sadagopan.org . Smt.KalaLakshminarayananforeBookassembly 5. Nedumtheru SrIMukundSrinivasan 4. Mannargudi SrISrinivasanNarayana 3. ofthesourcedocument SmtKrishnaPriyaforcompilation 2. 'SrInrsimhaseva rasikan'Oppili 1. Sincere Thanks To: Knapp andwww.glimpseofkrishna.comforimages texts andproof-reading title inhiswebseries. swami, Editor-in-Chief,ofSrIHayagr appan KoilSrIVaradAchAriSaThakopan 2 , www.pbase.com/svami,SrIStephen n swami for providing Sanskrit/Tamil Sanskrit/Tamil forproviding n swami ivan eBooksforkindlyhostingthis ivan sadagopan.org
pdf pdf
3 C O N T E N T S C O N T E Foreword by the Editor for Volume 3 Foreword by the Slokams and Commentaries Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 1 Chapter 18 nigamanam 7 9 53 90 118 145 180 276 Srimad Bhagavad GitaSrimad Bhagavad 1 to 6) Volume 1 (Chapters GitaSrimad Bhagavad 7 to 12) Volume 2 (Chapters
sadagopan.org chapters th and the 15 : th
, 14 chapter as dealing with the th th resulting from their union as well as resulting from their union as red to comprehend the svarUpam of the knower (Kshetraj~nan) from the ndence on the SAstrAs for a cetanan ndence on the SAstrAs for e and the distinction between the self the self between e and the distinction covers the way to observe the Karma, als with the svarUpam, and svabhAvam erence between the Self and SarIram. and SarIram. the Self erence between samsAram, the means to be adopted by HIGHLIGHTS nature of the body, the means for the 1
Sriman nArAyaNa is the Para Brahmam Sriman nArAyaNa is the Para S ' . ïI>. . ïI>. . ïI k«:[ay tu_ym! nm>. . ïI k«:[ay tu_ym! ‘SrI nrsimha seva rasikan’ ‘SrI nrsimha seva HAPTER C Oppiliappan koil SrI VaradacAri SaThakopan SrI VaradacAri SaThakopan Oppiliappan koil FOREWORD BY THE EDITOR EDITOR BY THE FOREWORD Chapter (Kshetra-Kshetrj~na VibhAga yoga) has 34 slokams. This Chapter (Kshetra-Kshetrj~na HIRTEENTH th T HE chapter is about the differentiation from chapter is known (Kshetra). In this chapter, the The 13 T realization of Self, the cause of bondag and the body are dealt with. Swamy Desikan summarizes the scope of the 13 svarUpam of SarIram (deham), the diff The guNams such as amAnitvam are requi The first half of the third shaDkam de The first half of the third of Cetanam, acetanam and the prapancam of Cetanam, acetanam and the The 13 (nija nilai) of sarveSvaran. the true state (tattva trayams): cit, acit anddeal with the three tattvams ISvaran in that order. shaDkam The second half of the third for the bonds of The reasons the Self. jn~Ana and Bhakti yogams andjn~Ana and Bhakti yogams the depe like Arjuna to understandclearly that celebrated in the VedAntams. sadagopan.org The key slokams of this chapter are: 4,5,16and19. The keyslokamsofthis Chapter: from boththebaddha jIvans(jIvansad with its 24 sub-tattvams. He revealed to Arjuna that He is(Purushottaman). Our LordinstructedArjuna distinctly that He is different different from Prakrti This chapterdealswiththe mystery T Swamy ALavantArusesthefourthemes dwelling intheLord. theabidan namely, heavenlysovereignty, the SupremePerson(ParamAtman)is theguNAsareag Self (jIvAtman),how explainstheva In thischapter,Lord how their holdcanbe removed. gItAcAryan instructsusonhowthegu The fourteenthchapterdeal T key slokamsofthischapterare26,29,30,31and34. the mindtoseeSelf shining clearly HE HE the Selfand thedwellinginLord). attainable: theheavenlyso 4. 3. 2. 1. F F gati traya svamUlatvam gati traya tannivartanam teshAm kartrtvam guNa-bandha vidhA IFTEENTH OURTEENTH C (How toeliminatetheirhold) C HAPTER (Howtheyaretheagentsofallworks) (variouswaysinwhichtheguNAsbindSelf) HAPTER s withthedivisionaccord vereignty, theabidanceof (How theLordisbasis (How ofallthreeends : ' S rious ways in whichtheguNAsbind rious waysin 2 H NAs becomethecauseofbondageand from the body, its house are given. The given. are body,itshouse from the mixed with3guNAs of Prakrti),which to summarize the tosummarize and grandeuroftheSupremeLord basis ofallthethreeendsattainable, ce in the pristine state of Self and IGHLIGHTS ents inrespecttoallworksandhow ing tothethreeguNAs. thepristinestatefor : essence ofthe 14 th
sadagopan.org ) as the lobham daivI sampat" (of the s of individuals born in the Prapancam made up of the Prapancam ) and greed ( slokam of this chapter, our Lord slokam of this chapter, our al disposition of an individual st ndage. In the final slokam of this ndage. In the final slokam actice of Bhakti yogam. Finally, the Finally, the of Bhakti yogam. actice are of three kinds according to the the SAstrAs are demoniac in nature accept SAstra as the sole guide guide sole the as SAstra accept and what is to be avoided to free to and what is to be avoided free states that this chapter deals with rm of demoniac nature and one should rm of demoniac nature and eternally liberated soulseternally (nitya sUri-s), bhAga of the three yoga or the theory 3 krodham : e supreme goal of Moksha sukham. goal of Moksha sukham. e supreme : sanctioned by the SAstrAs. " (of the demoniac nature). The upadesam here " (of the demoniac nature). acteristics of the two type mental dispositions named " mental dispositions , sustains and rules over , sustains and HAPTER ), anger ( e needed for the observance of religious activities of observance e needed for the C HAPTER C kAmam Asuri sampat Asuri EVENTEENTH IXTEENTH and thus are fruitless and thus are fruitless the ment which influence three guNAs, S S 1. are not ordained Those acts that by 2. the SAstrAs by the works enjoined 3. of KarmAs the lakshaNams HE HE cetanam and acetanam. cetanam and acetanam. T This chapter is named SraddhA-traya-vi fold nature of faith. Swamy ALavantAr three upadesams: SraddhA or faith is the on This chapter details the char This chapter details become mukta jIvansbecome pr through unceasing from different is He that explains Lord the Lord He instructs Arjuna that as by 8 Atma guNams. as well, characterized pervades He of the Universe, T two kinds of the world with divine nature) and " as would be conducive to such characteristics is to help the seekers cultivate In the 21 attain liberation from the bondage. identifies Passion ( threefold gateway of hell in the fo this from bo abandon them to attain freedom chapter, gItAcAryan Arjuna to exhorts is to be done (authority) regarding what th bondage and attain himself from sadagopan.org purushArtham (thesupremegoal)ofMoksham.The65 Karma yogaandj~nAnaasbeingthedirectsAdhanaforparama this finalchapter,theconclusionisa to sAdhanAsappropriate attained through sAdhanA isstressed.Thedifferentpa Moksham.Theimportanceof sAdhanA for the agencyofallactions totheLord, karma asapartofthesAdhanAforlibe of tyAga(abnegation)andsannyAsa(ren theory ofliberationthroughrenunciation.gItAcAryanelucidates theconcept orthe yoga namedMoksha-sannyAsa The finalchapterofBhagavadgItAis T observing thesAdhanAforgainingMoksham. an chapter doesnotdiscuss appropriate observing in engage us are classifiedonthebasisofthree tohelp guNAs sAdhanAs to gain(yaj~nA), penance (tapas)andofferingof Moksha siddhi.and it It has also been extends observed that beyond this to other items such as food (AhAra), sacrifice Me. YoushallcometoMealone. Iprom mindonMe.BeMydevot "Focus your this lastchapterarethemostimport component ofthesAdhana forgainingmo AcAryAsconclude thatBhaktiyogais themostimportant VaishNavite you fromallsins.Grieve not" "Completely relinquishingalldharmAs,se HE E IGHTEENTH C HAPTER y philosophical doctrines buthaspracticalvaluein y philosophicaldoctrines : ant ones in the entire gItopanishad: ant onesintheentiregItopanishad: rrived at about Bhakti yoga assisted by yogaassisted Bhakti atabout rrived ise youtruly;forYouaredeartoMe” ee. BeMyworshipper.Prostratebefore 4 the rulerofallis emphasizedinthe ek Mealone forrefuge.Iwillrelease gifts(dAnam).Alloftheaboveitems ths bywhichtheSupremeBeingis ration. Theimportanceof attributing cultivatingsattvaguNamduringthis ksham as taught by the Lord in His unciation) toestablishtheroleof one's stationinlifeiscovered.In th and the 66 andthe th slokams of slokamsof ---18.65 ---18.66 sadagopan.org in His celestial upadesamin His celestial devotion means to is the sole attain
5 ntral message of the Lord of the Lord message ntral Bhagavad gItA. ananyaBhagavad unswerving bhakti or ce the This is ParamAtma. Arjuna as a vyAjam. to us all using namo SrI vAsudevAya, dAsan, Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan Oppiliappan
SLOKAMS AND COMMENTARIES
7
sadagopan.org :
the Self, Brahman the Self, YOGA
GA A - Explanation of howand why ”, differentiation of the known ”, differentiation of the known KNOWER
7 to 12 outlines the path of yoga 7 to 12 outlines the path of VIBH
13 of attaining it through j~nAna yoga j~nAna of attaining it through the Lord, the Supreme Self and the and the Self the Supreme the Lord, THE with the following words of KrshNa, with the following words of KrshNa, NA
~ 9 with the nature of with the nature s of six adhyAyas each, the first hexad s of six adhyAyas AND HAPTER - The means of attaining the Self after
- The mode of discriminating between the C - enquiry into the real nature of the physical - enquiry into the real nature acit sambandha hetu: ssociated with the body. KSHETRAJ FIELD - The nature of body and the self and the self of body - The nature
kshetrakshetraj~na yoga HE : T " (Slokam 1). KSHETRA dehayAthAtmya Sodhanam body. dehaviyuktAtmaprAptyupAya: dehAtmana: svarUpam - The nature of the Self in the the in Self the of leaving the body. nature The vivikta AtmasvarUpa samSodhanam - disembodied state. tathA vidasya Atmana: does the Self become a become does the Self viveka anusandhAnaprakAra: body and the self. NTRODUCTION idam SarIram 2. 3. 1. 4. 5. 6. If the Gita is dividedIf the Gita is into three part I these of adhyAyas 1 toconsisting of 6 deal exposition and the means synonymous with nArAyaNa detailed a find we part, hexad, adhyAyasand karma yoga. The second last the in Now of nature knowledge of the through the all. of Self inner two parts. topics propounded in the first In this adhyAya titled “ topics dealt with are, The is explained. and the knower The discourse in this adhyAya starts " sadagopan.org All thatisknownincludingthephysic Comments: the Self. Self, is calledtheknower, The physical bodyiscalledthefield, The Lordsaid- Meaning: || kshetraj~na:ititadvida: etat ya:vettitamprAhu: kshetramitiabhidhIyate| kaunteya idam SarIram SrI bhagavAnuvAca @t*ae veiÄt<àa÷>]eÇ}#ittiÖd>. #d< zrIr 1 kshetraj~na shNa inthenextsloka. kshetraj~na al body,mindandintellectarethe kshetra . 10 , bythosewhoknow there mustbeaknower who knows all intellect isnotfunctioning"etc.Apart knownand whenthe ower in that particular embodiment embodiment ower inthatparticular and the mind also is the kshetra. Thisand themindalsois come the object of knowledge as in come theobjectofknowledgeasin and He whoknowsit,meaningthe andHe the realnatureof soul isseparated kshetra , sadagopan.org ' ' 'ahamAtmA guDakeSa guDakeSa 'ahamAtmA real knowledge is that of the field and real knowledge is that of the self is the body, who controls the body, who controls self is the all the fields and the true knowledge knowledge all the fields and the true being the inner self of all. Those who who inner self of all. Those being the m AtmA na veda yasya AtmA SarIram its inner self, whom the individual self 11 ur inner controller and immortal Self'. ur inner controller khA (br. mA), it is said, d this is the real knowledge. d this is the real knowledge. | sa ta AtmA antaryAmyamrta: ---SrI Ramanuja’s vedArtha sangraha / br. mA 5-7-22). svR]eÇe;u Éart, Éart, svR]eÇe;u 2 LOKAM Hence the real and ultimate knower is the Lord or Brahman. From the advaita advaita the He who dwells in the individual self as From Brahman. or Lord does not know, to whom the individual discrepancy. the no is is there knower hence individual self from within, He is yo and ultimate and Brahman, real is the self Hence real the also view of point is said earlier Gita itself it In the ya: AtmAnam antaro yamayati ]eÇ]eÇ}yae}aRn< yÄJ}an< mt< mm. mm. mt< yÄJ}an< ]eÇ]eÇ}yae}aRn< ca api mAm viddhikshetraj~nam kshetreshu sarva | bhArata yat tat j~nAnam j~nAnam matam mama || kshetra kshetraj~nayo: Meaning: The the knower of all fields. Know Me as the knower according to Me. Comments: knower of The Lord says that he is the consists of field and the knower. that about the all the fields in the knower The Lord is an know this are the real knowers In BrhadAraNyaka mAdhyandina Sa ya: Atmani tishThan Atmana: antara: ya S ma< iviÏ caip ]eÇ}< sadagopan.org something ofhisconcoction. and reiteratedbythesages,saysKrshNa reasoning through laid outinthescripturesbyvedichymnsandBrahmasUtrAs kshetraj~na describingthefield, Then KrshNastarts without me'(BG.10-39). yat syAtmayAbhUtamcarAcaram, sarvabhUtASayasthita: indetail.Thedistinctionbetween , I am the Self of a nothing that moves and does not move, exist notmove, nothing thatmovesanddoes 12 ll beings'(BG.10.20), tomakeitclearthatthiswasnot kshetra thebodyandth and the individual self, andtheindividualself, 'na tadastivinA e selfhasbeen sadagopan.org g detailed in the pounded already by of all fields, all this, you hear from all this, you hear of all fields, s of which are bein as that being ex s modifications, and the its evolution and BrahmasUtrAs. The latter is the 13 by BrahamasUtrAs through reasoning and bhi: vividhai: prthak | tat samAsena me SrNu || t of the Upanishads. 4 3 LOKAM LOKAM Me in brief. viniScitai: || brahmasUtrapadai: ca eva hetumadbhi: Meaning: and by the rshis in various ways, in many metrical This subject has been sung prosodic manner, which is reiterated conviction. Comments: The kshetra the nature and modification rhsibhi: bahudhA gItam chando origin, the powers of Me, who is the knower origin, the powers of Me, who S p&wk!, gIt< DNdaeiÉivRivxE> \i;iÉbR÷xa äüsUÇpdEíEv hetumiÑivRiniítE>. treatise on the purpor tat kshetram yat ca yAdrk ca yattat kshetram yat yata: vikAri ca yat | ca sa ca ya: matprabhAva: Meaning: nature, it That which is the field, its forthcoming slokAs are referred to here the sages in the VedAs, Upanishads S ytí yt!, ya†Kc yiÖkair tT]eÇ< y½ tTsmasen me ï&[u. s c yae yTàÉaví sadagopan.org 4. 3. 2. 1. The kshethra comprisesof: Comments: of thefieldanditsmodifications. aggregate,intelli pleasure andpain,the indriyAs plusone(includingmanas)an The fivegross elements,ahankAra,buddh Meaning: ||6|| etat kshetramsamAsenasavikAramudAhrtam icchA dvesha:sukhamduhkhamsanghAta:cetanAdhrti:| indriyANi daSaikamcapancaindriyagocarA:||5|| mahAbhUthAni ahankArobuddhi:avyaktamevaca| @tT]eÇ< smasensivkarmudaùtm!. 6. #CDa Öe;>suo<Ê>o< #iNÔyai[ dzEk - alsoknownas -The unmanifest,thatis, -The - the evolute of buddhi, and is of three kinds, sAttvik, rAjasik and 5&6 s<"atíetna x&it>, x&it>, s<"atíetna mahat tattva, prakrti 14 theevoluteofprakrti gence andfortitude,allthesecomprise d fivesenseobjects,desire,hatred, i andtheunmanifestprakrti,ten , thepremordial element sadagopan.org is is cetana , the insentient matter and matter and , the insentient ribed here, is the Prakrti which is ribed here, is the Prakrti which Prakrti n of these. Prakrti is basically made made basically is Prakrti these. of n e in the Indian philosophical system e in the Indian philosophical tamas and that is everything else , the abode of experience. of sukha, duhkha etc., and denotes ity of Brahman. But the tattvAs of ity of Brahman. But the tattvAs to refute sAnkhya doctrines specially to refute sAnkhya doctrines tions of the three guNAs. Even the Even the three guNAs. tions of the e ahankAra and hence the evolutes of re and pain, usually attributed to the re and pain, usually attributed e experience of the mind through the 15 Na is the kshetra and its modifications. (See plate on facing page) plate on (See bhogAyatanam - the ten sense and motor organs + mind the evolutes + mind the evolutes motor organs sense and - the ten means the aggregate of the elements forming the forming the elements means the aggregate of nses, sound, form, taste of the senses, sound, form, and - the five objects is the conviction which is also the modification of the mind is the conviction which is also the modification of the sanghAta dhrti , the desc sentient soul. The kshetra, pancatanmatrAs giving rise to the five gross elements, pancabhUtAs. pancabhUtAs. gross elements, rise to the five giving pancatanmatrAs + ekam indriyANi-daSa of sAttvik ahankAra indriyagocrA:-panca smell. because it is akin to vedAnta in some respects but differs from the main in some respects but differs is akin to vedAnta because it the causal vedAnta, namely, concept of the world is given to be as above. evolution of the world is given to be as above. the evolvement of all and the prominent plac sAnkhya philosophy holds a or agree with its concepts. to either refute are found as all the other schools it necessary Sankara says that he finds sAnkhya are accepted by all. the combinatio The whole gross universe is pleasu emotions such as desire, hatred, association of the self self are only modifications of prakrti arising from the with prakrti. This in brief, says Krsh icchA, dvesha, sukha and duhkha are th sense organs. causes the feelings the sentience which intelligence. prakrti. and intellect. All are the products of th up of three guNAs: sattva, rajas and the modifica described as kshetra are physical body which is the Purusha 5. 