains to Arjuna in Adhaya 12th- shloka- 5th, (12:5 B.G), as quoted here under:

“Kleso dikhatavas tesam – avyak tasakta-cetasam; Avyakta hi gatir duhkham – deharadbhir avapyate”

Means: those whose goal is the un-manifested increase the difficulties; uphill is the path to the absolute for embodied beings.

It may be stated here that the spiritual aspirants or earnest devotees who follow the path of un-imaginable, unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme Lord are called “Jnana yogis”, and the aspirants who are engaged in devotional service to the Lord are called “Bhakti-yogis”. The process of “Jnana-yoga” is very troublesome, whereas the path for “Bhakti-yoga”(The process of being in direct service to the Lord) is easier and is natural for embodied beings (human beings). The individual soul is embodied since time immemorial, and it is very difficult for him to simply (theoretically) understand that he is not the body. There is no doubt that impersonalists are unnecessary taking a troublesome path with the risk of not realizing the absolute truth, at the ultimate end. But the personalists, without any risk, trouble and difficulty approach the Lord directly.

“Srimad- Bhagvatam” also states that one has ultimately to surrender into the Supreme and this surrendering process is called “Bhakti”

Thus, I conclude that “Bhakti yoga” or pure devotional service to God is the highest and most expedient means for attaining pure love for HIM and also the peak of spiritual existence. In this context, Lord Krishna says emphatically in Shloka 6&7- Adhaya 12th (12:6&7 B.G) “That those who venerate ME and worship ME whole heartedly, I become their Redeemer to bring them out of the sea of mortal births” (no longer to the cycle of births and deaths)

Divine qualities: 26; demonic traits: six

Jaya Row, April 30, 2022: The Times of India

Weall have the devil in us, something that makes us pursue self-destructive ways. Yet, even the worst among us have some divine qualities. While personality traits are often hereditary and seem beyond our control, we have the power to change. 
Just as modern devices have noisecancelling features, the Bhagwad Gita helps identify our best qualities and cancel the effect of our negative traits. The Gita chapter 16 enumerates 26 qualities of the divine and six traits of the demonic. What makes us opt for evil against our own better judgment? It is easy to take to the demonic. The divine path is uphill and difficult in the beginning.

Fearlessness, purity of heart and charity are some of the divine qualities enlisted. Fear arises from ignorance, selfishness, viciousness and a sense of otherness. Prahlad, the child, was fearless against the might of his father Hiranyakashipu. Yet the most wealthy and powerful in the world are fearful!

Purity of heart comes when you are free from selfishness and desire. Get inspired with a higher ideal and lower desires lose their grip on you. Then objects of desire come to you unsought. Nachiketa only wanted Realisation, but the pleasures and wealth of heaven and earth were offered to him.

Charity comes from recognising the infinite benevolence of nature. Charity is paying dividend to the stakeholders in your success. It is an attitude of giving – to all, at all times and in all circumstances. You are enriched by what you give.

The attitude of grabbing impoverishes you. You are a combination of matter and Spirit. You know only matter. Spirit is subtle so it eludes you. You mistakenly attribute the glory and splendour of Spirit to your individual personality. Gain knowledge. Knowledge of the distinction between matter and Spirit. Then confusion will end. Misery and grief will vanish. You will become happy.

Krishn encourages you to free yourself from the three gates of darkness –desire, anger and greed. When desire is fulfilled, it leads to greed. When desire is obstructed, you get angry. Thus, either way, desire leads to mental agitation. Everyone suffers from the disease of ‘more’. Nobody understands the devastating effects of desire. The doors to your soul are kept shut, and you live and die without so much as a glimpse of your own power and magnificence.

As you get established in the good you rise above the world and its pairs of opposites. You transcend the world to attain liberation. You have knowledge of your fullness and enjoy infinite Bliss.

For Bhagwad Gita webinars by Jaya Row, Saturdays 6-7pm IST, register for free: vedantavision. org/gita

Everyday problems: solutions for

BK Brijmohan, Bhagwad Gita’s Guidance To Crises Today, January 23, 2018: The Times of India

TheBhagwad Gita is an unparalleled treatise on yoga that shows how everyone can lead a successful life while following the path of dharma.

It not only espouses the principles of righteous conduct; its teachings, taken in the appropriate context, could present solutions to current pressing problems.

Crimes against women, who make up roughly half of humanity, are now recognised as a major issue, and a violation of women’s human rights. Most of the violence to women is perpetrated by someone close to the women.

Awareness campaigns and laws cannot stop this; they have only slightly mitigated the problem. The solution is spiritual. Any crime or evil action begins in the mind, and it is there that the remedy must be applied. Crimes against women are rooted in lust and anger, both of which are characterised in the Gita as gates to hell.

The Gita says, “Given over to egoism, power, haughtiness, lust and anger, these malicious people hate Me in their own bodies and those of others.”

Anger, and greed, are also at the roots of two other major scourges of our lives: violence, including wars, and corruption.

Where wars erupt, suffering and hardship invariably follow. This is true of violence on a smaller scale as well. Even verbal or emotional violence robs one of peace of mind, and no man can know happiness without peace, the Gita says.

As for greed, it hollows one out, driving one to seek fulfilment in ever newer objects of desire. Avarice drives away contentment, and if one’s desires are not fulfilled, one becomes angry. Once angry, one’s ability to reason and think clearly is skewed, and from anger arises delusion. Delusion leads to loss of memory, or denial, and then one begins to lose conscious awareness of one’s own spirit, which the Gita calls the death of the spirit.

Lasting peace and happiness can be found only by freeing the self from vices, and the first step to doing that is to remember who we really are – that we are souls, not bodies.

The soul, in its original state, is an embodiment of purity, peace, love and truth. When we live with the awareness of being a soul, these qualities are manifested in our thoughts, words and actions. There is no scope for vices to influence the mind.

It is only with this awareness that the soul can connect with the Supreme Soul. The delusion of being a body acts as a barrier that prevents the soul from reaching God. When this delusion is removed, communion between the soul and its spiritual parent, the Supreme Soul, becomes possible.

