The Bhagvad Gita – Chapter 12 – The path to love

Arjuna asked the Lord “Who are more dear to you -  the people who worship you or those who worship the eternal and the indestructible invisible one?” And thus spoke the Lord : Those who surrender themselves to me and fix their total devotion on me and worship me with their minds absorbed in me, I consider them to be my beloved. However, those who worship the invisible brahman also attain me. But the latter kind of people go through a lot of trial and tribulation and hence walk through the difficult path. I give them deliverance from the cycle of birth and death – those who are devoted to me.

Fasten your mind exclusively on me and place your intelligence in me, you will then reside in me forever. If you are unable to concentrate on me then follow the path of Bhakti yoga (devotional service) and you’ll surely come to me. If you are unable to do that too, then follow my words and work for me for acting on my beliefs will give you perfection. Even if this is not possible, then control your self and senses and renounce all fruits of action. If this also seems impossible then accumulate knowledge and better yet, meditate for from meditation comes renunciation and peace.

He who nurtures no envy or hate or egoism, who is gracious and compassionate, staying the same in face of pain and pleasure, who is tolerant, self-controlled, firm in his resolve, fixed in devotional practice and whose mind and intellect are fixed on me are very dear to me. One who treats his friends and enemies equally, balanced in honor and disgrace, heat and cold, happiness and anguish, free from attachment, not concerned about blame or praise, controlled in speech, even minded and engaged in devotional service is very dear to me.

Those who pursue sincerely the path of devotion setting me as their supreme goal always come to me.

So that’s the shortcut to love. Doesn’t get shorter than this.

Love and Blessings,

Guru30

The Bhagvad Gita – Chapter 5 – Renunciation and Selfless Action

Arjuna asks the Lord “On one hand you advocate renunciation (non-action) and on the other hand you talk of selfless action. O Hari (Lord Srikrishna) please tell me which is better of the two”. The Lord replies that of the two Selfless action is definitely better. A renounced man is devoid of hatred and selfish desire. Indifferent to all dualities, he/she is free from all bondage and attains liberation. Only a childish person thinks that these two people (one who has renounced and the one who is on a path of selfless action) are different. In effect, both of them reach the same goal. The realization of the Lord.

Karma yoga (The yoga of selfless action) and Jnana Yoga( The yoga of knowledge) both lead to the same destination. One who perceives this, sees things from the right perspective. Abandoning action without yoga is difficult. The sage who is established in Yoga quickly attains the absolute. One who practices yoga with senses controlled, the mind conquered and intelligence purified attains the self and remains free and un-entangled even when he/she is grounded in the sphere of action. One who is acting in Yoga  knows that what he hears or sees or his other senses are all that does various things and not him/herself.

Like a lotus leaf that remains unaffected by water, the yogi also remains untouched by evil. A karma-yogi is thus not affected by the impurities around him. Although he/she has to use his/her senses, the mind and intellect, the result is absolute as he/she has given up attachment to the fruits of the action. Thus having renounced this, he/she attains ultimate peace. Whereas they who do not practice Karma yoga get attached and hence cannot attain the ultimate Thus mentally even when existing in the city of nine gates (our body has 9 apertures. A woman has 10) he /she is free from delusion.

The Lord further says that he is not bothered by a man’s good/bad actions. Because our knowledge is covered by ignorance, we act in such a manner. This knowledge which shining like the Sun is to be attained. For the wise, a pound of Gold and Sand is the same. There is no distinction between a Brahmana or a Chandala (High and Low caste) One who is thus unattached and absorbed in action / contemplation in the service of the Lord achieves unbound happiness.The wise do not rejoice in temporary sense pleasures, as in retrospect, they bring only pain.

The seers who attain this knowledge and work for the happiness of others are truly realized. They attain the absolute. The way to attain the Supreme is to focus on the centre of the two eye brows, inhale and exhale in rhythm equalizing and control the senses and the mind and give up anger. One who realizes that it is God who controls the actions and the fruits and also knows that he is the supreme to be attained, who is the friend of all, he/she attains supreme peace.

That’s concisely this chapter on Renunciation and Selfless action.

Cheers,

Guru30

Bhagvad Gita – Chapter 4 – The meaning of Wisdom

Lord SriKrishna further explains to Arjuna the meaning of Wisdom or jnana (note that jnana actually means knowledge and wisdom is the awakening of the same. The Lord extols to Arjuna that this knowledge was given to Vivaswan who in turn gave it to Manu (all our ancestors) and so on. Arjuna may have forgotten as he is a mortal being, but the Lord knows it all. Arjuna has a hint of doubt as to how the Lord knows this all. To which Lord Srikrishna replies that he is the master of his material energy. He further says that when evil increases (decline of dharma – dharma is duty), the lord manifests himself in a form and descends upon Earth.

There were many people in the past who got rid of attachment and attained the Lord. Those who worship the Gods using rituals have also benefitted from their blessings. However please remember that all happens with the power of the Lord. As discussed in the earlier chapters, we dare sometimes deluded into believing that we are doers, when actually it is the three gunas which are responsible for driving us towards action. Taking into consideration the gunas and the effect of ones own karma, the good Lord had  divided people into four divisions: The brahmana (holy priests),  the Kshatriya (warriors), the Vaishnava (merchants) and Shudra (Those who do menial tasks). This division mind you is strictly for discrimination purpose and does not apply stoically.

The Lord has no desire for the fruits of action, but he still keeps acting. Whoever realizes this aspect of God, knows him truly. Lord Srikrishna now gives away the secret of action and inaction. He mentions that wise is  the person who understands this subtle distinction. So here it is. Action performed without attachment to  its fruits is inaction in action and action performed with attachment is action in inaction. Did you understand it ? Let me explain further. He who acts in the spirit of action for action is not doing any work at all. Because he/she does not feel that he/she is working. Work is pleasure or there is no action (inaction) whereas when one is feeling that he is working truly is active in inaction (actual work). Complicated. Not that much.

One who has been purified by his very thoughts acts like a sage. He/She acts really, who has understood the meaning given above. Detaching senses, they work towards only one goal. That goal is action and nothing else. If one’s thoughts are fully absorbed in the absolute, all his/her spiritual offerings also become a part of the absolute. Some offer their hearing, some sight and some others charity into the sacrificial fire. And let me tell you that there is nothing bigger than a sacrifice. It’s brahman. (atman or soul) The fire is brahman, the offering is brahman and the offerer is also brahman. That is how the term ‘Aham Brahmasmi’ comes. It means I’m brahman.

The person who realizes all this through wisdom is the highest of all. True transcendental knowledge is the knowledge of the self, and he/she is wise  who  has realized this truth. Wisdom has the power to burn all karmic activities to ashes. (of course with the Grace of God) So there is nothing above wisdom. All that is above it is the supreme soul. So arise Arjuna, the slayer of enemies, arise and awake to this call. Take the sword of discrimination and shed this illusion into pieces and be firmly established in  Yoga.

More in a week’s time.

Thanks,

Guru30