6. system of philosophy given above is based on the sAnkhya The classification which there are two Reals, according to tAmasik Five tanmatrAs Five gross elements (sound, touch, sight, taste and smell) 16 rAjasik ahankAra mahat or buddhi Sankhya tattvas (only activates others) sadagopan.org prakrti – (unmanifest) constituent of three guNAs Manas sAtvik procreation Five karmendriyAs Five j~nAnendriyas taste (sUkshma indriyAs) Senses of motion, action, talk, excretion and Senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell & sadagopan.org 17 7, 8, 9, 10 & 11 9, 10 & 7, 8, LOKAMS amAnitvam adambhitvam ahimsA| kshAnti: Arjavam AcArya upAsanam Saucam sthairyam Atmavinigraha: ||7|| indriyArtheshu vairAgyam anahankAra eva ca | janma mrtyu||8|| jarA vyAdhi duhkha dosha anudarSanam asakti: anabhishvanga: putra dAra grhAdishu | nityam ca samacittatvam ishTa anishTa upapattishu ||9|| S ]aiNtrajRvm!, AmainTvmdiMÉTvmih , modesty especially towards the eminent. , modestyespeciallytowardsthe , absenceofostentation. dambha the trueknowledge,thes ght, wordanddeed. adambhitvam va j~nAnArtha darSanam | va j~nAnArthadarSanam 18 the Supreme and all theothersare theSupremeandall contemplationoftheknowledge the defectsinsamsArasuchasbirth, ing theknowledge oftheSelf are olence, patience, straightforwardness, control,detachmentfromthesense towardstheadventofpleasant and r theattainmentofSelfisdiscussed. tion toMe,retirementsecluded chment, absenceof istheabsence ofit.Thistrait is istheflauntingofone's e areknown asthereal clinging toson, sadagopan.org , perception of evil in words and hence their their words and hence , even- mindedness in all as envisaged in the slokaas envisaged , constant devotion directed to , constant devotion directed eed as mentioned in the sloka, the sloka, mentioned in eed as specified by yama and niyama and niyama specified by yama thA kriyA; citte vaci kriyAyAm ca thA kriyA; citte That is, to view the cycle of birth birth of cycle the view to is, That , absence of clinging to son, wife house, absence of clinging 19 , absence objects. of desire for sense ons correspond to their ons correspond , for the great souls, the words correspond to their souls, the words correspond , for the great , service to the preceptor , service to , dispassion in all that is non-self. , absence of egotism. , unshakable faith in the sastras concerning the self. , unshakable faith in the sastras , integrity d word and of thought , patience even when provoked. provoked. when even , patience , inner and outer cleanliness as outer cleanliness , inner and , detachment. tadviddhi praNipAtena' (BG.4-34). paripraSnena sevayA thoughts and their acti thoughts and mahatAm ekarUpata disciplines. sthairyam Atmavinigraha: indriyArtheshu vairAgyam anahankAra janma mrtyu duhkha dosha anudarsanam jarA vyAdhi Saucam yathA cittam tathA vAca:, yathA vAca: ta yathA cittam and deedthought word are one pointed'. AcArya upAsanam ' andbirth, death, old age, disease sorrow. and death as evil. asakti: anabhishvanga: putradAragrhAdishu kshAnti Arjavam etc. nityam ca samacittatvam ishTa anishTa upapattishu desirable and undesirable events. mayi ca ananya yogena bhakti: avyabhicAriNI the Lord alone. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 7. 6. 13. 14. 4. 5. 15. 16. sadagopan.org 20. 19. 18. 17. All theseattributes contributeto the self. adhyAtma j~nAnanityatvam arati:janasamsadi sevitvam viviktadeSa tattva j~nAnArthadarSanam , avoidanceofcrowds. , resorting tosolitude. , resorting , constantcontemplationontheknowledgeof , reflection ontheknowledgeof truth. , reflection wards theattainmentofSelf. 20 sadagopan.org , sat nor asat 'sadeva saumya ing, meaning Brahman, out a second'. Also it is said that by e ordinary intellect. KrshNa wase ordinary intellect. KrshNa also plaining the steps necessary to attain plaining the steps necessary est philosophical concept outlined here est philosophical concept outlined oka, he is elaborating on the Brahman oka, he is elaborating on the c declarations, which themselves sound n-existence from which the being came n-existence known, knowing which one attainsknown, knowing which one the 21 (chAn.6-2-1), that Be t j~nAtvA amrtam aSnute | t j~nAtvA amrtam the Supreme Brahman is neither the Supreme t tat na asat ucyate || t tat na asat ucyate anAdi as declared by the Upanishad, 12 LOKAM anAdimat param brahma na sa anAdimat param Meaning: to be is I shall declare that which baffling to th and there which may sound elucidating. starts aware of it and subsequently The Supreme Brahman is idamagra AsIt ekameva advitIyam only with one alone existed in the beginning, (tait.2-7) in the beginning there was no into existence'. Then say that seems to be contrary to the Upanishadi j~neyam yat tat paravakshyAmij~neyam yat tat ya S yJ}aTvam&tmîute, }ey< yÄTàvúyaim äü n sÄÚasÊCyte. AnaidmTpr< to be is said Brahman, with no beginning, and immortality. It is the Supreme being nor non-being. neither Comments: In the foregoing slokAs, KrshNa was ex itself. In BhagavadgIta, find the high we always knowing that everything else becomes known. Again it is said in the Upanishad 'asat vA idam agra Asit; tatho vai sat ajAyata the knowledge of Brahman. From this sl the knowledge of Brahman. sadagopan.org no no . , both speech atIndriyam '. A thing is the '. A thing is the . Now Brahman being we describe a thing by we describe a thing by ition, have limited scope thing without it. ghatabhava n-existence. For instance, a pot instance, a pot n-existence. For this does not hold good in case of of case in good hold not does this sva abhAva aprtiyogi thought. This is the meaning of the thought. This ition. There are four valid means of are four valid means ition. There e, comparison and verbal testimony. reach is, reality'. That the Supreme real nature of Brahman outlined in the the outlined in of Brahman real nature a pratiyogi of its nonexistence. Hence Hence a pratiyogi of its nonexistence. and touched. But the Brahman could not 23 n cannot be proved by any prAmANa asn cannot be proved by any nce there can be no e it is beyond sense cognition, nd, there can be no non-existence of it, that is, it, that non-existence of can be no there nd, understand fire by means of the smoke. The smoke fire by means understand a means of cognition when AmANA, means of valid cogn AmANA, is what is understood by sense contact. The sense sense The contact. sense by understood is what is describes Brahman ' describes Brahman sat nor asat'. pratiyogi of its non-existence, ) is the ghata the only one without a seco Perception or pratyaksha objects are seen, heard, smelt, tasted becaus by the senses be cognized cognition, namely, perception, inferenc , counter-correlate of its own no pratiyogi, counter-correlate ( pratiyogi of its own non- sva abhAva be the of Brahman. So Brahman cannot thing can be existence. Only an existent nor non-existent. Brahman is neither existent Brahma What it really means is that existent as all the pr being Similarly it and cannot determine something which is not limited by expression. si cannot be proved as non-existent sayTo put this in simple words, that something exists, it has to be shown to exist through some valid means of cogn Next comes inference. We is perceived and the fire is inferred. Even which Brahman like smoke through Brahman as there is no perceptible sign could be inferred. The comparison serves as self contradictory. self contradictory. the of in light to be examined This has yato vAco nivartante aprApya manasA saha is said 'yato vAco nivartante Upanishads. It returning without able to and mind are phrase 'neither that term There is a Brahman cannot be limited by words or be limited Brahman cannot sadagopan.org In the subsequent slokAs KrshNa explains In thesubsequentslokAs KrshNa of Brahmanwhichis Brahman cannotbecalled lakshaNa back, butBrahmancan existindependent of thesefunctions.Thisis all beings comeout,bywhich they ar yatprayantya (yasmin)abhisamviSanti the VedAsas— always andservestopointoutthefield field ofDevadatta. Thefieldisperm whereacraneis pointing outtoafield tatastha lakshaNa description throughwords. conditioned byplace, timeandentity. is pot ishereandnotthere.Brahman entity, likesayingthatthisisapotand limited bytime,likesaying knowledge bywhich everything elseisknown. knowledge meanstheofsomethingbutBrahmanisthat assuchisall that alone.Butexistence and existent.Athing issaid existence, knowledgeandinfinity.Buthe of thecharacteristics.Brahmanisdefinedas There aretwokindsoflakshaNa,definition. Brahmanbuttheyonlyserveasthe onlytestimonyfor guidelines. testimony issomethingwhic and thecomparisonfailstoserveasa means ofsomethingknownasacomparis somethingelse.It saying itresembles . ontheother handmeansindi yato vAimAnibhUtAni jAyante,yenajAtAnijIvanti, ananta asat athingexiststodayanddi , andeverythingelse exis tobeexistent,theexiste h is understood from verbal description. VedAs are h isunderstoodfromverbaldescription.VedAsare , becausethere isnosuch 24 Hence Brahman cannotbelimitedbyany — meaning,Brahmanisthatfromwhich anent butthe crane neednotbethere e sustained and into which they merge e sustainedandintowhichtheymerge Similarly thatisBrahman. pervading and means explainingsomethingunknown by not a cloth, and by place, like saying the only. ThedefinitionofBrahmangivenin means of cognition. Lastly, the verbalmeans ofcognition.Lastly,the on. ButthereisnothinglikeBrahman seen sittingandsayingthatitisthe re isa difference between existence theimplications oftheabove sloka. svarUpalakshaNam , not aparichinnam,not desakAlavastu , infinity meansnot anantam, infinity satyam j~nAnamanantam ts becauseofBrahman. cative definitionsuch as d notexistyesterday,by nce ofwhichislimitedto thing asnonexistence isthedefinition tatastha , sadagopan.org . He . He sees things; he sees ing of His glory, sarvata: pANipAdam sarvata: akshi Siromukham reflection of the words of the reflection of the ves swiftly and seizes is speaks about the transcendence of is speaks about the transcendence ywhere are Its eyes, head and mouth; Its eyes, head and ywhere are ywhere and their sing ription of the viSvarUpa of the Lord, ription of the viSvarUpa of th in His all pervading form and also as th in His all pervading form 25 . Thus He stands all pervading in samashTi, as a whole and chapter, this is actually a chapter, svRmav&Ty itóit. itóit. svRmav&Ty th apANipAdo javano grahItA paSyatyacAkshu: sa SrNotyakarNa: 13 LOKAM listens to the plea of the devotees ever the devotees of listens to the plea sarvata: Srutimat vyakti, individually. (Svet.3-19), without feet or hands He mo hands (Svet.3-19), without feet or ears'. Th without without eyes, He hears is denoted the imminence Brahman. Even though subsequently, it is also implied bo The Lord is everywhere in this sloka. the of and accepts the offering everywhere is present individual entity. He of the meaning devotees at all places. This is escapes His attention, and nothing everything Upanishad ' sarvata: pANipAdam tat sarvata:sarvata: pANipAdam Sira: mukham | akshi loke sarvam Avrtya tishThatisarvata: Srutimat || Meaning: feet, ever are Its hands and Everywhere 11 in the seen S svRt> pai[pad< tTsvRtae=i]izraemuom!, svRt> ïuitm‘aeke Its ears are on all sides and ItIts ears are on all sides and stands all-pervading. Comments: be the desc Even though this seems to sadagopan.org the essential naturebywhich the Universe issupported, The Lordisthe including theindriyAscameout. The manifestworldismadeupofth Upanishadquotedth the lastslokaand the experiencer ashehasnoindriyAs, through allexperienceandhence, because of theexistence oftheinner suchasseeing The guNAsofindriyAs order tobeunderstood. beexplainedin hasto apparentcontradiction whichseemstobean This sloka Comments: unattached. Heistheexperiencer He shines inallindriyAsthoughHe Meaning: sarvabhrtcaevanirguNamguNabhoktr|| asaktam sarva indriyaguNaAbhAsamvivarjitam| As´< svRÉ&½Ev inguR[< gu[Éae´« c. sveRiNÔygu[aÉas< sveRiNÔyivvijRtm!, S LOKAM 14 . YetBrahmanisnot sarvendriyaguNAbhAsam of the guNAs but hasnoguNAs. of theguNAsbut 26 has no indriyAs. He supports all but supportsallbut hasnoindriyAs.He e threeguNAs fromwhicheverything self, theBrahman, sarvendriyavivarjitam, asmadeoutin , hearingetc.areexperienced only erein, andnirguNa,devoidofguNAs. parAprakrti . sarvabhrt which ismanifest , thehigherself, sadagopan.org at the VaikuNTha isa call away, only ra called Him! To the devotees, He is He is devotees, ra called Him! To the mprehended. It is far away for those It is far away for mprehended. rn of ignorance but very near to the the very near to but rn of ignorance r inner Self. It is without, because is without, because inner Self. It r cause of. It is, being beyond sense cause of. It is, being beyond 27 stham ca ca tat || antike 15 LOKAM Meaning: none that unmoving and yet moving; so subtle It is within and without all beings; very near. can comprehend, far away yet Comments: as thei Brahman is within all beings and close. ever near bahi: anta: ca bhUtAnAm acaram caram eva ca | bhUtAnAm acaram caram eva bahi: anta: ca yet tat avij~neyam dUra sUkshmatvAt everywhere is It because unmoving is It Brahman. in exists everything only be moving as everything moves be co therefore and cannot apprehension ego bo is covered with whose intellect enlightened. Gajend as a devotee th This reminds the remark of soon as came Lord the because S crmev c, bihrNtí ÉUtanamcr< c tt!. caiNtke ËrSw< sUúmTvaÄdiv}ey< sadagopan.org third andfourthtopics arediscussedintheaboveslokAs 7to16. The means ofattainmentreality andth is theeffect. supported andintowhich they mergeba Know thatMeaning: to be Brahman from yatprayantya (yasmin)abhisamviSanti|tadvijij~nAsasvatadbrahma whom allyato vAimAnibhUtAnijAyant beingsthe upanishadic declaration– come,The aspectofbeingthesupporter,absorb by whomsees onlytheSelf everywhere, knowinglyor theyworld are seems to be realbeing one whole. Buttotheunenlightened andignorant,thediversityof and hence the SelfWhen seenasthetranscen is not seen as one. As one actuallyComments: beings, absorbingthemandgenerating. to yetappears This Selfisundivided Meaning: bhUtabhartr catatj~neyamgrasishNuprabhavishNu|| avibhaktam cabhUteshuvi ÉUtÉt&R ctJ}ey< ¢is:[u àÉiv:[uc. AivÉ´< cÉUte;u ivÉ´imvciSwtm!, S LOKAM 16 bhaktam sthitam| ivaca dent andimminent reality,theSelf isundivided e |yenajAtAnijIvanti 28 be divided among beings; supports all dividedamongbeings;supportsall be ck. Brahmanisthecauseandworld e realnatureofthe Self, that is the er andgeneratoristhereflectionof unknowingly, itissaidtobedivided. --(taitt-III-1-1) --(taitt-III-1-1) sadagopan.org ining it is to al of knowledge. tameva bhAntam . nce of light is darkness. in the darkness nothing is in the darkness nothing is , says the Upanishad (kaTha. tamasa: param is the knowledge. He is the means means the is He knowledge. the is d the means of atta knowledge and the go and upeya. He is j~nAnasvarUpa from e and the goal of knowledge and seated ines and they shine through His lustre.ines and they shine through nce Brahman is eternal there can be no no be can there nce Brahman is eternal d because the true knowledge is the because d 29 h is mentioned as being beyond darkness, beyond darkness, mentioned as being h is di sarvasya vishThitam || di sarvasya vishThitam , beyond darkness. The abse ings become known because ings become known is what is meant by tamasa: param 17 LOKAM Brahman is the knowledge, the object of Brahman is the knowledge, In other words, The Lord is the upAya whom all knowledge emanates and hence He through attained of knowledge and as well as the en is which that or knowledge of Brahman, brahmaj~nAna, an upeya, knowledge, of upAya, the means, himself is He through devotion. Hence Him contemplate on goal The Him. knowing, knowledge is also Himself. known. Brahman is the light that illuminates all other lights. known. Brahman is the light idam vibhAti tasya sarvam bhAsA anubhAti sarvam He sh 2.2.15), meaning, all shine because He is Hence Si Sun. the There can be no darkness in absence of its light. This in the hearts of all. Comments: A light is that by which th is the knowledge, the object of knowledg of is the knowledge, the object jyotishAm api tat jyoti:jyotishAm api tamasa: ucyate | param j~nAnagamyam hr j~nAnam j~neyam Meaning: whic and of all lights That is the light S tJJyaeitStms> prmuCyte, Jyaeit;amip ùid svRSy iviótm!. }an< }ey< }angMy< sadagopan.org heart ofall",hesays, the innerselfofalland hrdi sarvasyavishThitam sarvasya caahamhrdisannivishTa: - TheLordisseatedinthe hence the knowledge arises fromHim."Iaminthe 30 heart ofall.TheLordis (B.G,Ch.15.15), sadagopan.org n-self and the way disciplines outlined earlier in the disciplines outlined earlier object of knowledge all have been been all have knowledge object of t out in the beginning of the chapter, t out in the beginning of the the Self with the no the object of knowledge are explained of knowledge are the object 31 the one who contemplates on the Supreme Self. the Supreme Self. on contemplates the one who dge and attains the Lord. dge and 18 LOKAM iti kshetram tathA j~nAnam j~neyam ca uktam samAsata: | j~nAnam j~neyam ca uktam iti kshetram tathA vij~nAya madbhAvAyamadbhakta: etat upapadyate || Meaning: knowledge, Thus the field, likewise the attain Me. this, briefly. My devotees knowing Comments: here means The devotee by spiritualThrough contemplation and chapter he gets the knowle and the Thus the kshetra, knowledge are explained. the two of discriminating between S smast>, cae´< }ey< #it ]eÇ< twa }an< mÑavayaepp*te. mÑ´ @tiÖ}ay elucidated. Next the last two topics se elucidated. Next the last two of the association namely, the cause of sadagopan.org beginningless. Themodifications andth Know bothPrakrti,theprimordialnatureandpurusha,indi Meaning: vikArAn caguNAnevaviddhiprakrtisambhavAn|| caevaviddhianAdiubhauapi| prakrtim purusham ivkara<í gu[a<íEv iviÏ àk«its<Évan!. àk«it< pué;< cEv ivÏ(nadI %Éavip, S LOKAM 19 32 e guNAs are bornoutofprakrti. e guNAsare vidual self to be sadagopan.org h are its effects. Purusha is the cause h are its effects. Purusha is 33 e´«Tve hetuéCyte. e´«Tve hetuéCyte. 