This communion heals, comforts and nourishes the soul, as it experiences the love, peace and power of the Supreme.

The soul thus empowered is able to free itself from the influence of vices, and it is no longer guided by selfish motives. Consequently, it does not perform actions that cause sorrow, whether to the self or others.

Spiritual awareness is the most effective antidote for the ills afflicting humankind today. The remedy is subtle but powerful; all that is required to use it, is a paradigm shift in our consciousness from ‘body’ to ‘being’.

(The writer is chief spokesperson, Brahma Kumaris Organisation.)

How To Live In This World

Swami Tejomayananda, Nov 30, 2016: The Times of India 

 At a given time a person seems to be a slave to his habits, nature and addictions ­ but has conditioned his mind to act in a particular way . It is as if he has taped a certain song on the cassette of his mind, which he keeps playing again and again. Instead, we need to change our thinking and change our attitude, thereby gradually leading to a change in our actions.Actions performed with the right attitude will eventually lead to a change in our nature.

Our problem is that we are under the sway of likes and dislikes and we always want to do things that we like and avoid things that we dislike. Thus, we are constantly under the control of our minds. Bhagavan says, `Do not come under their sway!' These two are the looters on the path to liberation ­ when you act according to your likes and dislikes then you are easily swayed by joy and sorrow, happiness and unhappiness.

Therefore, remove these songs of likes and dislikes and sing the song of great devotion instead, which will take you on the path to liberation. Most of the time we feel helpless about our habits and addiction, saying, `I am helpless ­ what can I do?' But Bhagavan says very practically that you have created this helplessness by coming under the sway of likes and dislikes; however, He does not tell you not to have likes and dislikes because that would be impossible.

If, for example, you overeat when you see some food that you like and then throw a tantrum when presented with food that spe you do not like ­ such behaviour is called `acting under the influence of likes and dislikes'. You should eat in moderation and act in moderation as well. Even if you see one person whom you dislike and another whom you like, you should not develop intense hatred for one and intense love for the other ­ you should be able to control your emotions.

Now the question is, how is it possible not to come under the sway of likes and dislikes. The answer is ­ you should stay firm in the abi dance of your duties. While you firmly abide in your duty ­ your Dharma ­ you do exactly what you are supposed to do, and you perform actions irrespective of whether you like or dislike them. Once you do that, your life comes under your control and you are no king longer a slave to your mind.

Our problem is that we are e under the sway of desire. It is desire that makes us commit sin and prevents us from doing our duty , thus making our undesirable nature stronger and stronger. A typical example is an addiction to something harmful, such as smoking or drugs. We start this initially out of curiosity ­ as a joy or pleasure ­ but after a while this habit becomes so strong that we are unable to let go of it even though we try .

Eventually the whole chemistry of the body changes and it starts to demand that object; then, even though we know that it is harmful, we feel helplessly unable to stop, we ourselves have created these addictions and we are the only ones who can release ourselves from them.

Just like addiction at the physical level, there is also addiction at the mental level, such as when we feel compelled by our nature to become angry , jealous or greedy . But we can change our nature and our behaviour with the right thinking, steadfastness in duty , devotion, the right attitude and the right vision.

Krishn asked Arjun to discard dharm

Kishor Kulkarni, Yes, Krishna Exhorts Arjuna To Discard Dharma, June 19, 2018: The Times of India

Does the Bhagwad Gita present some contradictory concepts? For example, in verse 4:7, Krishna says that whenever dharma decays, he reincarnates for getting rid of adharma and for re-establishing dharma. However, in verse 18:66, he exhorts Arjuna to discard all dharmas – ‘sarva dharman parityajya’ – and surrender to him alone and then he will liberate Arjuna from all sins. Now, this does appear contradictory because in the former verse, dharma is glorified while in the latter, it is almost dismissed out of hand.

But this is not a contradiction and here is why. The Gita is a spiritual philosophy addressed to all and we know that there are all kinds of people, each kind differing quite significantly from the other. Hence the Gita offers different advice to different kinds of people so that it suits their nature and situation. In the context of the above-referred two verses, dharma is regarded as necessary for the well-being of individuals and society in which the individuals have to peacefully coexist as a collective. So dharma is basically a code of conduct to serve this objective.

But, human nature being what it is, dharma will tend to gradually deteriorate over a period of time, causing human life to degrade. That is when the Lord will have to reincarnate to re-establish dharma. So dharma is important and essential for human societies.

The exhortation to discard all dharma is not meant for all people, but only for a few sincere seekers of liberation. For them, Krishna is giving a simpler and more effective means, namely, surrendering completely to him. This surrender is basically dissolution of the limited bodily identity and merging with him by remaining god conscious always. For such a seeker, worldly dharmas are of no relevance. That is what is meant by discarding all dharmas.

Some are ignorant of this aspect of the Gita’s philosophy while some others are so attached to the idea of dharma that they cannot accept the exhortation to discard all dharma. In the process, they often twist the meaning of the words so that it suits their line of argument. For example, one school of thought argues that the word “dharman” in the verse 18:66 should actually be understood as “karman” meaning that Krishna is exhorting Arjuna not to discard dharma, but rather karma! For this, they have to present many different interpretations of the word dharma and show how it leads to karmas.

But then it raises the question as to why the word “karman” couldn’t be used and why was “dharman” used in verse 18:66. Besides, they also argue that the Gita should not be interpreted in bits and pieces, but rather “as a whole”.

But what they mean by this is that they will accept the concept at one place that agrees with their beliefs and reject the contradictory one at another place because they have understood the Gita as a whole! That is neither necessary nor justifiable.

Arjuna expresses confusion after hearing Krishna talking about Jnana Marga and Karma Marga to attain liberation and requests him to recommend one. Then Krishna makes it clear in verses 3:1 to 3:3 that there are different paths and they suit different people. But their destination is the same.

Reincarnation

November 7, 2020: The Times of India

The Gita On The Matter Of Reincarnation

Interestingly, major religions that originated outside India – Judaism, Christianity and Islam – as well as those that originated in India, like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, talk of the soul that survives the body after death. The former speak of only one life on earth but the latter speak of many. The shoonya-vada, the nihilism of Buddhism, may, in the ultimate analysis, deny any reality to the soul, which is a different matter. Buddhists doaccept many lives of the soul of the Buddha himself before he attained nirvana, enlightenment.

The soul, on a certain plane of consideration, is indestructible according to all great religions of the world. The difference between Western and Eastern thought is with regard to whether the soul shows up just once on earth or it does so many times. Krishna does not mince words when he says, “O Arjuna, both you and I have had many lives!” That implies that the soul does not die when the body does. Krishna uses this insight to help Arjuna overcome his anxiety over the possibility of his kith and kin ceasing to be. In an appealing illustration, Krishna says a soul takes a new body just as we pick up new clothes after discarding old ones. In the context of spiritual practices, the scenario that the Bhagwad Gita presents to us is that of a soul ‘learning and growing’ and, at the end of many lives, attaining perfection.

A rare few breathe their last with loving remembrance of God. They reach the abode of God, and do not come back to earth. The overwhelming majority of us, as per our karma – good or bad actions – have a next life. Future life following the present one can be in environments better than the present one or in settings that are worse. The good news is that it is in our hands. If we live this life well, performing more of virtuous deeds, we will receive a body in the next life that facilitates further upward growth. If, instead, we mess up our present life with sinful acts, we will find ourselves in bodies – families and surroundings – that make it more difficult for us to rise on the spiritual path.

Those of us with a lot of merit to our credit will go to celestial regions; those with very bad records will go to netherworlds marked by suffering; and those with a blend of good and bad karma to their credit are brought to the human sphere without any delay. The Gita is perfectly in line with the Upanishads, which lay down the law of karma. In spirit, the law of karma is no different from the Western saying, “As you sow, so shall you reap!” A mantra in the Kathopanishad declares that a soul is reborn in accordance with “what it did” and “what it learnt”. This highlights the place for spiritual education.

Beginning with enhanced sense of right and wrong, we are urged to study the science of soul and rise above mere body-consciousness. We are the spirit, of the nature of pure consciousness, and our attachment to the physical body lies at the root of countless mistakes we commit. Moksha, liberation, is the happy end of this long story.

The writer is founder, FOWAI Forum (Flame Of Who Am I?) and is based in Solan, Himachal Pradesh

Sambhavami Yuge Yuge

B Shankar, The Gita Verse, ‘Sambhavami Yuge Yuge’, May 26, 2018: The Times of India

The scene is the battlefield of Kurukshetra, where opposing armies of the Kauravas and Pandavas are arrayed in battle formation. Arjuna is seated in his chariot driven by Krishna. Looking at kith and kin and teachers and grandfathers, Arjuna feels depressed and decides to lay down his arms.

At this juncture, Krishna reveals to Arjuna and through him to entire humanity, what came to be known as the Bhagwad Gita. After speaking at length, Krishna takes a pause and tells Arjuna that he has revealed this spiritual knowledge in different ages for the benefit of man. He says he imparted this immortal yoga before to Vivasvan, Vivasvan to Manu and Manu to Ikshvaku. This confuses Arjuna who questions Krishna: When Arjuna and Krishna are contemporaries how is it possible for him to have taught those venerable men who lived long ago?

To this Krishna replies that he and Arjuna have passed through many births but while he is aware of this, Arjuna is not. He further says that though birth-less and deathless and also being the Lord of all beings, yet, Krishna takes birth at will, employing the pure sattva aspect of his material Nature. He declares that he is born from age to age for protection of the good, for destruction of evil and for establishment of dharma.

How to recognise God in human form? The natural state of God is said to be Un-manifest and if so, how can He who is also the One who is omnipotent, be present in a human body with limitations? This is a legitimate question. One can understand the mystery when one contemplates on the drama of Creation – where the Supreme Being manifests Himself as the Universe (the material cause),without in any way affecting or diminishing His Un-manifest condition. Surely, He can choose to come into a human frame in the same manner!

Recognising the problem of comprehending God in human form, Krishna offers those who have deep faith, who understand the truth of his embodiment and watch his deeds, that they will never be reborn again.

There is a vast difference between Krishna’s birth and Arjuna’s. The birth of humans including Arjuna’s follows the karmic principle. The body of the incarnate is not subject to karma and is born out of Divine Will full of the sattva aspect.

Every incarnation is meant to serve a cosmic and not individual purpose. The purpose of a Divine Incarnation is said to be reestablishment of dharma, righteousness, destruction of evil and protection of the good. Hence Krishna says in the Gita, “Sambhavami Yuge Yuge” – I will appear again and again to help humanity redeem itself.

The Ramayana and the Bhagavatam bring forth the glory of Rama and Krishna and have formed the centre of devotional life for countless generations.

The scope of dharma today can be widened to recognise the lives of many great men like Kapila, Vyasa, Buddha, Adi Shankara and more recent sages and saints. They were great teachers and their lives and teachings have far-reaching effects on human life. In this way, we can say that they have established dharma, a scheme of life which has man’s spiritual elevation as its ultimate goal. In today’s age when evil and wicked situations are all around us, only spiritual kindling and awareness can be the way forward.

Sanyâs, renunciation, tyâg

Jaya Row, Renunciation Is An Essential Aspect Of Life, September 27, 2018: The Times of India

We are all men and women of renunciation. You need to dispose of that which is useless in order to get things that are more useful. Yet, the very mention of renunciation puts people off. Could this be because of a misunderstanding of the true meaning of renunciation?

The grandeur and magnificence of renunciation lies in growth to a higher dimension, and lower fascinations drop. It is giving up that which comes in the way of your success and happiness. The Gita asks you to remove the wrapper and relish the chocolate, remove the unpleasant aspects of life and enjoy the world. Renunciation is opening your mind to deeper and more fulfilling aspects of your personality, while continuing to enjoy the lower joys.