20 LOKAM kArya kAraNa kartrtve hetu: prakrti: ucyate | kartrtve hetu: prakrti: ucyate kArya kAraNa ucyate || duhkhAnAm bhoktrtve hetu: purusha: sukha Meaning: whic Prakrti is the cause of its evolutes duhkha. of sukha and of the experiencing S hetu> àk«itéCyte, kayRkar[kt&RTve Éa pué;> suoÊ>oana< sadagopan.org mely, ISvara, jIva and jagat, ISvara jagat,ISvara visishTAdvaita there arethreereals,namely,ISvara,jIvaand the the individualself and prakrti which effectofavidya, unreal, beingthe Brahmanalone isrealandtheworld,in According toadvaita, visishTAdvaita. and advaita only withoutasecond'.Letus seehowth goes contrarytotheupanishadicstatement ' soulandtheprakrti are jiva, individual represents allthatis anAtman,non-se The term himself with prakrti. experience theactionofpurushawhoassociates ofpleasureandpainisdueto the senseorgansareeffect of pr as purushaischangelessandwithoutguNAs. Themodifications ofthebody,and beginningless andallthemodifications nature areboth theprimordial The self,purushaofsAnkhya,andprakrti, Comments: cause ofhis beingborn inthegood andevilwombs. Purusha inassociationprakrtiexperien Meaning: asya guNasanga: kAraNam hibhunkteprakrtijAnguNAn| purusha: prakrtistha: kar[< gu[s¼ae=Sy sds*aeinjNmsu. pué;> àk«itSwaeihÉu“eàk«itjaNgu[an!, S LOKAM purusha 21 referstothe individualself sat asat yoni janmasu || asatyonijanmasu|| sat 34 lf. Thequestion mayariseastohowthe world arebeginningless. According to both saidtobewi akrti anditsthreeguNAs,whilethe is anAdi,beginningless. Hencepurusha, ces theguNAsofprakrti.Thisis is explainedfromtheviewpointof attributes arethoseofprakrtionly, sat alonewasinthebeginning, one , jIva,whilethetermprakrti thout beginningwhich cluding thejIvais sadagopan.org and the world, jagat. This is not world, jagat. and the vidual self, who is of the nature of vidual self, who when it is associated with the body. body. the with associated is it when , influenced by the guNAs, the jIva , influenced by the guNAs, man or nArAyaNa is the cause of the cause nArAyaNa is man or ing the inner Self. When the cause is When Self. inner ing the ed with the body which is the effect ed with the body which is the three guNAs. This attachment to thethree guNAs. This attachment s and as a result, experiences the joy, s and as the joy, a result, experiences tions induced by the guNAs, sinful or tions induced by the guNAs, 35 ing cannot give rise to something which is rise to something which is ing cannot give ve guNAs which propel the actions. actions. ve guNAs which propel the the individual self the individual the inner self of all, jIva, of all, self the inner contrary to the upanishad because Brah because to the upanishad contrary and immanent, be everything, all-pervading and modifications of the cause and the jIva are all world the unreal. Hence of ISvara the inner self. form the SarIra to explain how the indi KrshNa now proceeds the joy and sorrow pure bliss experiences identifi embodied, becomes The self when three guNA of prakrti constituted of the of the sorrow etc which are the effects the cause of the birth of the individualguNAs and its effects is soul in the body different bodies. Acting through the ac of results the has to experience meritoriousthe respecti depending on real the effect is also real as a real th real the effect sadagopan.org take placewithoutthe selfandtheLord as Self withinremainsas sakshimAtra, and intellectpromptedbythe upadrashTA The conceptoftheSelfas asParamAtma called hence and inrealitytheselfisnothingbut subservient totheselfwho isthemaster, it iscalled selfiscalledbhoktA,experiencer. Asthebodyis possible andsothe the self seemstoexperience joyandso the Self.Itis the Self,it iscalled body. Butsincenoaction orexperience experiences ofjoyandsorrowresultingfr The Selfis Comments: and theSupreme Self ( ( The Self, is thus,whileinthebody, iscalledspectator( Meaning: apiukta:deheasminpurusha:para:|| paramAtmAca cabhartAbhoktAmaheSvara:| upadrashTA anumantA prmaTmeit caPyu´aedehe=iSmNpué;> pr>. %pÔòanumNta cÉtaRÉae´amheñr>, S anumantA LOKAM ), supporter( 22 upadrashTA means onlooker.Whenone identifi bhartA anumanta, theapprover.Sincebody issupportedby paramAtmA , thewitnessbecauseitisactuallynotaffectedby bhartA , supporter. Duetotheidentificationwithbody , supporter. . upadrashTA ego whichistheresult of ), experiencer ( ). the SupremeSelf, theinner controllerand 36 etc.,canbeexplainedasfollows. the witness self, because no action can witnessself, becausenoactioncan the ispossiblewithoutthe accordanceof whoisthe innerselfbeingaware of. rrow andwithoutitno experienceis om thewrongidentificationwith bhoktA), theLord( es himselfwith thebody, mind maheSvara upadrAshTA avidya , ignorance, the , ignorance, , theover-lord ) maheSvara ), approver ), approver sadagopan.org , enjoyer. bhoktA , approver. e activities take a turn a e activities take eker who practices the path of the path of who practices eker (ch.9.22) in a spirit of surrender, the Lord Lord the surrender, of spirit a in 37 its. When the awareness of the supreme self awareness of the supreme its. When the dawns in the mind, then th dawns in the d the Lord becomes the anumantA d the Lord becomes means the one who supports. The se means the one as the inner self of all as the inner an towards enlightenment bhartA the activities to the Lord yoga, offering teshAm and becomes the supporter. after his spiritual progress Himself looks nityAbhiyuktAnAm yogakshemam vahAmyaham functions as the stage of total surrender and the seeker reaches When the the Lord Himself becomes the instrument of the Lord, then But as long as the ego is engaged in activities in the world outside, thein the world in activities is engaged long as the ego But as Lord simply stands as witness, arethe activities or bad. good whether who perm anumanta means the one sadagopan.org elaborated furtherin thenext fewslokAs. What ismeant bytheknowledge ofthe there isno morelapsebackin tosamsAra. ofthePurushawithPrakrti,then samsAra, namelythewrongidentification When thej~nAnaofreal natureof Comments: non-self, whatever hedoesinthislife,isnotbornagain. The onewhoknowstheindividualself, Meaning: vartamAnoapinasabhUyoabhijAyate|| sarvathA ya evamvettipurushamprakrtimcaguNai:saha| svRwa vtRmanae=ip nsÉUyae=iÉjayte. y @v< veiÄ pué;< àk«it< cgu[E> sh, S LOKAM 23 38 purusha andtheprakrti,matteror the Selfandcauseofills prakrti andPurushainitsentiretyis sadagopan.org e perception of the ists in the study of the d here is the j~nAna yoga d here is self discipline attain the Supreme self discipline attain the Supreme ntions the different means to attain ntions the different means and aspire for the attainment of the the Lord in His mind which is cleansed en the only thing that remains is the remains is thing that only en the outlined in the chapter 6 in detail. To outlined in the chapter 6 in rough meditation, by the self. Others rough meditation, by the self. re elaborating on th ating on the Lord through the intellect 39 - He sees the Atma, the Self in his self in - He sees the Atma, the Self still others follow karma yoga. still others follow karma yoga. na yoga. j~nAna yoga cons kecit AtmAnam AtmanA | - The sAnkhya yoga mentione - The , perception of reality. of reality. , perception 24 LOKAM dhyAnena Atmani paSyanti dhyAnena Atmani yogena karmayogenaanye sAnkhyena apare || ca Meaning: th self, in the the Self Some perceive and follow the path of sAnkhya Comments: befo KrshNa sloka, next the and this In briefly me reality through the knowledge, S keicdaTmanmaTmna, pZyiNt XyanenaTmin capre. kmRyaegen ANye sa LOKAM inactivity. People with mind full of rAga dvesha could not follow any discipline to of rAga dvesha could not follow any discipline to mind full inactivity. People with people full control their mind. Similarly they are too indolent to get out of the if they do that they are ignorant or even ha they if people ignorance. Even these the glo real nature of the Self or about give be true, they follow the advice faithfully. A typical example could be found in the before he became a sage. nArada advised him who was a hunter case of vAlmIki to chant Rama nAmA to free himself of Comments: referred To follow the paths tamas minimal. Ra and with rajas only nArada pointed out to a tree and asked hi anye tu evam ajAnanta: SrutvAanye tu evam ajAnanta: upAsate | anyebhya: evate api ca atitaranti mrtyum || SrutiparAyaNA: Meaning: mentioned ab Others, not knowing thus, (as too attain immortality, faithfully was marA, told him to chant the name of the tree tree. Then nArada incessantly. The hunter had absolute fait even So time. of course in mara, mara and it sounded rAma, rAma with vAlmIki became he and him around forming was that S ANye TvevmjanNt> ïuTvaNye_y %paste, ïuitpray[a>. m&Tyu< caittrNTyev te=ip sadagopan.org meditate one could attain immortality through faithalone. through couldattainimmortality meditate one without knowledgeandnecessary qualifi 42 cations to learn the SAstras and to cations tolearntheSAstrasand sadagopan.org olute of prakrti which is also called olute of prakrti which is also called h results in the identification of the know them to be born only by the know them to be born only t remain without its inner self the self t remain without its inner action nor the enjoyer, ever free, not s of the three guNAs, starts evolving s of the three guNAs, starts evolving d death due to his identification with d death due to his identification the whole creation down to the gross the whole is by the conjunction of purusha and and of purusha is by the conjunction ve due to the nearness purusha and the purusha ve due to the nearness 43 tat viddhi bharatarshabha || tat viddhi bharatarshabha am sthAvara jangamam | 26 LOKAM yAvat sanjAyate kincit sattv yAvat sanjAyate samyogAtkshetra kshetraj~na of birth an purusha gets into the cycle born is that prakrti. Hence everything prakrti. things all by or to understand this. Purusha is the spirit explanation necessary There is some meant is the individual self who is not the agent of what is of Purusha nearness bound by karma. The creation of prakrti is due to the This which means that through , the first ev results. mahat tattva, the self is reflected, whic self with the buddhi due to ignorance and the creation starts. Buddhi which is elements, the evolute of prakrti, which constitute five of into the three kinds of ahankAra and made bodies movable and immovable are born only by the association of prakrti and Purusha. S yavTsÃayte Swavrj¼mm!, ikiÂTsÅv< Ért;RÉ. ]eÇ]eÇ}s 27 itóNt< prmeñrm!, Purusha thatHeissepara 44 perishes when thebodies perish.This e Supremeruler,theinnerselfofall, andthesameinallbeings.Thisis te fromtheprakrtiwhich e perishableand sadagopan.org ve and it itself is the enemy, ve and it itself is the enemy, which are all the products of prakrti.which are all the products of Atmaiva Atmaiva hi Atmano bandhu: e Self everywhere, one attains the everywhere, one attains e Self his body, mind and intellect he harms he body, mind and intellect his results in immortality and he does not in immortality and he results 45 . The self alone is the close relati is alone . The self 28 LOKAM samam hi sarvatra samavasthitam paSyan ISvaram | gatim || AtmAnam tata: yAti parAm na hinasti AtmanA Meaning/Comments: Suprem Lord, Who is the Seeing the ripurAtmana: inner self benefits the seeker and with the meaning that the identification doing so withworld through the outer progress spiritually. himself because it impedes his S smviSwtmIñrm!, sm< pZyiNh svRÇ gitm!. yait pra< ttae n ihnSTyaTmnaTman< supreme goal of Self realization which supreme goal of Self realization himself, meaning, he does not identify himself any more harm himself by andanymore with his body, mind intellect 6, sloka 5, The Lord said in chapter sadagopan.org guNAs inside arereacting guNAs inside one whoknowsthereality, guNA: guNeshuvartantaitimatvAnasajjate || tattvavit tumahAbAhoguNakarmavibhAgayo:| gu[a gu[e;uvtRNt tÅvivÄu mhabahaegu[kmRivÉagyae>, chapter 3,sloka28– done byprakrtiandtheSelfisnot When one identifieshimselfwith are hisSelf,heunderstandsthatallactions Comments: agent ofaction,healonehastherealperception. One whosees thatallactionsaredoneby Meaning: sapaSyati|| akartAram tathAAtmAnam ya: paSyati prakrtyA evacakarmANikriyamANAnisarvaSa:| y> pZyittwaTmanmktaRr 29 #it mTvans¾te. with theguNAsoutside. is notaffectedbytheactionsthinking that the 46 doer. This is what the Lord said in prakrtionlyandthatheis notthe sadagopan.org existing individually also. a is concluded with a definition and from the ocean. They arise from the arise from the ocean. They everything. Similarly all beings are in everything. Similarly all beings entities, sentient and insentient exist exist and insentient entities, sentient Brahman has expanded as the universe Brahman has expanded as the in one, Brahman, and Brahman spread in en we see the ocean we see the waves we see the the ocean en we see the diversities arise from Brahmanthe diversities arise from on on between the Self and the Prakrti was 47 time the waves are seen as time the waves are seen as 30 LOKAM yadA bhUtaprthak bhAvam ekastham anupaSyati | tata eva cavistAram brahma sampadyate tadA || Meaning: of beings sees all diversities When one all, he attains Brahman. Comments: space is in All things are in space and S yda ÉUtp&wGÉavmekSwmnupZyit, tt @v c ivStar< äü s 31 48 no guNAsandWhoisimmutable,does sadagopan.org in the body, is not affected by the in the body, is not affected e things that are in it because of its of its that are in it because e things 49 akaz< naepilPyte, akaz< naepilPyte, 32 LOKAM svRÇaviSwtae dehe twaTma naepilPyte. twaTma naepilPyte. svRÇaviSwtae dehe yathA sarvagatam na upalipyate saukshmyAt AkASam | dehe tathA AtmA na upalipyatesarvatra avasthita: || Meaning: by th Just as the sky is not contaminated dwelling subtlety, so too the Self, though actions of the body. S ywa svRgt< saEúMyad sadagopan.org This isaccordingto thevisishTAdvai The whole universeofthe sentient andth kshetraj~nam caapimAmviddhisarvakshetreshu The LordwhoistheSelfofallth 2. 