When a child grows to understand the thrill of riding a bike, its erstwhile passion for toys fades away. When you elevate further to intellectual delights, even the emotional thrills fade into insignificance. Finally, when you understand the happiness that comes with the Spirit, all worldly enchantments drop. Higher joy is subtler and difficult to spot, so the attention is only on the lower. People believe renunciation is giving up the good things of life. They have no vision of the higher. They deny themselves the ecstasy and power of true renunciation.

Krishna, in the Gita’s eighteenth chapter, defines the two most important concepts – sanyasa, renunciation, and tyaga, resignation. Contrary to popular perception neither sanyasa nor tyaga implies giving up action. Action continues, while giving up the two things that come in the way of excellence – desire and anxiety for the fruit. Desire is necessary to initiate action. Without desire, no action will be undertaken. There is always a fruit in mind before acting. However, while acting, 100% of the mind must be on the action. If, at this time, the mind meanders into the dead past or unborn future, it is not concentrating on the present. Action becomes faulty, leading to failure.

Acts of sacrifice, charity and penance must never be given up. Action free from attachment and fruit is the pathway to spiritual evolution. The rare one who is on the verge of Realisation and is absorbed in meditation needs to let go of the last thought, the mantra, which prevents him from taking off into the exalted state of Enlightenment. He needs to give up even the desire for Realisation.

Tyaga is of three kinds – sattvika, rajasika and tamasika. Abandoning obligatory action out of delusion is tamasika. False or rajasika tyaga is giving up action because it is troublesome, fearing physical discomfort. True or sattvika tyaga is performance of obligatory action because it ought to be done, giving up attachment and fruit.

Then comes a brilliant insight into our personality. The various facets of our inner working are knowledge, action, actor, intellect, consistency and happiness. Each of these can be sattvika, pure; rajasika, passionate or tamasika, indolent. This analysis helps identify your strengths and weaknesses. For example you may have sattvika knowledge but may be tamasika in consistency. With a little effort in this area you will be able to knock off tamas, refine rajas and make a huge difference in your performance.

Sanyas/ renunciation- details

Jaya Row, The Final Gateway To Enlightenment, October 4, 2018: The Times of India

Sanyasa, renunciation, is a concept central to the Bhagwad Gita.

The image that comes to mind is a person in ochre robes who has given up wealth and family, abandoned duties and responsibilities, and retired to the Himalayas. In the sixth chapter of the Gita, Krishna defines a sanyasi as one who does what one ought to do, fulfils one’s duties and responsibilities fully, without depending on the fruit of action. A sanyasi is not one who does not have a higher ideal, nor is he an inactive person. Sanyasa is the essential prerequisite to meditation and realisation.

There are four types of people.

The vast majority belong to the bhogi category. Their only mission is to enjoy the world. They believe you only live once and must indulge in the senses to maximise enjoyment. They are outward-looking and seek objects of desire. A small minority understand that life is more than mere sense indulgence. They look inward and upward to find deeper and more meaningful avenues for happiness.

Of these, the spiritual initiates are yogis who still have desires for the world but strive for happiness within. As they shed desires through karma yoga, path of service; bhakti yoga, path of devotion; and jnana yoga, path of knowledge, they become sanyasis who are knocking at the doors of enlightenment. They have few, sublime desires – for freedom, to serve humanity and repay their guru-guide. They only need to meditate to overcome the last hurdle to enlightenment.

Meditation is the highest spiritual technique that needs to be practised diligently and devotedly by qualified practitioners. The essential prerequisite for meditation is a calm mind. A mind burdened with desire and attachment is unable to take off into subtler realms.

Step by step, Krishna takes us through the preparatory disciplines for meditation. He also gives the disqualifications for meditation. This is followed by the test of enlightenment. A realised soul feels one with all beings. A body-conscious person sees only physical things. An emotional person looks for kindness, affection and gentleness in people. An intellectual looks for clarity of thought. And a spiritual person sees Atman everywhere. He goes beyond worldly differences and sees all beings as reflections of himself. In the end, he experiences God in every living being.

Arjuna, like us, is afraid of leaving the safe confines of his present existence to discover the unknown realm of the Infinite. He asks Krishna – what is the fate of those who commit themselves to spiritual life but die before realisation? Krishna says, “One who is righteous will never come to grief. Either now or in the future.” Your efforts will not go in vain. You will carry forward the credits to your future life. A spiritually evolved person who falls short of realisation will either be born in the home of the happy and wealthy or in the family of wise yogis. There, endowed with the wisdom acquired in previous lives, he will strive even more to attain enlightenment.

Among all yogis, one who worships with a pure heart and clear intellect, who maintains the goal at all times and strives consistently, is most united. Thus any person, literate or illiterate, elite or commoner, irrespective of caste, race or background, is assured of the ultimate state of infinite happiness.

Shaucham (cleanliness)

Neema Majmudar, Shaucham­ - Cleanliness Inside And Outside, Mar 23, 2017: The Times of India

The Bhagwad Gita in Chapter 13 talks about `shaucham,' cleanliness, as one of the values to be cultivated if a person wants to evolve. It refers to both internal and external cleanliness.

Internal cleanliness means ensuring that our perceptions, opinions and decisions are not an outcome of our distorted view of things, but based on realities. This may sound easy , but in practice requires us to be rigorous in examining the validity of our ideas and thoughts, ensuring that we look at situations in their entirety, without getting carried away with our partial or erroneous perceptions and opinions ­ which, in turn, lead to misguided actions.

Outside or external cleanliness is more tangible and is reflected by the extent to which we keep our surroundings ­ our room, home, neighbourhood and nation ­ clean.

I regularly walk on Carmichael Road, a posh neighbourhood in Mumbai. Every day i notice that BMC workers strive to keep the road clean as it houses a number of wealthy VIPs and top bureaucrats. In spite of their commendable effort, to my distress, i regularly see dogs defecate both on the road as well as on sidewalks, as dog owners send their pets for a walk and the walkers do not bother cleaning up behind them. What is more disturbing is that the remains attract flies, mosquitoes and make the road smelly and unpleasant.

These are often the very people who complain and blame the government for not doing its job. We convince ourselves that the system is not efficient and is corrupt. However, we fail to see that an unclean road is the outcome of a dereliction of duty on our part rather than inefficient BMC workers. I asked myself, is it not part of inner `shaucham' for us to accept our role in a problem rather than constantly blaming others for it? If we are to evolve as human beings, we need to invest time and effort to see the real picture beyond our immediate perception, address our distorted conclusions and act more responsibly .

I thought to myself that one of the reasons for people being oblivious to their role in crea ting a mess on the roads could be that they never walk on these roads as they travel in the comfort of air-conditioned cars that zoom past. However, ignorance is certainly not bliss. The Gita reminds us that we live in an interconnected and interdependent world.The complex web of things is organised in a way that our actions not only affect others but eventually come back to ourselves. Last summer, many across the city suffered from dengue. The residents of this road were also not spared in spite of their well-insulated, air-conditioned homes and cars.

I am convinced that nobody can escape the consequences of actions.There are seemingly imperceptible connections between our actions and their consequences. I believe that we have a choice ­ either to continue to violate the value of both inner and outer `shaucham' or to be more responsible.

The Gita reminds us that ignoring such values comes with its own cost that is detrimental to everyone's well-being.We should aim to follow enlightened self-interest. This is just one issue, but the idea of `shaucham' can apply to every perception, decision and action we perform in our lives.

Stoicism

Narayani Ganesh, February 2, 2021: The Times of India

Bhagwad Gita And The Lives Of The Stoics

Reading about the Stoics, the similarities struck me – with what Krishna spelt out in the Bhagwad Gita to Arjuna and the principles by which the Stoic philosophers lived and taught. When a despondent Arjuna hesitates to fight against his own kinsmen, Krishna reminds him that to a balanced person, this is a duty to be performed to uphold dharma. To become a sthitaprajna, an even-minded person, Arjuna would have to embrace qualities like titka, endurance and sama, equanimity.

In chapter two, verses 14-15, Krishna says to Arjuna that the senses contact objects which cause heat and cold, pleasure and pain that have beginning and end. These are all impermanent; they need to be endured bravely. Titka is endurance, something that the Stoics, starting from Zeno and Chrisippus right down to Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius had all advocated and practised in their own lives. The Stoics, whether privileged or from humble backgrounds, led normal lives in the material world, while practising and promoting a philosophy steeped in endurance, frugality and equanimity.

The earliest Stoic, Zeno, who died 262 years before the coming of Christ, expressed the four virtues of Stoicism thus: courage, temperance, justice and wisdom. Krishna explains to Arjuna that the one who remains unaffected by pleasure and pain, who regards them as the same, is a steady, balanced person, one who is full of sama. Such a one can be regarded as immortal because he is cognisant of the fact that the Self, the Absolute, is changeless, indestructible and eternal. The Self does not identify itself with the mortal body and through it, with the world outside. Therefore, it remains peaceful within.

Krishna tells Arjuna in verse 2:21 of the Gita that the extremely delicate aspect of the art of living is to play our part in the world as though it was a reality while never forgetting the ultimate reality, which appears, through our mistaken perception, as the world. He implies that to stay detached while carrying out one’s worldly duties is the essence of a person who has overcome ignorance.

Looking at Arjuna on the battlefield at Kurukshetra, one is reminded that many of the Stoics served in military campaigns. “They hung out in the marketplace. They too, fairly or unfairly, faced arrest,” write the authors of a book that chronicles the lives of the Stoics that begins with the tragic sinking of Zeno’s ship that brought him misfortune, egging him to turn to philosophy; Antipater the ethicist, Porcia the iron woman, Seneca the striver, and many other Stoics right up to Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher king. Aurelius said, “There is no role so well-suited to philosophy as the one you happen to be in right now.” Perhaps he implied the role of emperor; it could also mean that of a parent, spouse, one who has received bad news, one who is rich, one who has gone bankrupt and so on. Epictetus was in fact a slave who got free at the age of 30, when he chose to become a Stoic philosopher. One could daresay that a lot of Stoic philosophy echoes the Gita philosophy. (Inspired by ‘Lives of the Stoics: The Art of Living from Zeno to Marcus Aurelius’ by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman, Profile Books, Hachette). 


Unity of religions/ which way is the best

GS Tripathi/ Why Do We Break Our Unity In God’s Name?/ The Times of India, 20 Dec 2022

In the Bhagwad Gita, Arjun sought to know from Krishn about the ways of worshipping him, “Some worship you in different shapes and some others in a shapeless form. Which way is superior?”

Krishn said, “With devotion by controlling their mind and senses, those who concentrate on me as shapeless, indestructible, invisible, unimaginable, eternal and unmovable, realise me. However, this path is difficult since it is abstract. One can also reach me by doing one’s own prescribed duty with diligence, without any desire for its fruits. ”

In the Bhagwad Gita, Krishn introduced the concept of a cosmic form where the activities of the entire but limitless space and time are revealed. Arjun felt that he saw many shaped gods in the all-pervading shapeless entity. This is the unity of gods. If gods are united, it is very strange that we break our unity in the name of God.