1. are causedbytheguNAs. though dwellinginthebodyis notaffe affected bytheaction. KrshNagivestw beginningless - The supremeself,thoughdwelling Comments: kshetraj~naillumines thewhol Just astheone Sun illumines thewhole world, theSelf, thekshetrI or Meaning: krtsnamprakASayatibhArata|| tathA ksetram kshetrI yathA prakAsayatieka:krtsnamlokamimamravi:| ]eÇ< ]eÇItwak«Tõ<àkazyitÉart. ywa àkazyTyek>k«Tõ 33 . SinceitanAdi iswithoutguNAs,nirguNa,itneitheractsnor e kshetra,thenon-self. inthe body,isimmutable, 50 e SarIriorkshethraj~na,asHesays, cted bytheactionsofbodywhich ta doctrine. According to advaita of ta doctrine. Accordingto advaitaof the Self isnotaffectedbythebody o examplestoillustratehowtheself s thewholefield,thatis,body. e insentient is His sarIra or kshetra. e insentientisHissarIra orkshetra. notaffectedbythethingsthatare , insloka2ofthischapter. -TheSunilluminatesthe - Thespace is avyaya , and sadagopan.org d with His light by second and Who is by the modifications and by the modifications Ramanuja answers in His in His Ramanuja answers s light, the Lord is not affected bys light, the Lord is not affected e things in it. So too the Lord Who is Who is e things in it. So too the Lord all beings. But just as the Sun is not not is just as the Sun beings. But all erything. But it is not by contaminated One only without a by its body which is the universe. The is the universe. by its body which t affected by the body and its actions the body t affected by one place and is one only, illuminates the is one only, illuminates place and one rvades the whole worl rvades the whole 51 ra should adhere to Him. to ra should adhere en He should be affected en He should the source of light of even the Sun, pe Sun, the even of light of source the by possible which alone all actions are affected by the actions that happen in hi that happen affected by the actions the actions of all beings. whole universe. So too, the Lord Who is So too, the Lord whole universe. Self which is identical to Brahman is identical hence the Self which sion and an illu the world is course, by it. is not affected is opponents that if the universe the concept is criticized by VisishTAdvaita the Lord, th the SarIra of above illustrate this. examples given out of ev The space is in everything and and the by the impurities is not affected inside and outside all beings modifications of the beings. in only seen is he though even Sun The SribhAshya that just as the self is no is self the as just of the SarI the impurities that SribhAshya also not affected Self is the Supreme the impurities or the of th modifications sadagopan.org attributes likeamAnitvam and attainingtheSupreme andthemeans non-self, kshetra andtheknower, kshe Thus endowedwiththeknowledgeofth Comments: due toprakrtianditscreationsattainmokshathesupreme goal. the eyesof j~nAna,theywhohasthe Thus knowing thedifference between th Meaning: cayevidu:yAntiteparam|| bhUta prakrtimoksham kshetra kshetraj~nayo:evamantaramj~nAnacakshushA| ÉUtàk«itmae]< cyeivÊyaRiNtteprm!. ]eÇ]eÇ}yaerevmNtr< }anc]u;a, S LOKAM Thus endsthethirteenthchap 34 kshetra kshetraj~navibhAgayoga: , etc., mentionedattheoutset. adambitvam etc., 52 knowledge arefreedfrom thebondage e Self,andthedifference between the traj~na, one becomes free of bondage traj~na, onebecomesfreeofbondage ter ofSrIBhagavadgItAon e kshetra and the kshetraj~na through e kshetraandthekshetraj~nathrough of attainmentiscultivationthe 53 sadagopan.org : , one who studies and S YOGA - A GA N the rshis in the forest who have the rshis in the forest who have A ich is the highest of all knowledge, ich is the highest of all knowledge, 14 soul who is free by nature is shown shown is nature by free is who soul GU s of students by constant repetition e reality and attain the final stage of in one utterance. Even the mundane the mundane in one utterance. Even been telling so far because the highest highest so far because the been telling ledge through which everything else is everything through which ledge mananAt muni: VIBH 55 HREE HAPTER T C TRAYA means HE contained in the VedAs. contained in the VedAs. A T muni N GU 1 translated as sages, does not mean eka vij~nAnena sarva vij~nAnam. eka LOKAM ion but it means those who are wise wise already attained the state of realization but it means those who are enough to understand and contemplate th realization. The word contemplates on the truths of the The cause of the bondage individual param bhUya: pravakshyAmi j~nAnAnAm j~nAnam uttamam | j~nAnAnAm j~nAnam uttamam param bhUya: pravakshyAmi siddhim ita: gatA: || yat j~nAtvA munaya: sarve parAm Meaning: knowledge wh I will again tell you about the pr< ÉUy> àvúyaim }anana< }anmuÄmm!, pr< ÉUy> àvúyaim gta>. isiÏimtae yJ}aTva muny> sveR pra< S perfection. have attained knowing which, all sages Comments: KrshNa simply what He has reiterates easily knowledge could not be imparted knowledge has to be dinned into the mind and it is more in respect of the know known, munaya:, sadagopan.org thereafter neverreverts backtobondage. highest knowledge, resortingtowhichoneattainsastatusofBrahmanand the wisebecomefree frombo the discoursebysayingthatknowing three guNAs andtheireffect on theindivi to beitsidentificationwiththethreeguNAs.Inthischapterinterplayof ndage. Hence hecallsit about thethreeguNA 56 dual soul is explained. KrshNa starts dual soulisexplained.KrshNastarts s andtheireffects j~nAnam uttamam , sadagopan.org means ---muND.3.1.2 sAdharmyam mama d contemplation, they attain the stage d contemplation, they attain with the Supreme Self is complete complete is with the Supreme Self of annihilation. annihilation. affected at the time of they are not born are not born they and Being ttained My 57 e oft quoted one in MuNDaka upanishad,e oft ', describing two birds in close friendship ', describing two birds in close friendship 2 , that is the union with the Lord. , that is the union with the Lord. LOKAM dvA suparNA sayujA sakhAyA samAne vrkshe purusho nimagna: anISayA Socati muhyamAna:| jushTam yadA paSyati anyam ISam asyavItaSoka: || sAyujyam The Upanishad describing the jIvatamA and paramAtmA says: zaecit muýman>, inm¶ae=nIzya smane v&]eR pué;ae mihmanimit vItzaek>. juò< yda pZyTNymIzmSy This is the subsequent passage to th ' idam j~nAnam upASritya mama sAdharmyamidam j~nAnam AgatA: | ca || pralaye na vyathanti sarge api na upajAyante Meaning: have a Acquiring this knowledge, they again when creation starts and also not Comments: study an by acquire knowledge When they of themselves where the identification inner self. as their the Lord perceive because they S mm saxMyRmagta>, #d< }anmupaiïTy àlye n VywiNt c. naepjayNte sgeR=ip sadagopan.org The nextpassage isasfollows: what ismeantby realizing that heisnotseparatefrom deluded byignorance.Butwhenhes same treewiththeSupremeSelf,meanin The meaningoftheabovepa perched onthesametree,mean praLaya, whichheremeans death. at thebeginning ofsarga, creation.Cons withtheLordarenotbornagain acquire theknowledgeandhaveattained union relieffromsamsArafor sinne temporary intact. Thus,thepr vAsanAs karma and creation startsagainthey emerge as At thetimeofdissolution,allbein of birthanddeathagain. This isthesupremeknowledge acquiring which onedoes notreverttothecycle which causefuturebirths andattainsunitywiththeLord. creator Brahmathenthewiseonebeco When theonewho hasseen theLord puNyapApevidhUyaniranjana:paramamsAmyamupaiti|| tadA vidvAn ISampurusham brahmayonim| kartAram paSyaterukmavarNam yadA paSya: saMymupEit. prm< inrÃn> ivxUy pu{ypape ivÖan! tda yda pZy> pZyteéKmv[¡ ktaRrmIz< pué;< äüyaeinm!, mama sAdharmyam AgatA: mama sAdharmyam al soul, purusha, on the ssage isthis.Theindividualsoul,purusha,on ing jIvAtmAandParamAtmA. gs mergeintheSupremeandwhen 58 Him, becomesfreefrom delusion.Thisis ees the other bird, the Supreme Self, Self, Supreme otherbird,the ees the they werebeforecreation,withtheir me freefromhismeritsanddemerits equently, theyarenot affected bythe effulgent asgold,thecauseof rs and saints alike. Butthosewho rs andsaintsalike. . aLaya ordissolutionservesasa g the body, is immersed in grief, in g thebody,isimmersed ---MuND.3.1.3 ---MuND.3.1.3 sadagopan.org of beings so born, is brought about so born, of beings the kshetraj~na, purusha. KrshNa now KrshNa purusha. the kshetraj~na, 59 declares that the birth of the aggregatesdeclares that Himself. by the Lord that whatever is born through the the through is born said that whatever it is previous chapter In the and prakrti of the kshetra, combination sadagopan.org placing theseedofcreation intheprak inanimate prakrtiisnotthecreatorbu chapter. ThemUlaprakrti evolute beingthemahat orbuddhi, which mUlaprakrti knownasavyakta mUlaprakrti The whole universeofsentient andin Comments: seed ofall beingsfrom whichthe whole creation arises,OhArjuna. The mUlaprakrti, Meaming: bhavatibhArata|| tata: sambhava: sarvabhUtAnAm | garbhamdadhAmyaham mahatbrahmatasmin mama yoni: s<Év> svRÉUtana 3 mahat brahma is referredtohereas , theunmanifestandas , istheoriginofallcreationsandIplace 60 rti, fromwhichallbeings originate. t itistheSupreme Purushawhois sentient beingsoriginatefromthe has beenelaborated mahat brahma mahat pradhAna in the previous intheprevious , the first , the . Butthe sadagopan.org that results in different kinds of that of sAnkhya school according to that of sAnkhya school according all by placing the seed in the womb the seed in the all by placing identical with the Brahman of the ilosophy advocated by Patanjali, there ilosophy advocated by Patanjali, ens in all sources originate only fromens in all sources originate mUla prakrti is the unmanifest state ginning, one only without a second and ginning, ly. The word Prakrti in ly. The word VedAnta stands guNAs combining with each other due to due to each other combining with guNAs 61 4 LOKAM existing in Brahman. sarvayonishu kaunteya mUrtaya: sambhavanti yA: | mUrtaya: sambhavanti sarvayonishu kaunteya tAsAm mahat brahma pita || yoni: aham bIjaprada: Meaning: happ that of all beings The embodiment called mUlaprakrti. Comments: into as a result evolves of creation. The prakrti the Lord is the Father Hence embodiment the gross universe and the tiryang, sthAvara yonis, is from the Lord only. wombs such as deva, manushya, different from This concept of VedAnta is the by which the prakrti creates itself is not is a Supreme Purusha but He Upanishads who existed alone in the be evolving out of Him on even the prakrti for the aggregates that constitute the universe starting from the three guNAs the down to the gross universe while S ya>, s<ÉviNt mUtRy> kaENtey svRyaein;u ipta. bIjàd> tasa< äü mh*aeinrh< the mUlaprakrti and I am the Father of the mUlaprakrti and I am the yoga ph the proximity of purusha. In sadagopan.org by theinteractionofthreeguNAs. ever free andimperishableisdelude in to the grossuniversedowntoindividual the subsequent slokAs,areresponsiblefor thefurther evolutionofprakrtiinto in areelaborated which andtamas rajas guNAs,sattva, three the Therefore Comments: the individualsoul,whoisimpe The three guNAs, sattva,rajasand tamas Meaning: nibadhnanti mahAbAhodehedehinamavyayam|| sattvam raja:tama:itiguNA:prakrtisambhavA:| inb×iNt mhabahaedehe deihnmVyym!. sÅv< rjStm#itgu[a>àk«its<Éva>, S LOKAM 5 rishable, tothebody,Arjuna. 62 bodies ofbeingsandthesoul,purusha, believingthatheis which originatefromtheprakrtibind boundtothebody sadagopan.org born out of rajas born out of becomes guNAtIta, . Nevertheless, sattva also binds of pristine purity shines in its full s purity, it shines in all its glory and s purity, it shines in all its glory is chapter. sattva is pure being nt due to its purity. It binds through nt due to its purity. It binds able to attachment denotes knowledge and happiness that denotes knowledge and happiness happiness and knowledge. It makes one happiness and knowledge. It t with rAga and dvesha and tamas by 63 anAmaya transcended and one the other two guNAs which conceal the through a crystal. But still it is a reflection only and sence of illness, 6 LOKAM covering the intellect by ignorance and delusion. covering the intellect tatra sattvam nirmalatvAt prakAsakam anAmayAm | sukhasangenaca anagha || badhnAti j~nAnasangena Meaning: impedime Oh Arjuna, sattva shines without to knowledge. attachment to joy and attachment Comments: marring it sattva is pure and hence nothing Light produces, light and happiness. results due to the ab to the soul by creating an attachment secular and spiritual and causes rebirth to desirous of acquiring knowledge, this is prefer satisfy the desire, though and tamas. is The supreme spirit which is ever free and are the three gunas glory only when which is the message contained in th self shines of the inner divinity and hence the uncontaminated by rAgadveshAdi through it as a light shines not the reality. One cannot light a candle in the lamp that is reflected through a crystal. But still it is better than truth, rajas by covering the intellec S tÇ sÅv< inmRlTvaTàkazkmnamym!, }ans¼en can". suos¼en b×ait sadagopan.org desire forsensualenjoyment and rajas isofthenature oftrshNA,is , attachment. passionand sanga Comments: the embodied soulthroughaction. born rajas isofthenaturepassion, Meaning: tat nibadhnAtikaunteyakarmasangenadehinam|| | trshNAsangasamudbhavam viddhi rajo rAgAtmakam tiÚb×ait kaENteykmRs¼endeihnm!. rjae ragaTmk 7 dushpUreNa anala IshaNatrayam , thedesire(kAma)hasbeen s to disaster hasbeenexplainedindetailbythe s todisaster h here refers to thirsting for the objects of inchapter2.Whenthethirstforpleasure, sanga , longingforwealth 64 , whichonly burnsmore by being fed. All opels the individual into activity tillthe opels theindividualinto out of desire andattachment.Itbinds out ofdesire ty in acquiring more and in protecting ons bornoutofrajasaretowards istheattachmenttowardsthem, referredtoinchapter3 , wifeand sonand sadagopan.org and it leads to , by negligence, indolence indolence , by negligence, pramAda with tamas does not want to act and lting in delusion. Sometimes tamas is ss. We often find people saying that is false knowledge, which deludes all is false knowledge, which deludes ereas tamas covers the intellect with enough. This is not contentment that s. tamas lethargy and causes negligence, is described while tamas the scriptures 65 erroneous action because of ignorance. erroneous action because of , resulting finally in inactivity inducing, resulting finally in inactivity sleep. People overcome 8 Alasya LOKAM there is no use for working or aspiring for anything because fate determines for anything because use for working or aspiring there is no This is not philosophy but delusion. They do not want to try, that iseverything. all the time. Even when tamas induces and sleep all the time. Even when tamas with tamas are seen to eat towards activity it is always directed results from sattva but it is sheer lazine tama: tu aj~nAnajam viddhi mohanam sarvadehinAm | bhArata || nidrAbhi: tat nibadhnAti pramAda Alasya Meaning: all beings tamas is born out of ignorance which deludes and sleep. Comments: that delusion, tamas is ignorance causing is erroneou beings into believing in what negligence, to be done is sleep. Not to do what has lethargy, colour in rajas is described to be of red as black. rAga, the word for attachment has also another meaning, colour. rajas thus covers the thoughts and actions wh darkness. for ignorance resu tamas is another word endowed mistaken for sattva because one deludes himself that what he has is S svRdeihnam!, maehn< iviÏ tmSTv}anj< Éart. àmadalSyinÔaiÉStiÚb×ait sadagopan.org explained in thesubsequent sloka. thecycleofbirthanddeath go through It is easily understood how rajas andto animallifeevolve himself tamas bind us to the worldother butforthetAmsik one,itmayta by making us punished orexperiences thefutility oftheworldlydesires indi the motivationofrajas.ArAjasik duty andleadsananimalli all. It is like devil quoting the scriptures. As a result of tamas, one neglects his ke existence.Eventobeco even tothelevelofarAjasik. 66 vidual may become sAtvik when he is ke many janmAs, often revertingback manyjanmAs,often ke but how can sattva bind us? Thisis but howcansattvabindus? me wicked andanevildoer, at some time or time at some sadagopan.org of the self though e Lord has said: s work. His joy is equal to that of a s work. His joy is equal to that absolute reality through it, which is gets the satisfaction from work itself.gets the satisfaction from work to the Lord. But he is not very far from gets the joy through his work and it isgets the joy through his work 67 this makes him wedded to his work and shrouding knowledge through ignorance. shrouding knowledge through evolvement. As th knowledge, secular and spiritual. This can be spiritual. knowledge, secular and - sattva is also binding because it attaches one to the the to one attaches it because binding also is sattva - 9 LOKAM sattvam sukhe bhArata | sanjayati raja: karmaNi uta || tu tama: pramAde sanjayati j~nAnam Avrtya Meaning: to happiness, rajas toArjuna! sattva causes attachment action and tamas by negligence causes attachment to Comments: sattvam sukhe sanjayati of happiness that comes out explained as follows. A scientist or a musician or an artist sattva his work and if he is dedicated to his from himself detaches he when time of course in it attain will and goal the work and does it as karma yoga. to the learning also get attached knowledge may Similarly a man of spiritual itself and fail to apply it for self S rj> kmRi[ Éart, sÅv< suoe sÃyit àmade sÃyTyut. }anmav&Ty tu tm> If he is under the sway of rajas he will not get pure joy because he will be be will he because joy pure get not will he rajas of sway the under is he If through hi hankering after fame and money prevents him from going beyond to the his work through offering achieved only seeker of spiritual knowledge as he experiences the pure joy he is not aware of it as such. But sadagopan.org has been explained in the previousslok beenexplainedinthe has The statementsthatrajascausesattach everything asHiswill. ac them asaservicetotheLordand like learning SAstrAsordoingrituals.Th aspirantshouldcastoffth A spiritual Hence attachmentto knowledgeis knowledge hehasgainedandthemountain learnt sofarbutIndrashowinghimasma pointed outamountainandthesageaskedIndraifitdenoteswhathehas how muchwanted to.Indraagreed.Afterthisha more time hislife toextend askedIndra BharadvAja it will be forillustrate this. him beforewhich impliesthatmere lear he learns everything. tattvata:|| kascitmAmvetti yatatAm apisiddhAnAm Indra | kaScityatatisiddhaye sahareshu manushyANAm yttamip isÏana< kiíNma< veiÄtÅvt>. mnu:ya[a< shöe;u kií*tit isÏye, ning ofSAstrasisnotenough. Thereis astoryto also a hindrance to salvation. also ahindrancetosalvation. As werereiteratedhereforemphasis. 68 e attachment even towards good things e attachmenteventowardsgood ppened twice,BharadvAjaaskedIndra ment to actions and tamas to indolence ment toactionsandtamasindolence is means not giving them up but to do givingthemupbuttodo is meansnot ll moundsaidthatitistheamountof ting ashisinstrument,considering span sothathecanlearnall istheamount hehasyettolearn. --(Ch. 7.3), sadagopan.org and at different times each one of and at different times each edominant depending on the previous on the previous edominant depending ey manifest. This is explained in the mes) and rajas overpowers sattva and 69 , the rajas and are subdued tamas and the case with other two guNAs. with other two guNAs. the case 10 LOKAM It is advised sattva to cultivate and subdue rajas and tamas for spiritual progress. For this one must know how th next three slokAs. become unmanifest. Similarly it is become unmanifest. Similarly raja: tama: ca abhibhUya sattvam bhArata | bhavati raja:tama: ca eva tama: sattvam raja: sattvam tathA || Meaning: sattva overpowers and tamas (at ti rajas tamas while tamas overpowers sattva and rajas. Comments: in everyone guNAs are present These three becomes pr them subdues the others and of life. As they are mutuallykarma and the present way each other opposed to an individual When he influence of only one of the guNAs at a time. is under the of sattva is exhibiting the tendency S sÅv< Évit Éart, rjStmíaiÉÉUy rj> sÅv< tmíEvsÅv< tm> rjStwa. sadagopan.org rajas inhimandthereisnotraceofignorance rising outoftamas. feels anythingthe senseswill beshowing the light of that mayWhen sattvapredominatesinan individu give rise to the rAgaanddveshawhichmaydisplay Comments: known that sattvapredominates. itshouldbe When the (senses)then lightofknowledge shinesfromeverydoor Meaning: || uta sattvamiti vidyAtvivrddham j~nAnam yadAtadA upajAyate| deheasminprakASa sarvadvAreshu }an< ydatda iv*aiÖv&Ï 11 70 al all his outward manifestation through al allhisoutwardmanifestation knowledge. Thatis, he never doesor sadagopan.org , , which only karmaNAm Arambha karmaNAm in the individualshown by for activity, engaging in action, e in a nature predominant with rajas. e in a nature predominant with vity born out of desire bringing in its its in bringing desire of out born vity as krodha, lobha etc. So avarice is avarice is as krodha, lobha etc. So which without the tranquility of the which without the tranquility 71 ure of the one predominantly rajasik. predominantly rajasik. of the one ure . The longing desire, sprhA . The longing aSama: , and starting new actions, karmaNAm aSama: sprhA | karmaNAm aSama: pravrtti 12 LOKAM increases with action. This is the pict the increases with action. This is thus all the time immersed inthus all the time immersed activity sattva brings restlessness, lobha: pravrtti: Arambha: lobha: pravrtti: rajasi etAni jAyante vivrddhe bharatarshabha || Meaning: Avarice, desire Oh the bull among kurus! restlessness, and longingdesire, these aris Comments: to acti The effects of rajas is attachment desire, such wake other offshoots of mentioned as the sign of rajas. Attachment to activity engaging in activity, S kmR[amzm> Sp&ha, laeÉ> àv&iÄrarMÉ> ivv&Ïe Ért;RÉ. rjSyetain jayNte sadagopan.org the resultofactionduetodelusion, apravrtti: seen tobedull, tamas isduetoignorance andtherefor Comments: tamas beingpredominant. Oh sonofKurus!Dullness,inactivity,ne Meaning: tamasi etAnijAyantevivrddhekurunandana || capramAdomohaeva| aprakASa: apravrtti: tmSyetain jayNteivv&Ïek…énNdn. Aàkazae=àv&iÄí àmadae maeh @v c, S LOKAM , andisnotactiveatanytimebecauseheindifferent, 13 aprakASa: , beingdevoidofintelli moha 72 gligence anddelusionaretheeffects of e theperson predominantlytAmasikis . gence. Heis listless, pramAda: , to , to sadagopan.org , (ch. 6.41) after nt continues where he left in his next in his next nt continues where he left ttva in predominance, he goes to the ttva in predominance, he 73 14 prApya ushitvA sASvatI: samA: puNyakrtAm lokAn LOKAM e with merit and residing there for by those with merit and residing attained reaching the regions the at time effect of the predominance of sattva considerable time. This is the of leaving the body. janma, yadA sattvepravrddhe deha tu pralayam yAti bhrt | tadA uttamavidAm lokAn amalAn || pratipadyate Meaning: with sa When an embodied soul dies are pure. which of consciousness highest planes Comments: an aspira In chapter 6 it was said that S tu àly< yait dehÉ&t!, yda sÅve àv&Ïe tdaeÄmivda< laekanmlaNàitp*te. sadagopan.org hard andstrong yetotherswhich some thetreesandplants, Similarly, in Even inone animalthesetraits may are placidandotherswhichaggressi inanimate, arecomposedofthethreegu Here we shouldprevious life.Ifhelives hewillbe bornasananimal. likeananimal of even rememberThe tAmasikontheotherhandtakejanm animal births onesAttvik. thing. dependingexhaust hiskarmauntilhegets wisdomtoacquireanaturepredominantly leading arajasiklife,naturallygetsbi All on th beings,the next. Hence the oneinwhomrajas present janma, theguNAs sotoo whichwe animalAs theguNAswhicharepredominantinone duetothepastkarmaprevailin or plantComments: orin thewombsofignorant. the tamasbeingpredominant,heisbornattached tokarma.Leavingthebodywith When one dieswithrajasbeingpredomin Meaning: jAyate|| mUDhayonishu tamasi tathA pralina: karamsanghishujAyate| gatvA rajasi pralayam twa àlInStmismUFyaein;ujayte. rjis àly 15 74 aretenderandsoft, someothersvery are withoutanyvisible characteristics rth amongthoseattachedtoaction, NAs. Inanimals,therearesomewhich be displayedondifferentoccasions. e kindofmanifestationtamasin ve andyetotherswhichareindolent. is predominantatdeathowingtohis a embodiedinignorance, either human ant, heisbornamongthosewhoare re asserted inthis janmadetermines sadagopan.org possibility of changing the texture the texture possibility of changing things like rocks, some are soft like are soft like like rocks, some things guNAs, to and to exhaust that guNA s been expressed in the above sloka? s been expressed themselves suitable for sculpture and for sculpture suitable themselves y formulated that nothing can be done y formulated ics and purANAs to this, illustrate such surmised that one in whom there was one in whom surmised that (who was later born as jaDabharata). (who was later born as jaDabharata). ecies according to his guNAs which were ecies according 75 and go unnoticed. Even with the inanimate with the inanimate unnoticed. Even and go which render and other stones marble others which are either rough or loosel are either others which with them. connected with what ha Now how is this in any of the sp birth Anyone may take exhausted only is karma species other in because later life human to back come acquired and no and no new karma could be in our ep of it. We have a lot of stories predominant in this life. It could be this predominant in sattva at one time but rajas or tamas took in one of the other over later is born species according totexture of the the Bharataas that of ahalya, nallakUbara, sadagopan.org said earlier.sukrta: This andthetwoslokAsfollowingthis Comments: ignorance is thefruit oftamas. The resultofgoodactionsispuresa Meaning: rajasa: tuphalamduhkham nirmalamphalam| Ahu:sAttvikam karmaNa: sukrtasya tms>)lm!. Ê>om}an< )l< rjsStu kmR[> suk«tSya÷> saiÅvk< inmRl< )lm!, S tamas on the other hand produces ignorance. tamas ontheotherhandproduces a fire. So henever acquire rajasik temperamentproducesonlygrief asthedesiresonlygrowbybeingfed, For anordinaryindividualwhoisengage and themindbecomespurewithevilimpulses removed. scriptures andcultivationthevirtuesof thinking ontheLordanddoinggoodtoot Iftheactionsaretobe good thoughts. LOKAM 16 referstogoodandselfle aj~nAnam tamasa: phalam || aj~nAnam tamasa:phalam s thementalpeacewhichis 76 are asortofsummarywhathasbeen ttva, grief istheresultofrajasand ttva, grief good the thoughts have to be good. By good thethoughtshavetobegood.By hers, following the path laid out bythe hers, followingthepathlaidout ahimsa, satyam etc. results in sattva ahimsa,satyametc.resultsinsattva d indesiremotivatedactivities,the ss actions which comes out of ss actionswhichcomesoutof theresultofsattva. sadagopan.org ds for all the effects of sattva like ds for all the effects of sattva rajas and negligence and delusion and rajas and negligence and delusion anger, arrogance etc. result and from from and result anger, arrogance etc. 77 ata: eva ca || aj~nAnam like negligence, delusion, like negligence, that are described already 17 LOKAM mental peace, joy, luminance etc. etc. mental peace, joy, luminance by accompanied is that greed rajas, From tamas all the evil effects lethargy, listlessness etc., arise. sattvAt sanjAyate j~nAnam rajasa: lobha eva ca | j~nAnam rajasa: lobha sattvAt sanjAyate tamasa: bhav pramAdamohau Meaning: Wisdom arises greed from sattva, from ignorance from tamas. Comments: which stan From sattva one gets knowledge S @v c, laeÉ rjsae }an< sÅvaTsÃayte c. Évtae=}anmev tmsae àmadmaehaE sadagopan.org in thenexttwoslokAs. So whatisthewayout ofsinkingbelowand toreachtheultimate? This isgiven those whoareofdespicablenature. alongwaytogo.They arementioned as tamas have way throughwiththechoiceofeither few stepsawayfromthefinalstateofst Thosewhocultivatesattva intheirlivesspirituality. riseaboveandtheyareat andbehaviourthrough out thelife determinesattitude theprogressin with tamasarebelow.Apartfromthela Those withsattvastandhighwhilethose evolution ofman. everything intothethreeguNAs. Herewe have theguNAsan discuss spiritual content, onlybriefly. a The rest of the reference chapters of Gita second chapterbytheslokadhyAyatovishayAnpumsa: The ladderofspiritualityasopposedto to the Comments: in themiddle while the tamasikgodown. Those who areestablishedinsattva goesup Meaning: adhogacchantitAmasA:|| jaghanya guNavrttisthA sattvasthAma Urdhvam gacchanti j"Nygu[v&iÄSwa AxaegCDiNttamsa>. itóiNtrajsa>, gCDiNtsÅvSwamXye ^Xv¡ S LOKAM 18 dhye tishThantirAjasA:| 78 theladderofdescen , except thefifteenth which isofhigh rising aboveorgobelow.Thosewith hitapraj~na. Thosewithrajasarehalf with rajasareinthemiddleandthose st thoughtatthetimeofdeath, the d theireffects, alsocategorizing inevolution,whiletherajasikstay jaghanyaguNavrttisthA: , isindicatedhere t describedinthe , sadagopan.org it. Hence he does it. Hence guNA guNeshu vartanta iti matvA is not affected by ing to the guNAs as explained in an individual soul who acts is not the one guNAs and understand that all actions guNAs and understand that d attachment, the products of ego, action apart he from the guNAs, knows which includes mind and intellect, are which includes mind and intellect, tamas in us which creates the respective tamas in us which creates the 79 s and attains my being. 19 (chapter 3, sloka 28). LOKAM not feel that he is the agent of action. na anyam guNebhya: kartAram yadA drashTA anupaSyati | kartAram yadA drashTA na anyam guNebhya: param vetti madbhAvamguNebhya: ca sa: adhigacchati || Meaning: of agent sees that there is no When one that, which is beyond guNA Comments: from the The wise dissociate themselves is, he as the are due to guNAs only. That his body, but it is the guNAs inside outside world. reacting with the guNAs in the na sajjate or I anger or sorrow we feel "I am angry triggers For example when something or rajas am sad etc". But it is only the emotions and it comes from desire an ahankAra, which is of three kinds accord early chapter. So one who is wise to this thinks that it is the reaction of the guNAs in him with the guNAs outside and S ktaRr< yda ÔòanupZyit, naNy< gu[e_y> veiÄ mÑav< sae=ixgCDit. gu[e_yí pr< sadagopan.org man whohastranscended theguNAscanbe Here Arjunacomesoutwitha question.Hewantstoknowth e signsbywhicha attainsimmortality. for himandreleasedfrombondagedueto karma,he When one attainsselfrealiz kshIyante caasyakarmANi ]IyNte caSykmaRi[tiSmN†òe pravre step below thatdescribedbythe Upanishad, does notconsiderhimselfasanagentofaction.Hereache he is no more affected by the guNAsWhen oneisabletotran and no more karma adheres to him as he Comments: immortal. becomes freefrombirth,deathold The embodied being transcendingthegu Meaning: aSnute|| jarAduhkhai:vimukta:amrtam janma mrtyu | guNAn etAnatItyatrINdehIdehasamudbhavAn jNmm&TyujraÊ>oEivRmu´ae=m&tmîute. gu[anetantITy ÇINdehIdehsmuÑvan!, S LOKAM 20 scend theguNAsbyidentifying himselfwiththeself, tasmin drshTeparAvare ation, thatisBrahmasAkshAtkAra,allkarmacease 80 age andothergrievesbecomes Nas whicharisefromtheembodiment knownand alsothewaytodo it. s a stage just one s astagejustone ---(Mund.2.2.8) ---(Mund.2.2.8) sadagopan.org , this is also the sign of a man of of man a of sign the also is this , guNAtIta in the slokAs that follow. scendence of three being guNAs the 81 e second chapter where Arjuna enquired where Arjuna chapter e second 21 LOKAM about the man of perfection. The tran about the man of perfection. perfection the state of prerequisite of Arjuna said Lord, how has transcended the three guNAs, Oh What are the signs of one who transcend the three guNAs? he does he behave and how does Comments: in th This is similar to the question perfection. KrshNa starts giving the description of a arjuna uvAca atIta: bhavati prabho | kai: lingai: trIN guNAn etAn trIn guNAn ativartatekim AcAra: katham ca etAn || Meaning: S AjuRn %vac àÉae, Évit kEilR¼EôINgu[anetantItae ikmacar> kw< cEta<ôINgu[anitvtRte. sadagopan.org Then howdoesheperc he isnotaffected by sattvaalso. outside. Neitherdoesheyearn forthelightofsattvawhenitisabsentbecause they arethereactionof the effectsofrajasandtama but just like an onlookerbetween aguNAtItaand others is that the former is never influenced he is by them simply at othertimes.These aretheeffects of aware of them. needfor the andalso knowledge attimes Hence he doesThe three guNAsarepresent inall.EvenaguNAtItamayfeelthe lightof not hate Comments: happened norlongsforwhatdidnot. Arjuna, whenlight,activityanddelusi The LordSaid- Meaning: na dveshTisampravrttAninivrttAnikAnkshati|| camohamevapANDava| prakASam capravrttim SrI bhagavAnuvAca n Öeiòs<àv&Äaininv&Äainka'!]it. àkaz< càv&iÄ< cmaehmev cpa{fv, ïIÉgvanuvac S LOKAM 22 eive theeffects of thethree guNAs inhim? thebody,mindandintellecttowards the guNAs s becauseheisnotaffectedbyitandknows that 82 on arepresent hedoesnothatewhat the three guNAs. But thedifference thethreeguNAs.But activity oreventhefatiguesleep activity sadagopan.org teracting with guNAs. Since there is there is teracting with guNAs. Since the senses he simply observes the the senses he simply observes not moved by Knowing that the guNAs. ise and does not feel joy or sorrow. or sorrow. ise and does not feel joy 83 23 LOKAM no identification with the body and no identification with the udAsInavat AsIna: guNai:udAsInavat AsIna: ya: na vicAlyate | guNA vartanta iti eva yo avatishThati na ingate || Meaning: he is Remaining as though indifferent, not swerve and stays firm. does the guNAs are operating he Comments: guNAs has no attachment has transcended the One who for the nor aversion and simply perceives them with an attitude guNAs of of the three effects are in that the guNAs knowing indifference otherw whether pleasing or happenings, S n ivcaLyte, gu[EyaeR %dasInvdasInae yae=vitóit ne¼te. gu[a vtRNt #Tyev< sadagopan.org praise equally. stone orgold equally, treatspleasantan Even minded injoyand sorrow,stayingin Meaning: || tulya priyaapriya:dhIra:nindAAtmasamstuti: sa svastha: samaduhkhasukha: tuLyiàyaiàyae xIrStuLyinNdaTms 24 ma loshTaaSmakAncana:| 84 theSelf, looksupon d unpleasantalikeandalsoinsult aclodofearth sadagopan.org the realms of the ' (ch 2.45). It was the state , the one who has transcended . Hence he is not affected by the he is not affected . Hence He rises above the body, mindHe rises above the body, and insult as the or honour and dishonour as having equal value. When one looks looks one When value. equal having as and pain are the same and he treats a and pain are the same and he 2. The Lord advised Arjuna there there Arjuna advised Lord The 2. chapter He shows the way to become a guNAtIta 85 guNAtIta. given in the above slokAs are non-different from are non-different given in the above slokAs guNAtIta 25 LOKAM traiguNyavishayA vedA: nistraiguNyo bhava arjuna sthitapraj~na, which is to become a upon a friend and foe alike, praise and upon a friend and foe alike, the guNAs. same, he has risen above to above are only related all these mentioned intellect and andthree, namely, body, mind intellect opposites such as joy and sorrow. of the The picture ' of guNAtIta which was referred to by these words. KrshNa drew a portrait of sthitapraj~na in chapter 2 while in this clod of earth, a stone or a piece of gold a stone or a piece clod of earth, that of sthitapraj~na in chapter mAna apamAnayo: tulya::mAna apamAnayo: mitra ari pakshayo: | and alike, enemy || parityAgI guNAtIta: sa ucyate sarva Arambha and friend treats disgrace, Meaning: or honour in same the is who He, the all actions, is called who renounces the guNAs. Comments: pleasure To him, who dwells in the self, S imÇairp]yae>, manapmanyaeStuLyStuLyae gu[atIt> s %Cyte. svaRrMÉpirTyagI “Epitome of unswerving devotion - bhagavad rAmAnujAcArya” sadagopan.org serves Me, transcends the guNAs and serves Me, transcends the 87 26 LOKAM mAm ca yo sevate | bhaktiyogena avyabhicAreNa sa: guNAn samatItya etAn brahmabhUyAya kalpate || Meaning: devotion with unswerving The one who becomes fit to attain state of Brahman. the S sevte, Éi´yaegen ma< c yae=VyiÉcare[ s gu[aNsmtITyEtaNäüÉUyay kLpte. sadagopan.org bhakti andin7 In thechapteronbhaktiyogaitwasme ntioned thatj~nAna istheresultof devotee andtheLordismasterofhis actions. dharmasya prabhuracyuta: Lord is mata: adhikatamo sarvadharmAnAmdharmo the greatestIn hisdiscourseonVishNusa dharma theLord. bliss", says of andi source ofallthatisimmortal all.the chapter. Thestate ofBrahmanis It is becauseThe reason forfollowing the dharmo AcAraprabhavo Comments: unalloyed bliss. I amtheabodeofBrahman,immort Meaning: SASvtasya cadharmasyasukhasyaekAntikasya|| brahmaNo hipratishThAaham xmRSysuoSyEkaiNtkSyc. zañtSy c c, äü[ae ihàitóahmm&tSyaVyySy S means oftranscending thegunasanda The central ideaofthischapter isthat viSishyate who resorttoHim,describesj~nAnias' LOKAM ' (BG-7.17),theonewhohasunswerving devotion. 