The writer is a former professor of physics at Berhampur University

Worldly success

Jay Lakhani, Sep 18, 2021: The Speaking Tree

The one misunderstanding about the Bhagwad Gita that has turned away many sincere seekers is that it only promises enlightenment and asks us to give up the world and its enjoyments

While the Gita speaks of Self-realisation, it also enables you to enjoy life to the fullest, achieve remarkable success in the world as well as happiness. It confers mastery over yourself and the world. It enables you to live like a king, not like a beggar. Like a victor, not a victim. Free yourself from the persecution of the world and become master of the universe.  Live like a king by discovering the royal secret -- knowledge of your own power. The world will then transform into your playground. You will enjoy every moment of your life and gain inner strength and growth. Krishn assures the diligent aspirant of both enlightenment as well as worldly success. The Bhagwad Gita does not promise a vague, post-mortem happiness. The benefits can be reaped here and now to gain material prosperity, happiness as well as spiritual growth. The accent is on the constancy of thought and consistency of application. Whatever action you perform, whatever you perceive, offer, give, or strive for, do it as an offering to God. Then every ordinary action becomes worship. You will be freed from the bondage of actions that yield good and bad results. Ignorant of their potential, the deluded ignore the Spirit and get caught up with the world and fritter away their lives in the pursuit of petty, insignificant playthings. They condemn themselves to repeated birth and death which brings in its wake misery and suffering. The mahatmas, great souls, anchored in the higher Goal, worship the Spirit single-pointedly. They dedicate all actions to a higher ideal – Karma Yog. They cultivate love for all beings – Bhakti Yog. They are determined in their pursuit till the goal is attained – Jnana Yog. They then attain total freedom from the pairs of opposites in the world. Thus, worship is a constant effort at union with Atman, not a casual, occasional prayer or ritual. Spiritual evolution is not the exclusive privilege of the chosen few. Krishn accepts even the most wicked people, the rajasic, passionate, and tamasic, lethargic, ones and offers them liberation. Nobody is disqualified provided they choose the right path. Everyone has access to the supreme goal. The highly refined and spiritually evolved ones find it easier to get there. With a serene mind and sharp intellect, they understand the world as anitya, impermanent, and asukha, joyless. They know they are heir to true and abiding bliss. Krishn ends by encapsulating the entire spiritual path in one verse. Fix your mind on me – Jnana Yog. The intellect fixes realisation as the goal and keeps the thoughts focussed there. Be my devotee – Bhakti Yog. Feel for the ideal, pour your heart out to God. Surrender helps calm the mind. It empowers you to go through the ordeals of the world with fortitude. Sacrifice to me – Karma Yog. Act in a spirit of sacrifice and service for the welfare of humanity. Dedicate your actions to the goal. Prostrate to me – dissolve your ego. Place your head and heart at the feet of the Lord. Thus, with me as the supreme goal you shall come to me.

The law is – ‘as you think so you become’. People change their lifestyles, clothing, and food. They even re-locate to an Ashram or the Himalayas.  But pay scant regard to their thoughts which are still on the world. The only thing you need to change is your thoughts. Elevate your thoughts to the Spirit and the world will be at your feet. The fringe benefits of spiritual life are material success and happiness.

‘Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam’ – managing the mind

Abhimanyu Pati, Begin Training Your Mind To Listen To You, December 15, 2017: The Times of India

Spirituality is the science of understanding and managing the human mind. Bhagwad Gita, the essence of all Upanishads, has dealt with the human mind vividly. Krishna says, ‘Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam’ – One who has acquired skills to manage his mind is capable of executing any other worldly activity in a most efficient manner.

In chapter six, verse 34 of the Gita, Arjuna expresses his doubt to Krishna about mind control. He says the mind is so restless and powerful that it is impossible to control it. However, in the very next verse, Krishna explains that while it is definitely difficult to control the mind, one can achieve control through abhyasa, continuous practice, and with a sense of vairagya, detachment.

Mind is perceived as a continuous flow of thoughts. Reportedly, an average of 80,000 thoughts are generated in a day. These thoughts are pertaining to our past experiences or future dreams. When we attach ourselves to a specific thought, we stay attached to it till we realise and become aware of the situation. This implies that a person who remains alert and observant of the thought process, does not get easily attached to any thought. This is what Krishna means when he says, be an observer of mind and remain always detached. This process of alertness sublimates the flow of intensity of thoughts and the mind becomes less overpowering.

As human beings, we may entertain some thoughts that indicate kama, desire. There is absolutely nothing wrong in it. But, there are possibilities of success and failure in fulfilling these desires. Depending on the outcome, we become angry in case of failure, and become fearful of losing acquisitions in case of success. These emotions, emanating from desires, create turbulence and agitation in our mind, and consequently, we lose mental peace.

In the Gita, Krishna advises Arjuna to create mental vastness like an ocean (2:70). He explains that an ocean remains unmoved and unperturbed when river water gushes inside it because of its vastness. Similarly, human beings should create a mental vastness so that worldly desires fail to create emotional agitations and we achieve a state of inner silence and peace.

The Gita recommends the practice of Karma Sanyasa, an attitude of selfless, dedicated actions without desire for the fruits of these actions, which will eventually help the practitioner to achieve an expansive state of mind.

Mind works like a pendulum, oscillating between two extremes of dualities. Consequently, our life experiences also oscillate between dualities of happiness-sorrow; love-hate, etc. While we do have little control over the external happenings, we can definitely control our emotional outcomes due to the external triggers, provided we have control over our mind. When our mind becomes subordinate to us, we achieve a state of middle path or Sthitaprajna, which has been explained by Krishna in 2:56 of the Bhagwad Gita.

The mind is a tool to achieve higher levels of consciousness, wisdom and bliss. But, the mind is also a doubleedged sword, which could lead to low levels of human suffering, if not used properly. Hence, there is a need to understand the functioning of mind, the process to control it and make it subservient. A person who succeeds in controlling the mind and creating a state of inner silence gets access to sat-chit-ananda, the field of universal truth, wisdom and bliss.

The arrangement of ideas

The climax

Jaya Row, The Dramatic Climax In The Bhagwad Gita, November 22, 2017: The Times of India

The side effects of spiritual life are prosperity and happiness. The Gita is an invaluable guide not only for spiritual aspirants but for also corporate executives, sportspersons, musicians, academicians, everybody! As counsellor, the Gita helps nurture fulfilling relationships, too.

The Gita does not advocate giving up on life and retiring to forests. The Gita enables you to enjoy life to the fullest while focussing on inner enrichment.

The 18th chapter summarises the entire Gita. It deals with the transformation of the individual from a finite, powerless victim into the infinite, omnipotent victor.

You are Spirit, not matter. Matter only clothes the Spirit that is the same in all. Matter varies and consists of three distinct gunas, traits called sattva, rajas and tamas. Sattva is pure, free from desire and ego. Rajas is passion, characterised by frenetic, desire-driven activity. Tamas is inertia, indifference and inactivity that stem from ignorance. Every human has all three gunas. It is their proportion that makes the difference. The purpose of life is to eliminate tamas, refine rajas and promote sattva. You can excel only when you operate out of sattva.

Based on this, human beings were categorised into four varnas or castes. This was not based on heredity but on the blend of sattva, rajas and tamas. Each caste was given a vocation best suited for their nature. The purpose was to help everyone rise to highest perfection. The varnas correspond to natural archetypes that exist in all societies.

Brahmanas were predominantly sattvika, highly refined individuals – leaders and visionaries. They naturally took to study, research and teaching in the fields of science, medicine, engineering and so on. They excelled in soft skills like music, art, literature and philosophy. They were advisors to members of other castes, particularly in the field of ethics and morality. Ancient India was led by the wise, not the wealthy. The wise guided the wealthy kshatriyas and protected them from the corruptive influence of wealth and power. The kshatriyas, the warrior caste with administrative and management skills, were predominantly rajasika. Vaishyas, traders and businessmen, had more tamas and less sattva. The shudras, labour class, were predominantly tamasika. These categories were not based on heredity; they were as per a person’s proclivities.

Krishna encapsulates the entire spiritual path starting with Karma, Bhakti and Jnana Yogas and concludes with meditation. Karma Yoga is acting with the attitude of giving, not taking. Bhakti Yoga is inclusive love, not exclusive attachment. Jnana Yoga is distilling the permanent from the transient aspects of life. If you maintain your focus on Atman you will overcome all obstacles. When you are free of the bulk of desires you are fit for meditation. In the intense heat of meditation the last traces of desire vanish and you become God!

Krishna then leaves you to do as you wish. The Gita is not a doctrine of adesha, commandments, to be accepted without question. It is upadesha, advice based on logical, scientific exposition on the human personality. Reflect on these, experiment with them and draw your own conclusions – just as you would in physics or chemistry. Then you will experience the truths laid down in the Gita and find liberation while living in the world.

Wisdom

Wisdom, Knowledge

Jaya Row, Knowledge Is Often Mistaken For Wisdom, February 12, 2020: The Times of India

Knowledge is the accumulation of facts and data. It is to be well informed. Wisdom is the application of the information. It is transformational. Society esteems the wise for their virtuosity. Subject matter experts number in the thousands, but rare are the wise. You may know recipes but not know how to make a delicious meal.

We know we should exercise, eat healthy and be positive. How many are able to actually follow through and achieve it? Across time and throughout history many have been exposed to the spiritual dimension. But seldom has it been acted upon.

Instant gratification leads to long term misery while real happiness appears in the garb of pain. Anything that is in our long term interests is unpleasant in the beginning. But due to ignorance, we run after the rapture of the moment.

There are three stages of gaining wisdom – sravana, listening/ reading; manana, reflection; and nidhidhyasana, application. Sravana is the intake of knowledge. Having listened, we need to mull over it, contemplate on it, and look at it from different angles. Only then will the knowledge get integrated into our system. This is called manana. When knowledge is internalised we live it. Nidhidhyasana is meditation which leads to Realisation, the last step to gaining knowledge of Self. In the Bhagwad Gita, Arjuna speaks words of wisdom but is unable to live them. Krishna bridges the knowing-doing gap in Chapter 7 by guided reflection. He presents knowledge from a fresh perspective and ignites original thinking.

Krishna begins with an analysis of the world and shows how Spirit permeates the universe. As humans, we have the choice of staying with the world or penetrating through to the Force. Pursue limited, myopic goals or rise above the obvious and seek the Eternal. The choice is ours. Krishna supports us in our chosen path and ensures we obtain what we strive for. All paths eventually lead to him. In the end, everyone seeks happiness, infinite bliss. Some look for it in the world, some through different religious practices. Krishna respects all paths. In this lies the open-mindedness of the Indian tradition. Not only do we respect all faiths but we accept agnostics and atheists too in our fold.

The onus is on us to figure out the quickest and most effective path to the goal of total fulfilment. The ignorant, unaware of the higher, seek and obtain trivial, finite ends. A few visualise that which transcends the material plane – they belong to four categories. Some turn to God only to enhance their wealth. They believe that will bestow riches on them. The distressed, who meet with tragic circumstances and are agitated, seek solace. Others are curious and look for answers to questions. But the jnanis, the wise, excel. They see the futility of worldly pursuits and abide in the transcendental. They are not carried away by the glitter of transitory joys. They seek permanent happiness. They experience enlightenment.

The Spirit is hidden, unmanifest, shrouded by maya, illusion. We see the manifestations and get carried away by them. The deluded world does not know the Truth – the Unborn, the Imperishable – says Krishna. But the virtuous who have freed themselves from worldly enticements seek the Higher with determination.

Wisdom and Negative Forces

Anup Taneja, Wisdom Is Surrounded By Negative Forces, July 30, 2020: The Times of India

In the Bhagwad Gita, Arjuna wonders how even the equanimity of men of wisdom and discrimination gets disturbed – so much so that they abandon the path of righteousness. Even hermits who live in seclusion far away from the hustle and bustle of a life full of distractions and challenges, feel inclined to give up the path of renunciation and revert to a life as householder. Arjuna wants to know from Krishna, the real nature of negative forces that torment the minds of human beings and bring about their downfall.