27 th adhyAya, KrshNa mentioningabout the fourkindsofdevotees adhyAya,KrshNa . The path ofdevotionisgiven amrtasyaavyayasyaca| AcAra mmutable andIamthesourceofeternal hasranAma, BhIshmasays,‘ hasranAma, 88 mentioned here is the life led by the seeking refugewiththe Lordistheonly immutable and immortal and"Iamthe immutable andimmortal al, immutable, andeternaldharma al, immutable, teshAm j~nAnInityayukta: ekabhakti: ttainment ofself-realisation asitis ’, meaning thattheworshipof meaning by the Lord at the endofby theLordat eshame sadagopan.org ---BG 7.14 o resort to the Lord are resort to the Lord o ter of SrI Bhagavad gItA on ter of SrI Bhagavad gItA 89 ree guNAs and only those wh guNatraya vibhAgayoga: adhyAya. th Thus ends the fourteenth chap Thus ends the fourteenth daivI hi eshA guNamayI mamadaivI hi eshA mAyA duratyayA | mAm eva ye prapadyante taranti mAyAm etAm te || The mAyA is due to the th able to transcend it. dEvI ýe;a gu[myI mm maya ÊrTyya, gu[myI mm maya dEvI ýe;a te. mayametam! triNt mamev ye àp*Nte made out inmade out the 7 90 sadagopan.org the purusha ’ (BG.13-13). anAdimat param : (BG, Ch. 13), KrshNa has YOGA URUSHA 15 khetraj~na P as indestructible aSvattha tree with as indestructible aSvattha sarvam Avrtya tishThati ose leaves are the VedAs, he can be 91 HAPTER e Self, Brahman, described as ‘ UPREME C S , the insentient matter andprakrti of HE PURUSHOTTAMA T 1 LOKAM n the two. Here in this chapter the betwee sentient soul and the connection Lord is talking about the Suprem brahma,’ (BG:13-12), who is all pervading, ‘ roots upwards, branches downwards, wh called a knower of VedAs. Comments: In the adhyAya dealing with kshetra and elucidated on the nature of SrI bhagavAn uvAca UrdhvamUlam: SAkham aSvattham prAhu: avyayam | chandAmsi yasya parNAni yastam veda sa vedavit || Meaning: The Lord said, One who knows that which is mentioned S ïIÉgvanuvac ^XvRmUlmx>zaomñTw< àa÷rVyym!, vedivt!. DNda sadagopan.org yasya , leaves. UrdhvamUlo parNa-s chandAmsi akrti. Since both akrti. Since rther to understand its rther to understand re motivated karma which is away from the reality, being the is away from the reality, being This tree is the samsAra, the effect samsAra, the effect This tree is the the purusha, the individualthe purusha, is self, entification with pr . Hence it is said that one who knows . Hence it is said that one who knows are necessary for the worldly life as life as are necessary for the worldly man their substratum the original and w as the whole creation is originatedw as the whole creation is and also the immovable. Its leaves are branches represent the whole creation creation represent the whole branches d the insentient, Brahman is the root of d the insentient, Brahman is (Katha. Up: 2-3-1), this peepul or banyan this peepul or (Katha. Up: 2-3-1), 93 above meaning not the physical position above meaning not the physical ng being the subtlest and unmanifest. ng being the subtlest and unmanifest. of the Upanishadic declaration “ nce the VedAs are compared to nce the VedAs are compared . Its leaves are the VedAs, . Its leaves ll desist from doing desi oka has to be explained fu oka has to be meaning that he will understand the real nature of , banyan tree, with its roots tree, with its , banyan and above below, branches adha: SAkham aSvattha esha aSvattha: sanAtana: aSvattha: sanAtana: esha . He who knows this, knows the VedAs. . He who knows The prakrti, the cause of bondage of bondage of the cause The prakrti, compared to compared UrdhvamUlam parNAni The of the sl above meaning avAkSAkha: by id caused of the bondage of purusha are for the tree. He the leaves One who understands this wi of births and deaths will cause the cycle this tree, knows the VedAs, the VedAs. tree has roots abovetree has roots and branches below. are done with an expectation of said to chandAmsi or VedAs. All karma that and they the VedAs fruit are enjoined in import. This idea is the reflection import. This idea from Brah prakrti and purusha originate an of the sentient cause of the universe situated it is said to be the tree and it is high above everythi but because belo The tree is said to have branches from Brahman and proceeds below, that The of karma causing bondage. effect from devAs forms of life to the lowest sadagopan.org become therootsof further conditionofsamsAra. aretheactionsdo The secondaryroots and thesenseobjects aretermedas The treeis nourishedbytheguNAsasallactivities arebasedontheguNAs animals etc. denotethekarmas which that godownward takesoulstothelowerbirthsinto themselves bymeritoriousdeedsandtake The branches which shootupwards mean Comments: extend downwardsresultinginacts guNAs. Theirshootsarethesense object The branches of thetreeextend both Meaning: manushyaloke|| karma anubandhIni adha: caanusantatAni | vishayapravAlA: guNa pravrddhA tasyaSAkhA: adha: caUrdhvamprasrtA: kmaRnubNxIin mnu:ylaeke. Axí mUlaNynus 2 whichbindmentotheworld. the shoots that makethetreegrow. the shootsthat 94 aboveandbelow,nourishedbythe ne which causefurther bondageand theactionsofthosewhoelevate birth ascelestialbeingsand those s. Thesecondary rootsofthetree sadagopan.org , asanga asanga SastreNa rstood. That is why tree by the weapon of their karma see them selves as their karma see them selves d in the previous chapter. So it is him. So how to get free from bondage bondage from free get to how So him. very deep rooted and it is not possible aware that it is the guNAs whichaware that it is the guNAs are knows this will understand the import of the knows this will understand 95 all and hence not unde all and hence suvirUDhamUlam, ', one can only cut off this 3 LOKAM detachment. to cut it. A man bound by his karma is like one sitting on the branch of a tree cutting it is not possible for and hence drDhena chittvA the VedAs. The human beings bound by beings the VedAs. The human only and un identified with their body and samsAra? ' line of the sloka. KrshNa gives the answer in the second na rUpam asya iha tathA upalabhyate na rUpam asya iha tathA upalabhyate | na anta: na ca adi: na ca sampratishThA asvattham enam suvirUDha mUlam || asanga SastreNa drDhena chittvA Meaning/Comments: This tree, says KrshNa at not seen is it was said at the outset that one who who one that outset the at said was it responsible for their actions as explaine only the branches and not the roots of the tree. something like seeing This asvattha tree is S twaepl_yte n êpmSyeh c s<àitóa, naNtae n caidnR AñTwmen< suivêFmUl< iDÅva. As¼zôe[ †Fen sadagopan.org adhyAya 15,theSupreme Purusha. answer isgiveninthe nextslokawhich with the weapon withanunfinished theprevioussloka sentence,'cuttingthetree KrshNa stops of detachment', givingthe axethatcutstreeisdetachment. rise to theguNAs. SotherootcauseofsamsAra is question, whatwhich arousedesireandtheactivities next? The The shoots ofthebranches which make the treegrowaresenseobjects 96 motivatedbydesireareduetothe thedesirerisenoutofguNAs.Hence is inrelevance withthetopicofthis sadagopan.org e individual soul and prakrti, the imal Purusha only, Who is the sourceimal Purusha only, Who is the of a tree, should be cut asunder with a tree, should karma which is the cause of samsAra, of samsAra, which is the cause karma which one does not return to samsAra ugh the body, mind and intellect and of 97 owed from time immemorial". owed from time immemorial". 4 LOKAM Then one should seek the goal reaching should seek the goal Then one tata: padam tat parimArgitavyam | yasmin gatA na nivartanti bhUya: tam eva ca Adyam purusham prapadye || yata: pravrtti: prasrtA purANI Meaning: again. One should say "I resort toagain. One should say "I resort the pr S tt> pd< tTpirmaigRtVy< ÉUy>, yiSmNgta n invtRiNt àp*e ca*< pué;< tmev pura[I. yt> àv&iÄ> às&ta all from Whom the creation fl all from Whom the creation Comments: Then, after cutting the tree with detachment, the Supreme Reality, attaining Supreme That after. sought be to is samsAra, to is no more return which there beginningless activity has whom this from Reality is the Supreme Purusha sprung forth because both purusha, th primordial nature, have come from Him only. After saying that the bondage due to figuratively described as the asvatth are We step. next the describe to proceeds KrshNa axe, an with as detachment thro experienced aware of only the life sadagopan.org padam given inthe next sloka andthenKr When doesonebecome eligible toreac Adyam purushamprapadye advised toentreatthe LordHimsel vrNutetenalabhya: yamevaisha This can be achievedsamsAra. everything originatedandattainingwhomthereisno morereversion to only byattaching totheLord,referredhere the willSimilarly givinguptheworldlydesiresan of the Lordstep onlyby climbingtoonehigher. as thePurusha. Whenyouclimbupaladderor Upanishadsomething higher.HenceKrshNaadvise says,In factdetachment fromsomethingsh not theendbutonlybeginning. by detachment we would feel that we are rootless. Hence KrshNa says that it is the worldexperienced throughthesensecont , thehighestgoal. , "IresorttothePurusha". (kaTho. 1.2.23), f for attainingHim,bythe words shNa describesthenatureof 98 scale thepeaks, youcanleavethelower h theSupreme Purusha?Theanswer is d attachments will be effectedonlyby willbe d attachments astheSupreme Purusha,fromwhom s theaspiranttoseekSupreme ould befollowedbyattachmentto act. If all this is to be dismissed act. Ifallthisistobedismissed for whichtheaspirantis eva ca param sadagopan.org brAhmI eshA the Self, the wise do not identify llect and hence devoid of ego. Knowing llect and hence devoid , free from desires, released from the ming the flaws of attachment, firmlyming the flaws of attachment, tween the gunas and the sense objects 99 is is the state described as ` state described as is is the which one attains brahmanirvaNa. 5 ', in the second adhyAya, in ', in the second LOKAM they have no attachment because they are free from desires. As a result of of result a As desires. from free are they because interaction be is the that everything attachment no have they they or joy therefore they are not moved either by sorrow their equanimity above the dualities. Th have risen Devoid of egoism and delusion, overco Devoid of egoism and delusion, themselves with their body, mind and inte nirmAna mohA: jita sanga doshA: | adhyAtma nityA vinivrtta kAmA: dvandvai: vimuktA: sukha duhkha samj~nai: gacchanti amUDhA: padam avyayam tat || Meaning: established in the knowledge of the self of established in the knowledge wise reach the imperishable state. the and pain, dualities like pleasure Comments: Armed with adhyAtmanityA, knowledge of sthiti: S inmaRnmaeha ijts¼dae;a ivinv&Äkama>, AXyaTminTya ÖNÖEivRmu´a> suoÊ>os<}E- pdmVyy< tt!. gCDNTymUFa> sadagopan.org KrshNa thenproceedstodescribe lustre toall. that allshinebecauseofth ' Upanishad says– glow worminsunlight. the Moon andhence theydonot shinether The paramapadaisselfilluminedandits one oftotal darkness!Definitelynot! shines there!Thismay makeone wonder sa lapsing backintosamsAra.KrshNa This stateisfurtherdescribedasthe Comments: abode ofMereaching which there isnoreturn. Where theSun doesnotshine,northeMoonfire.thatissupreme Meaning: yat gatvAnanivartantetatdhAmaparmammama|| na tatbhAsayatesUrya:SaSAnkopAvaka:| yÌTva ninvtRNtetÏamprm< mm. n tÑasytesUyaeRzza»ae npavk>, S tameva bhAntam anubhAti sarvam tameva bhAntamanubhAtisarvam LOKAM 6 e lightofthe Supremepurush theSupreme Purushaindetail. tasya bhAsA sarvam idam vibhAti idam bhAsAsarvam tasya 100 ys thatneither the Sunnorthe Moon whether the state of BrahmanirvaNa is whetherthestateofBrahmanirvaNais brilliance eclipsesthat oftheSunand one reaching which thereis no more e. Any other luminous body is like a a asHeisthegiverof ', meaning meaning sadagopan.org d stands in inseparable ole still remains whole. everywhere. In and out of all beings. . And He sustains all with a fragment of come out of the whole is also a whole. come out of the whole is also a vishTabhyAham idam krtsnam ekAmSena ekAmSena vishTabhyAham idam krtsnam 101 nd, which are abiding in prakrti. nd, which are abiding in prakrti. rnAt pUrNamudacyate, that is, whatever power, splendour or possesses different from the Lord an out of the whole, the wh jIvabhUta: sanAtana: | jIvabhUta: sanAtana: ' (BG:10-42), 7 LOKAM mama eva amSo jIvalokemama eva amSo the draws Me of karshati || indriyANi prakrtisthAni mana: shashThAni part eternal an only is which Meaning: world the in soul individual The mi six indriyAs which includes the Comments: says, ' In the tenth adhyAya KrshNa Him, of part energy is only a fragmentof of the Lord eternal an only is self His power. individual the jIva, the that says He Here, eternal because it is non connection with Him. of partsTo the objection that how can Brahman be possessed is ruled out by the Upanishadic declaration – 'pUrNamada: pUrNamidam pU has what whole; pUrNasya pUrNam AdAya pUrnameva avaSishyate', is this whole; is that S jIvÉUt> snatn>, mmEva LOKAM makes the movement possible. As the air ca as a is carrying the mind and the senses. The air is everywhere and only acts communicating medium for the smell and is and the mind when it takes by the senses Similarly the soul though accompanied is not affected by it. a new body, to the body which it assumes after leav the smell. carries death like the wind that Comments: only The mind along with the indriyAs and seems of these is the conglomeration in the sea moves ocean and waves of the the places it which takes the smell from itsweetness or foulness of the individual soul takes the mind along with indriyAs on its transmigration. the in pot the inside space The another. to place one from pot a taking like is It former place is not taken wi SarIram yat avApnoti yat ca api utkrAmatiSarIram yat avApnoti ISvara: | samyAtigrhItvA etAni ASayAt || vAyu: gandhAn iva Meaning: senses and mind, ( The jIva, the master of the S y½aPyuT³amtIñr>, zrIr< ydvaßaeit vayugRNxainvazyat!. g&hITvEtain s 9 e ear,eye,touch,tongue 104 the electricity becauseofwhich the e effectofit.Whether youexperience the mindwhichisconnectedwith fault oftheinstrumentandnot is everywhereandnotaffectedbythe But theSelfisnotexperiencerin e existence oftheself.Hence itis andnosethemind sadagopan.org it leaves the body or stays init leaves the body or stays it and Only those with eyes of wisdom are are of wisdom with eyes Only those between the soul and the conflagration between the soul and the conflagration nd the products and intellect which are selves apart from the guNAs while the selves apart from the guNAs 105 pervisor of all actions. 10 LOKAM aware of the Self in all their doings. in all their doings. aware of the Self Comments: his real in an ignorant individual that present not is the self The awareness of body, mi nature is the self and not the see them The wise only of the guNAs. Self is the witness and su distinguish But the unenlightened never wise are able to do so. of mind and indriyAs. Only the experiences the effects of the guNAs. guNAs. of the the effects experiences utkrAmantam sthitam vA guNAnvitam vA api bhunjAnam | cakshusha: || paSyanti j~nAna vimUDhA na anupaSyanti Meaning: the Self while The ignorant does not see S %T³amNt< iSwt< vaip ÉuÃan< gu[aiNvtm!, va pZyiNt }anc]u;>. ivmUFa nanupZyiNt sadagopan.org Then KrshNa starts thedescri Then KrshNastarts means ofselfcontrollikeashTAnga yoga. theknowledgeofBrahmanorthroughphysical the SAstrAs,andacquiring above disciplinearenotabletoseethat behind allexistence.But Theyareabletoperceivethekarma yoga. Supreme Purushaastheprinciple Here yogis meanthosewhohaveachieved Comments: those whohavenotmasteredtheirmindsare The yogisareabletoseetheSupremePurushaestablishedintheirself. But Meaning: naenampaSyantiacetasa:|| yatanta: apiakrta:AtmAna: yatanta: yogina:caenampa ytNtae=Pyk«taTmanae nEn< pZyNTycets>. ytNtae yaeigníEn 11 those who have not controlled their minds through the those whohavenotcontrolledtheirmindsthrough Syanti Atmaniavasthitam| ption oftheSupremePurusha. 106 even if theytry,meaning,bylearning integration through,j~nAnabhaktior not abletodosoevenifthey try. sadagopan.org tameva bhAntam anubhAti sarvam tameva bhAntam anubhAti in the Sun, lighting the whole world, in the Sun, lighting the whole t. This idea has been already explained t. This idea has been already '. 