In the Gita’s third chapter, verse 36-37, Krishna explains that desire and wrath are two negative forces which are devoid of compassion and are regarded as serpents in the storehouse of knowledge; lustful thoughts occupy their minds as a result of which their equanimity is disturbed. They represent the demonic forces which are strengthened by ignorance and are diametrically opposed to spiritual wisdom and the path of righteousness. These demonic forces have a voracious appetite; when pangs of hunger attack them they can easily gobble up the entire universe and still remain dissatisfied. Sant Jnaneshwar says that these demonic forces are so powerful that “they kill without weapons, bind without rope and strike down a wise man for a wager.”

Attainment of true knowledge is thus a task of gigantic proportions. Wisdom, howsoever pure it may be, is surrounded by negative forces; as a result, attainment of divine knowledge is rendered virtually very difficult, if not impossible. So, a person desirous of attaining supreme knowledge, should first – by using his power of discrimination and power of will – annihilate the negative forces of maya which are impediments on the spiritual path.

In his commentary on the Gita, Swami Sivananda acknowledges the power of the senses, but says that even more powerful than the senses is the mind; the mind we know is subservient to the superior intelligence which cannot function independent of supreme wisdom, the ultimate Reality. So, the discriminating seeker takes refuge in supreme wisdom through spiritual techniques of yoga and meditation and, over a period of time, succeeds in bringing the mind under control. And once the mind is rendered pure, the home of all sinful actions is demolished. This, in turn, paves the way for the attainment of Self-realisation – the ultimate goal of human life.

Thus, the seeker who succeeds in getting connected with the vast, inner realms of Consciousness, beyond the mind and the senses, through deep meditation, is able to overcome the lower self, the ego, which is the root cause of the arising of desires. When the seeker abides in the state of equality consciousness, the lower forces of attraction and repulsion die a natural death. After having attained the state of supreme wisdom, that is, Self-realisation, the seeker should make all possible efforts to ensure that he remains firmly anchored in that blessed state.

Krishna cautions Arjuna in chapter 3, verse 43, that if the seeker does not remain vigilant, there is every possibility of him falling from the lofty state of divine bliss. Swami Sivananda says: “Even though desire is hard to conquer, it is not impossible. The simple and direct method is to appeal to the indwelling divine Presence through prayer and japa.”

The world and the Gita

Germany and India: different expectations

August 20, 2023; The Times of India

■ From the Vedas to the Upanishads, you’ve read many Sanskrit texts. What made you write a book on the Gita?


Previously, I studied the reception of the Veda (and Vedanta) in the West. It is only natural that I should look at the Gita. I did not bring any special love for the Gita to this topic. I am a literary scholar and comparatist, so I tend not to read any text from a standpoint of faith, but as history. The Gita is a wonderful text for an analysis of reception and translation theory because of its interpretive malleability. It was its ability to speak so many different (and often opposing) things to so many readers that drew me to this project. And then there is the issue that the Gita continues to fascinate the West, as seen in recent operas dealing with this text and a film that brings the text to the attention of people who might otherwise not know it. 


■ Translations of the Gita were crucial in making it accessible to those in the West. What were the ways in which different translators approached the text?


This is a complicated question. With the initial English and German translations, Sanskrit was still a language that linguists were struggling to understand. So those attempting to work with the Gita were approaching it, as with all Sanskrit material, from different directions. Granted translations initially were inspired by very pragmatic colonialist aims — to understand better in order to rule and control. But this was not pervasive and unidirectional. Indians were inspired and responded to commentary from the West. It was a dialogue from the beginning, not solely the colonialist West imposing its vision on a totally passive India. Then there is the issue that individual nations and thinkers had their own ideas regarding what translation sought to achieve. We see this in the different approaches of the British, the Germans, the Americans, or the French. What German militarists sought in the Gita differed from the needs and projects of Indian nationalists. The translations are crafted to fit these needs. Gandhi needed a text to support a political agenda, as did Tilak and Ambedkar. Vivekananda was marketing India (and himself) to America. Some sought God, some sought poetry, some (both in England and India) sought a justification to wield power over others, some thought to use their reading to ally themselves with something exotic, simply to show their superiority over others. Some, like Oppenheimer or French philosopher Simone Weil needed a Gita to survive, to do what they felt was their calling.

■ You have spoken about how Indian leaders , including Gandhi and Ambedkar, had different takeaways from the Gita. Can you elaborate?

Gandhi developed a theory of translation that was totally unique. He claimed to live the truth as he saw in it so his experience trumped the letter of the text. The Gita that he constructed from his reading, which was basically the first two books, was to define his vision for India after Independence. Ambedkar had to respond to his truly idiosyncratic “translation” of the text. A similar situation occurred with Tilak’s reading. In both Tilak and Gandhi, we find omissions, additions and idiosyncratic renditions of words to make the points they wished to make. The translations and readings of the Gita then become a playground for interpreters to manipulate the text for their own ends. A very significant use of such mistranslation can be seen in the German reception of the Gita and how it incentivised a warrior ethic in both World War I and II as well as in subsequent neo-Nazi literature.

■ Do you think the lens with which the West sees it is changing?

I don’t think so. For Oppenheimer and TS Eliot, reading Sanskrit was exotic; it made them interesting to themselves and others. Now, there are too many other competing ways for people to be fascinating. Moreover, exploring spirituality as a path to being fabulous doesn’t seem that significant these days in our secular world. Also, India is too close to us now. Indians are too present in our lives in the West. Why read the Gita, if you can do yoga, eat Indian food, marry an Indian immigrant, tattoo ‘om’ on your body? I have actually had students sign up for my classes so I can show them words in Devanagari for interesting tattoos. I see my task as introducing students to foreign texts and showing them that there are worlds out there where people have pondered rather significant things. I find that 19-20-year-olds can be quite receptive and it is wonderful to read the Gita with them.

■ How challenging is teaching the text?

Well, there is never a problem with religious sensibilities because I teach the text as literature. Sometimes Indian students might wonder why this Portuguese-Italian woman is explaining their culture to them, but then any immigrant population feels it must be a spokesperson for its birth culture. The real problem are students who do not believe in the worth of the humanities, who dislike being forced to take a literature class to graduate. One fears the world they will seek to create.

See also

Yajna (yagya)