107 of the Upanishad, ' Upanishad, the of 12 LOKAM tasya bhAsA sarvam Brahman which vibhAti', all luminous bodies follow idam of His ligh because shines and they shine in sloka 6, 'na tat bhAsayate sUrya: …. in the moon and in the fire. in the moon Comments: This reflects the text yah Adithya gatham teja:yah Adithya gatham akhilam | jagat bhAsayate mAmakam yat ca agnau tat teja: viddhi yat candramasi || Meaning: shines which luminance My be to that Know S jgÑasyte=iolm!, ydaidTygt< tejae tÄejae iviÏ mamkm!. y½NÔmis y½a¶aE sadagopan.org e supposed to shine behind the Moon, He says that He is is He that says He Moon, the behind with my power. By being the nectarine nectarine the being By power. my with 109 soma: bhUtvA rasa Atmaka: || soma: bhUtvA 13 LOKAM moon, I nurture all the herbs. moon, I nurture all the herbs. Comments: nectar of full being herbs, the to power and life The Moon is supposed to give in the night when they ar and that is why they are collected gAm AviSya ojasA | ca bhUtAni dhArayAmi aham sarvA: pushNAmi ca aushadhI: Meaning: all beings Entering the earth I support is the power with a lustre. As the Lord nurturing the herbs. S xaryaMyhmaejsa, gamaivZy c ÉUtain rsaTmk>. svaR> saemae ÉUTva caE;xI> pu:[aim sadagopan.org whose power thebody,mind essential tomaintainthebodyofallbe This impliesthatthe Lordcausesa like pAyasam. bhojya swallowedwithoutchewing,lehya, The fourkindsoffoodareknownasbhak properly. outgoing breathwhich keeps thebody of food.Hecreatesthebalance ofthe the inner fire,vaiSvAnara,ofall livingbe Brahman isthesourceofallenergyand Comments: apAna andcausedigestionofthefourkinds offood. I enter thebodiesof livingbeings as Meaning: pacAmiannamcaturvidham|| samAyukta: prANa apAna ASrita:| bhUtvAprANinAmdeham aham vaiSvAnara: àa[apansmayu´> pcaMyÚ< ctuivRxm!. Ah< vEñanraeÉUTvaàai[na 14 and intellectfunction. and VaiSvanaraandbalancing theprANa and ll theactionsincludingthosewhichare 110 prANa, in-taking brea prANa, in-taking power bywhichallaresustainedandis ings, becauseHeis ings thathelptodigestthefourkinds healthy andabletodigestthefood lickedlikehoneyandcoshya,sucked shya, masticated likericeandbread, shya, masticated th and apAna, the th andapAna, the inner selfby sadagopan.org and I am the maker and hence the knowledge, and as such He could be known only here because, like the knowledge and here because, not able to forget what is unpleasant rport of the VedAs. As the knowledge n of all the VedAs ace of the Lord the loss of memory also 111 dwells in all the hearts and from Me spring memory, knowledge as well as loss knowledge as well as loss and from Me spring memory, knower of them all. 15 LOKAM I dwell in the heart of all I dwell in know be to subject the am I memory. of sarvasya ca aham hrdi sannivishTa: matta: smrti: ca | j~nAnam apohanam vedai: ca sarvai: aham eva vedya: vedAntAkrt vedavit eva ca aham || Meaning: of vedAnta and also the Comments: Being the inner self, the Lord S siÚivòae svRSy cah< ùid c, mÄ> Sm&it}aRnmpaehn< ve*ae svERrhmev vedEí cahm!. vedaNtk«Öedivdev memory and loss of it which pertains to themind and intellect arise from Him alone. The loss of memory is also included the memory of it which is due to the gr is due to His mercy only. If the mind is be a hell and also if the memories of the last lives areand painful the life would not lost we cannot imagine any sanity in life. He is the maker of VedAs and vedAnta through the VedAs and He is the only pu sadagopan.org vedAntAs, beingthe innerself ofall. of theVedAsrequiresdivinegrace, slokAs oftheadhyAya. whatHehasbeen summarizes KrshNa then “The knowerofAll!” 112 He is also the knower of VedAs and elaborating sofarinthelastfew sadagopan.org , . , as it is kUTastha kUTastha , perishable in the is the kshetraj~na is the , the perishable and the the non-self. The self is The self the non-self. purusha is the individual kshara akshara akshara akshara e of life and death. Kshara is what and and intellect are only to the non-self and intellect are only to the dy, mind and intellect and undergoes e anvil does not undergo any change. e anvil does not undergo 113 ith on which all instruments are fashioned are fashioned ith on which all instruments kshara in chapter 13. table. It is referred to as table. It is referred kshara and the akshara is known as kshara and the akshara is known anged. The non-self is anged. The non-self is divided into the self and kshetra 16 LOKAM the immutable self. like the anvil in the shop of an ironsm of an like the anvil in the shop fire but th after being treated with to body, mind Similarly all the changes due self remains unch while the self who gets identified with the bo changes and transmigrates through the cycl has been described as the dvau imau purushau loke kshara: ca akshara eva ca | loke kshara: ca akshara dvau imau purushau kshara: sarvANi bhUtAni kUTastha: ucyate akshara || Meaning: world, There are two entities in this belong to imperishable. All beings Comments: The whole universe can be immuimperishable and eternal and temporary. The sense that the changes are S c, @v ]ría]r laeke pué;aE ÖaivmaE %Cyte. kªqSwae=]r ]r> svaRi[ ÉUtain sadagopan.org operates andexists,whileHeisimmutable. being insideandoutside. Heisthe hence whichsupportseverything,Purusho Like theAkASainwhicheverything existsandwhichexistsineverything meaning notonlythemanifestworldsbutalsowholeuniverseandabove. He istranscendentaswellimmanentandpervadesthethree worlds, Supreme Soul,ParamAtmAandinnerselfof The Supreme Self,Purushottama ishigh Comments: immutable, whoispervading the There isaSupremePurushaotherthan Meaning: yo lokatrayamAviSyabibhartiavyayaISvara:|| | uttama: purusha:tuanya:paramAtmAitiudAhrta: yae laekÇymaivZyibÉTyRVyy$ñr>. %Äm> pué;STvNy>prmaTmeTyudaùt>, S LOKAM 17 three worlds and supports them. three worldsandsupports 114 overlord bywhosepowereverything these known astheParamAtmA, ttama supports thewholeuniversettama supports by er thanthesetwoandknownasthe all,bothsentientandinsentient. sadagopan.org non-self and also ends the perishable ends the perishable gher than the imperishable I am known I gher than the imperishable VedAs as well as in the other works in VedAs as well as in the other 115 Purushottama refers only to the Lord. Purushottama refers only to 18 LOKAM yasmAt atIta: ksharam api ca uttama: | aham aksharAt vede ca prathita:ata: asmi loke || purushottama: Meaning: and also hi As I transcend the perishable as well as in the VedAs. as Purushottama in this world self inner the is He Comments: because self individual Since the Lord is all pervading He transc imperishable the than higher is He of the individual self. in the The term Purushottama is found the word the world. This implies that S caeÄm>, ySmaT]rmtItae=hm]radip c àiwt> pué;aeÄm>. vede Atae=iSm laeke sadagopan.org because hismindrevels ever in Brahman. is incompanyoralone,hisinnerbliss Whether heisseenpracticingyogaor cittamna ramate yasya brahmaNi vAsangavihIna:| bhogaratovAsangarato vA yogarato ySy äüi[rmteicÄ 19 asthePurushottama,is ndati nandatinandatyeva|| a says in hisworkBajagovindam. in a says 116 seemingly indulgentinbhoga,whether he seemingly remains unalloyed.Heisalwayshappy perfection, sthitapraj~na,mentionedin t themerelearning the Lord in all ways, in whatever he theknowerof alland aboutHimbutto sadagopan.org the Lord who consists in the the Self and guhyatvam in the sense that it is the highest highest that it is the in the sense ly by a few who have transcended the who have transcended ly by a few one becomes wise and all his work is one becomes wise and all 117 of the real nature of of the real enth chapter of SrI Bhagavad gItA on purushottama yoga: a sthitapraj~na. The 20 Thus ends the fifte LOKAM knowledge which could be understood on guNAs and have become This most secret knowledge is told by Me to you who is sinless. Oh the the Oh sinless. is who you to Me by told is knowledge secret most This descendent of Bharata, knowing this accomplished. Comments: The knowledge and experience secret the most self, is is the inner by him. is nothing more to be accomplished There difficulty of comprehension. iti guhyatamam Sastramiti guhyatamam anagha | idam uktam mayA buddhimAn syAtetat buddhvA ca bhArata || krtkrtya: Meaning: S myan", #it guýtm< zaôimdmu´< @tÓ‚d!Xva buiÏmaNSyaTk«tk«Tyí Éart. 118 sadagopan.org : a means of self a means of self ase from bondage. ase from bondage. YOGA UALITIES GA A Q 16 VIBH qualities that are the result of the are the result of the qualities that niac. This serves as niac. This serves ich effect in rele ties which bind man to transmigratory man ties which bind 119 EMONIAC riptures, penance and uprightness, ... HAPTER D SAMPAT C nAnyoga vyavasthiti: | persistence in the practice of knowledge, charity, AND SURA A IVINE D DAIV 1 LOKAM First he starts with the divine qualities. First he starts with the divine SrI bhagavAn uvAca j~ abhayam sattva samSuddhi: dAnam dama: ca yaj~na: ca svAdhyAya: tapa Arjavam || Meaning: Fearlessness, mental purity, sense-control, sacrifice, study of sc existence and cultivate those qualities wh existence and S ïI Égvanuvac AÉy< sÅvs 2 mArdavam hrI:acApalam|| mArdavam 120 , non-covetousness,gentleness,modesty sadagopan.org ical and moral. We fear rding to one's resources. That der the realm of ignorance, cultivate der the realm of ignorance, e's life persistently. This means not e's life persistently. This nd adhyAya, fear. nothing else arouses benevolence, absence of vanity, these these benevolence, absence of vanity, ledge means applying the knowledge one the knowledge means applying ledge 121 - comes out of eradicating desire and anger adroha: na ati mAnitA | adroha: na ati riting divine attributes. , denotes courage both phys satvasamSuddhi: abhayam , is giving away or sharing acco dAna 3 which give rise to impure thoughts. is, to help others to the best of our capacity. When we give up desires there is nothing to be afraid of because the desire desire the because of afraid be to nothing is there desires up give we When what we acquire. in its wake brings the fear of losing gains out of spiritual discipline to on for vedAntin but a practical one. being a platform fearlessness? It is done by accepting what comes. When the fear of death death of fear the When comes. what accepting by done is It fearlessness? seco in the as elucidated is conquered only the unknown or something other than ourselves. One is not afraid of other than ourselves. One is only the unknown or something than himself and hence nothing other is there the enlightened, himself. To being un no fear. But how can we, still LOKAM 3. Persistence in the practice of know 2. – Mental purity 4. Charity, teja: kshamA dhrti: Saucam teja: kshamA daivIm abhijAtasyabhavanti sampadam bhArata || Meaning: cleanliness, Splendour, patience, vigour, S tej> ]ma x&it> zaEcmÔaehae naitmainta, Éart. ÉviNt s sadagopan.org denotes the absence of dealing with others, not being with others, dealing or demoniac qualities and elaborates or demoniac qualities and elaborates na ati mAnitA 123 practice of these virtues. practice of these wrong things and modesty. or divine qualities. daivIsampat is pride or arrogance and - absence of hankering after sense objects. after sense objects. of hankering - absence means gentleness or softness in gentleness or means - refraining from useless activities. from - refraining - cleanliness both inside and outside. - cleanliness both inside and can be translated as non-betrayal of trust. is patience or fortitude. - splendour arising out of is sense of shame in doing is sense of shame ati mAnitA the it. These are Saucam adroha: dhrti aloluptvam mArdavam harsh. hrI acApalam teja: 25. the Asuric mentions Then KrshNa briefly on them a little later. 23. 24. 22. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. sadagopan.org Comments: Oh Arjuna, denotetheinheritance ofdemoniacattributes. anger, harshnessandignorance,these,Hypocrisy, arrogance,excessivevanity, Meaning: || sampadamAsurIm aj~nAnam caabhijAtasyapArtha dambha:darpa: abhimAna:ca A}an< caiÉjatSy pawR s , isarroganceduetowealth, isanger 4 excessive vanityorego isharshnessinspeech. consists in ostentation or pretentious display consistsinostentationorpretentiousdisplay krodha: pArushyamevaca| 124 power, beauty,knowledgeetc sadagopan.org juna, you do not worry KrshNa, which lead to only". e face of Arjuna indicating his doubt doubt of Arjuna indicating his e face only. 125 daivIsampat secure release. Oh Ar Oh release. secure , demoniac qualities, says daivI sampat 5 LOKAM daivI sampat vimokshAya AsurI nibandhAya matA | daivImmA Suca: sampadam abhijAta: asi pANDava || Meaning: These are the AsurI sampat bondage while the have inherited daivI sampatbecause you S mta, inbNxayasurI dEvI s 6 AsurI sampatbecause theyhavetobeknownin 126 duetomisconceptionwhilerAkshasik d, divine and demoniac. Thedivinehas anddemoniac. d, divine but thelatter hastoevolveintothe nature isdifferentfromdevilishor divine anddemoniac sadagopan.org like them were were them like ght observances and truth. d duties according to varNAsrama es for both pravrtti and nivrtti. es for both pravrtti not distinguish between the path of not distinguish between the ey know it they misinterpret it to suit ey know it they misinterpret of the fact whether it was dharma or whether it of the fact they are not good to others and their ksha. The Asurik do not know both as ksha. The Asurik do not know pu, RaavaNa and others conduct in them. and there is no truth 127 consists in giving up the karma which will karma consists in giving up the nivrtti na satyam teshu vidyate || na satyam teshu tion. They lack purity, ri 7 means undertaking the activities an means undertaking the activities means the purity of body and mind which the effect of good conduct is. is. conduct good of effect the which mind and body of purity the means LOKAM pravrttim ca nivrttim ca janA na vidu: AsurA: | ca janA na vidu: AsurA: pravrttim ca nivrttim api ca AcAra: na Saucam na Meaning: away not know what to do and what to turn do Asurik tendencies Those with or good from. They do not know purity Comments: do the Asurik qualities Those possessing areThe VedAs and SAstrAs the guidelin pravrtti S n ivÊrasura>, c jna àv&iÄ< c inv&iÄ< iv*te. cacarae n sTy< te;u n zaEc< naip action and that of renuncia world and while living in this adharma. Sauca in that as are not interested The Asurik Dishonest, deceitful and selfish are words and actions have no truth in them. their actions. cause future births and aspiring for mo if th in veda and even they have no belief kaSi This is what HiraNya their needs. doing fulfilling their desires regardless sadagopan.org This wastermedasthecArvAkaphilosophy physical unionofmaleandfemale. in rebirth orthecausation theoryoftheUpanishads.Thelife iscreated by eternal nature ofsoulandthecreation This attitudecomesfromdisbeliefin the resultofphysical unionbetween manandwoman. God. Inshorttheyare atheistsandmateri They declare thattheworldisdevoidof Comments: What else? no mutualactionbetweencause andef They saythattheworldiswithouttruth Meaning: || kAmahaitukam kimanyat sambhUtam aparaspara apratishThamtejagatAhu:anISvaram| asatyam AprSprs<ÉUt< ikmNyTkamhEtukm!. AsTymàitó< tejgda÷rnIñrm!, S LOKAM 8 128 God andscriptures.Theydonot accept fect and brought about by sheer lust. fect andbroughtaboutbysheerlust. theworld byGod.Theydonot believe and withoutbasis,thereis noGodand truth, has no basis and there isno andthere truth,hasnobasis alists. They hold that the creation is alists. Theyholdthatthecreationis whichexistedeven in ancienttimes. sadagopan.org , of alpabuddhaya: y the world. KrshNa alism is uppermost so many ill we see ing In modern the ruin of the world. ke HiraNya kaSipu and RaavaNa. It is ke HiraNya kaSipu and RaavaNa. It is harm except when their desires are harm except when the effects of their sin and do not do of their sin and the effects ce and out to destro rld and hence are harmful to the world. rld and hence are harmful to ll ages, KrshNa describes in the following 129 , those who have lost their souls, nashTa AtmAna: 9 LOKAM etAm drshTim avashTabhya AtmAna: alpabuddhaya: | nashTa karmANa:prabhavanti ugra kshayAya jagata: ahitA: || Meaning: start doing and of small intellect, ruined souls are Holding this view they, who of the wo fierce deed towards the ruin Comments: are fier Relying on this philosophy they calls them S nòaTmanae=LpbuÏy>, @ta< †iòmvò_y ]yay jgtae=ihta>. àÉvNTyu¢kmaR[> slokAs. life and since they do not believe in they do not believe and since life this in everything mean intellect. have to want They any fear of afterlife they do not have desist from tormentingothers and caus effects like terrorism, corruption and oppression. The materialists, called cArvakAs, range from those who simply enjoy the sensual pleasures, who do not do any thwarted, to the real demoniac beings li the latter kind of beings who exist in a days, when cArvAka philosophy of materi days, when cArvAka philosophy sadagopan.org dambha anala They donotknowthat thedesirescan never befulfilled becauseitisdushpUra Comments: arrogance, theygetholdofwrong Pursuing theirdesireswhic Meaning: aSucivratA:|| mohAt grhItvAasadgrAhAnpravartante | mAnamadAnvitA: dambha dushpUram kAmam ASritya maehad!g&hITvasd!¢ahaN kammaiïTy Ê:pUr< dMÉmanmdaiNvta>, S the worldtosecurefrui They aredeludedintobeliev those whoexpectfavors from take prideinit.Whentheyare praisedbythosewhoaretheirdependents or be praisedbyeveryoneandpose asthou mAna the qualitiesthatmakeonegreat. LOKAM , unquenchable fireasdenotedinchapter 3,sloka39. isprideand ishypocrisyorproclaimingthemselv 10 isarrogance.Allthethree mada àvtRNte=zuicìta>. t oftheirevildesires. h areinsatiable,filledwithhypocrisy, prideand ing thattheirevilnotions them they becomearrogant. notions andactwithimpureideals. 130 gh they have praiseworthy qualities and es to be great, without possessing es tobegreat,withoutpossessing go together.Theywantto are correct andact onin sadagopan.org , he is old and desires are not quenched. The only only The desires are not quenched. 131 staff but yet his fulfilling their desires. fulfilling 11 LOKAM cintAm aparimeyAm ca pralaya antAm upASritA:cintAm aparimeyAm | kAma upabhoga paramA etAvat || iti niScitA: Meaning: They entertain immeasurable it was thoughts till the end of life deciding that the only goal, intent on Comments: As Sankara says, vrddho yAti grhItvA daNDam, tadapi na muncati ASApiNDam goes with the help of a desires. the sensual enjoying goal in life for them is S c àlyaNtamupaiïta>, icNtampirmeya< @tavidit iniíta>. kamaepÉaegprma sadagopan.org slokAs. path ofunrighteousness. alone istrue,andfilledwitharrogance, They pursuetheirdesires,whicharene Comments: methods (likedeceitandconfiscation anger, theyhankerfor thefulfillment of Bound withhundredsofropesatta Meaning: arthasancayAn|| Ihante kAmabhogaarthamanyAyena AsA pASaSatai:baddhA:kA $hNte kamÉaegawRmNyayenawRsÂyan!. AazapazztEbRÏa> kam³aexpray[a>, S LOKAM 12 Their attitude is vividly isvividly Their attitude ma krodhaparAyaNA:| ofthepropertyothers). 132 chment, overpowered withdesireand desires and amasswealththroughfoul desiresand hypocrisy and vanity theyfollowthe hypocrisyandvanity ver satisfied,believethattheirview described bythefollowing sadagopan.org hope soon; Now this wealth shall also hope soon; Now this wealth 133 (idam) prApsye manoratham | (idam) prApsye àaPSye mnaerwm!, àaPSye mnaerwm!, ) lBximd< ( 13 LOKAM #dmStIdmip me Éiv:yit punxRnm!. me Éiv:yit punxRnm!. #dmStIdmip idam adya mayA labdham imam idam adya mayA idam asti idam || api me bhavishyati punardhanam Meaning: fulfill that "Today I have won this; I shall be mine". S #dm* mya lBximm< sadagopan.org enjoyer; Iamwellestablished strongandhappy". "I havekilled thisenemy; Iwill kill Meaning: ahambalavAnsukhI|| ISvaro ahambhogIsiddha: hata:Satru:hanishyecaaparAnapi| asau mayA $ñrae=hmh< ÉaegIisÏae=h< blvaNsuoI. AsaE myaht> zÇuhRin:ye capranip, S LOKAM 14 the othersalso;Iam 134 the mighty Lord, the the mightyLord, sadagopan.org e who have most of e qualities crop up in all individuals crop up in all individuals e qualities w the classification into is of beings lapse back into some of the Asurik Asurik the of some into back lapse ct themselves if they express any of ey impede spiritual progress, though the Asurik nature if they do not keep idea expressed therein is only too vivid is only too vivid expressed therein idea mean all of us. Thos ere to equal me? I perform yaj~na snd me? I perform yaj~na to equal ere 135 they are deluded by ignorance. they are deluded by ignorance. d. But this description only those who have all fits 15 LOKAM ADhya: abhijanavAn asmi ka: anya:ADhya: abhijanavAn sadrSa: mayA asti | || modishye iti aj~nAna vimohitA: yakshye dAsyAmi Meaning: who is th "I am wealthy and high-born; S mya, s†zae kae=Nyae=iSt AaF(ae=iÉjnvaniSm #Ty}anivmaeihta>. yúye daSyaim maeid:y give gifts and make merry". Thus give gifts and make merry". Comments: as the explanation need no These slokAs in life today. some of thes Here a doubt may arise that ho and hence and not only the Asurik ones divine and demoniac justifie those who the Asurik qualities and not which would qualities from time to time, the divine qualities will be able to corre the Asurik qualities, on seeing that th there is a possibility of their sinking into track of their emotions. sadagopan.org The reason isfurtherelucidatedinthenext sloka. deed butwillonlyfallina their arrogance.Suchpeoplewillnever only whattheyaredoingistherightthingandl which istheeffect oftheirignorance, people arefilledwithvariousthoughts these asheisdoingthemostentatiously acts likeperformingyaj~nAsorgiving considers himselftobesuperior, evenif describedhere.Onewh sloka isfurther The pictureofonewhois Comments: delusion, intentonsensual pleasu aroundin Thus withtheirmindsroaming Meaning: kAmabhogeshupatantinarakeaSucau|| prasaktA: aneka cittavibhrAntAmohajAlasamAvrtA:| às´a> kamÉaege;u ptiNt nrke=zucaE. AnekicÄivæaNta maehjalsmav&ta>, S LOKAM 16 terrible hell, says KrshNa. terrible hell,saysKrshNa. filled withselfconceit res, theyfallintoterriblehell. 136 for charity,henevergets thefruitof towards sense gratification.Theirego,towards sense traps theminthenetofdelusionthat get themeritoftheirdoinggood withoutanyrealgoodintention.Such heseems tobeengaged inthegood variousways,caughtinthenetof o is arrogant of this wealth and mentioned in the previous mentioned inthe previous ook downonothersdueto sadagopan.org t the result of the their wealth and power and their wealth and power and rn, arrogant of wealth and power, rn, arrogant of wealth and ich is described in the next chapter. ich is described in the next ik impulses even when they indulge in indulge ik impulses even when they they do not respect the rules or the they do not respect the rules ts. They do not have respect for anyone ts. They do not have respect blicity and do not ge who may try to advise remain them and 137 ostentation and against the rules. it is only to show off off show to only is it mbhena avidhi pUrvakam || mbhena avidhi in the spirit of yaj~na. AtmamasambhAvita of. Filled with pride and arrogant their . Hence whatever they do whether it is vedic rites or work they whatever . Hence 17 stabdhA: LOKAM AtmasambhAvitA: stabdhA:mAna mada anvitA: dhana | yaj~nai: te da yajante nAma Meaning: stubbo and conceited are self- Those who with perform yaj~nAs only in a name, Comments: is tAmasik wh The yaj~na mentioned here S xnmanmdaiNvta>, StBxa AaTms<Éaivta> dMÉenaivixpUvRkm!. yjNte namy}ESte The import here is that those with Asur The import here is that those wealth they do not listen to anyone the vedic rites like yaj~na, the vedic rites like yaj~na, sanctity as done without the necessary for it do who priests the to regard no show they also and them know who elders paidthem treating them only as servan except themselves, obstinate, for the society, they do it only for pu act because it is not done sadagopan.org is likehatingtheLord, Whoisin whom Godispresent.Theim blind eye toHimand hence theyareneit they hateMeintheirbody,meaning,the and delusionasacons they their conductandlikeanostrich to acceptGodandthevaluesbecause Those who donotheeddharmaarethe en PrahlAda toHiraNyakaSipu. VibhIshaNahate theadviceofthosewhotellhim When amanisarrogantandselfish,he on dharmaComments: were like intheirownbodiesandothers. towards Me poisDue toego,powerand arrogance,filled withdesireandange Meaning: || abhyasUyakA: paradeheshupradvishanta: mAm Atma casamSritA:| krodham balamdarpamkAmam ahankAram mamaTmprdehe;u àiÖ;Ntae=_ysUyka>. Ah 18 equence they hate GodandHisfollowers. KrshNasays plication isthattobeinimicaltowardsother being side oneaswellinsideothers. 138 bury themselvesintheirownignorance on to RaavaNaso was the advice of wastheadvice on toRaavaNaso about dharma and God. The words of Thewordsof andGod. about dharma wouldnotlistentoreasonand Lord is theirinnerselfandtheyturna Lord is her friendlytowardsotherbeings,in do so makes them feel guilty about emies of theLord.They donot want r, theyarehostile sadagopan.org the Asurik wombs repeatedly going the Asurik wombs repeatedly because they are against Him but as thebecause they are against Him 139 in the wombs of the demoniac only. in the wombs of the demoniac evil tendencies are exhausted. are exhausted. evil tendencies 19 LOKAM tAn aham dvishata: krUrAn samsAreshu narAdhamAn | aSubhAnkshipAmi ajasram yonishu || AsurIshu eva Meaning: doers, into cruel, worst among men and evil I push them, who are hostile, samsAra again and again be born to S nraxman!, ³UraNs 20 140 may bepresentin the natural culminationofeveryone. So the processofdoingitmayrangefrom offsuchstate andclimbuptheladder philosophy. If a cloth gets dirty ithas philosophy. Ifaclothgetsdirty ofimpurities,whichmaylook like ed have to go through the process of theprocessof ed havetogothrough h is trying to regain its original state h istrying toregainitsoriginal state at itis allcock and bullstoryand any mannerin sadagopan.org y of man in chapter 3. of the self because the the of the self because ree must be eradicated. This is the ree must be eradicated. This d termed as j~nAnavij~nAna nASanam, nASanam, d termed as j~nAnavij~nAna 141 alization. This is the ruin bed as the greatest enem 21 LOKAM answer to the probable question whether those with Asurikanswer to the probable question are tendencies damned eternally. self is eternal and cannot be destroyed.self is eternal and cannot Krodha and lobha are the natural th these to kAma. Therefore, consequents trividham narakasya idam dvAram | nASanamAtmana: kAma: krodha:trayam tathA lobha: tasmAt etat tyajet || Meaning: anger and avarice, which will ruin namely, desire, There are three gates to hell, be given up. these three should Hence the self. Comments: The desire, kAma was descri Krodha, anger with kAma an was coupled re destroyer of knowledge and S Öar< naznmaTmn>, iÇivx< nrkSyed< Tyjet!. laeÉStSmadetTÇy< kam> ³aexStwa sadagopan.org SAstrAs because, ... SAstrAs because, How togetfreedfromthese gateways Comments: Supremestate. and evil,onefollows thepathof gloryandattainsthe Oh son ofKunti!Freedfromthesethre Meaning: parAmgatim|| Acarati Atmana:Sreya:tata:yAti etai: vimukta:kaunteya:tribhi:nara:| AacrTyaTmn> ïeySttaeyaitpra 22 142 e which leadtodarknessofignorance to darkness? Only refuge is the sadagopan.org SAstrAs and will not acts as he likes, ppiness in this world nor reaches the 143 23 LOKAM ya: SAstravidhim utsrjyakAma kArata: | ya: SAstravidhim gatim || avApnoti na sukham na parAm na sa siddhim Meaning: of the rules does not heed the One, who ha gets attain salvation and he neither S kamkart>, vtRte y> zaôivixmuTs&Jy n suo< n pra< gitm!. n s isiÏmvaßaeit supreme state. sadagopan.org earlier chapters onkarmayogaandbhaktiyoga. live accordingtotheinstructions.Thewa toknowtheSAst Here thestressisnot Comments: enjoined in theSAstrAs. valid meansofknowledge foryou. Theref To know what is to be done and what should not be done, the SAstrA is the only Meaning: ihaarhasi|| uktamkarmakartum j~nAtvA SAstravidhAna tasmAt SAstrampramANamtekAryaakAryavyavasthitau| }aTva zaôivxanae´ Thus endsthesixteenthchap 24 daivAsura sampatvibhAgayoga: 144 ter ofSrIBhagavadgItAon rAs alonewhichmost peopledobutto ore, knowingthisyouperformthe acts y todothis hasbe en detailedinthe 145 sadagopan.org : perform ritualistic YOGA GA FAITH A 17 OF the rituals as taught by the elders the rituals as taught by the elders scriptures but lack the capacity to scriptures but lack the capacity se to SAstrAs will get results. Here e who neglect the injunctions of the VIBH whether those who whether those of those who perform the vedic rituals vedic of those who perform the 147 KINDS HAPTER TRAYA C sattvam Aho raja: tama: || sattvam Aho raja: tama: || A HREE T RADDH S 1 LOKAM SAstrAs faith in but those who have full learn them and understand them and do the people that are meant are not thos actions with full faith but without recour arjuna uvAca SraddhayAn vitA:ye SAstra vidhim utsrjya yajante | teshAm nishThA tu kA krshNa AjuRn %vac ye zaôivixmuTs&Jy yjNte ïÏyaiNvta>, tu ka k«:[ sÅvmahae rjStm>. te;a< inóa S Meaning: Arjuna said – what will be the condition Oh KrshNa, with faith but not according to the rules laid down by the SAstrAs? Is it sAttvik or rAjasik or tAmasik? Comments: In the previous chapter, KrshNa said that SAstra must be the authority in all gets a doubt as to actions. Now Arjuna sadagopan.org penance andactsofcharityintothr KrshNa startsclassifyingfaithinthis know whethersuchfaithcanbeclassi without knowingtheirsignificanceandwith ee kinds, sAttvik,rAjasikandtAmasik. fied as sAttvik, rAjasik or tAmasik. rAjasikortAmasik. fied assAttvik, 148 adhyAya and also the food,sacrifice, adhyAyaandalsothe blindfaith.Arjunafurtherwants to sadagopan.org died beings depending on their naturedied beings depending on their 149 2 LOKAM The Lord said- for the embo The faith is of three kinds and classified as sAttvik, rAjasik and tAmasik. Listen. SrI bagavAn uvAca SrI bagavAn uvAca sA svabhAvajA | trividhA bhavati SraddhA dehinAm sAttvikI rAjasI ca iti tAm SrNu || ca eva tAmasI Meaning: S ïIÉgvanuvac SvÉavja, deihna< sa iÇivxa Évit ïÏa ï&[u. cEv tamsI ceit ta< saiÅvkI rajsI sadagopan.org uppermost. Hencethefaithalso isofthreekinds. composition ofthethreeguNAsaccording towhicheverguNAisthe inhim, A man is whatto threeguNAs, whichever amongthe threeispredominant atthetime. he believesFaith istheresultofkarmaandvaries heComments: is and thisthe manisashisfaithis. dependsThe faithdiffersaccording on theMeaning: natureSraddhAmaya: ayampurusha:ya of the SraddhAbhavatibhArata| sarvasya anurUpA sattva ïÏamyae=y< pué;ae yaeyCÀÏ>s@vs>. sÅvanuêpa svRSyïÏaÉvitÉart, S LOKAM 3 to one'snature,Ohthede : yatSraddha:saevasa:|| 150 according to the mental impressions due mentalimpressions tothe according scendent ofBharata,and sadagopan.org though it causes some some causes it though es and also monstrous in the forces d tend to dominate the world. The ke the abhicAra homAs, done for the homAs, done for the ke the abhicAra em attract similar vibrations in the d results in the welfare of all. On the of all. d results in the welfare vAs, yakshAs, and bhUtAs rakshasAs e of humanity propitiate sAttvik forms the rAjasik attract similarand they rs thus acquired are used to oppress rs thus acquired are used to oppress hAs and rAkshasAs, meaning those like those like hAs and rAkshasAs, meaning monsters. The tAmasic sacrifices offer ed according to the three guNAs. Those ed according to the three guNAs. 151 jasik and wealth are performed for power yajante tAmasA: janA: || yajante tAmasA: ksharakshAmsi rAjasA: | ksharakshAmsi on the one who sendseven 4 LOKAM other hand the vibrations sent out by the vibrations other hand tAmasika vibrations recoil universe and the acts gather strength an universe and passionate and powerful an become more yajante sAttvikA: devAnyajante sAttvikA: ya ca anye pretAn bhUtagaNAn Meaning: Those predominantly in sAttvik and the nature offer sacrifice to the devAs, beings and rAjasik to the supernatural to the ancestral spirits ghosts. and Comments: demonic forc There are divine forces and by de world and these are represented also classifi respectively. Sacrifices are rA of welfar which are done for the purpose etc. varuNa Indra, like divinity of the yaks and they are directed towards kALi in her fierce form and the powe others. The tAmasik are those which are li of destruction. evil forces They invoke destruction of others. the of welfare e yaj~na is any offering made by way term, th the modern sense of the Even in the for is do Whatever the sAttvik people of one's activities. world and the vibrations sent out by th S devaNy]r]a LOKAMS the Lord also who is inside them. This kind of people include asurAs such as as such asurAs include people of kind This them. inside is who rAjasik rituals to attain these. They and thus persecute torment their bodies also Lord the HirNayakaSipu, RaavaNa etc. In modern this fame and power also come under sAttvik, rAjasik and tAmasik people and induces similar tendencies. Those who follow the austerities not sa austerities Those who follow the homAs propitiating the spirits come under tAmasik kind. Next KrshNa classifies the food also asAstra vihitam ghoram tapyante ye tapo janA: | kAma rAga bala anvita: ||5|| dambha ahankAra samyuktA: karshayanta: bhUtagrAmam: SarIrastham | tAn viddhimAm ca eva anta: SarIrastham Asura niScayAn || 6 || Meaning: their vanity, ego and influenced by passi their vanity, ego and influenced manner, and Me their bodies in a mindless them to be of Asurik resolve. Comments: Those who are moved by greed and desire S tPyNte ye tpae jna>, Azaôiviht< "aer< kamragblaiNvta>. 5. dMÉah»ars 7 154 and hearthedifference inyaj~na,tapas charity also differ according to the charityalsodifferaccordingtothe sadagopan.org d and they are not d oily, firm and appetizing oily, impure things as the pigs do are the pigs do impure things as ity, strength of mind, power, health, ity, strength of mind, power, s are fierce and rAjasik, whiles are fierce and rAjasik, the foods which are blan foods their character. Even among animals we their character. Even among 155 physical and mental well being. physical and mental well being. ople of sAttvik temperament. ople of sAttvik food that is delectable, food that is delectable, 8 LOKAM herbivorous are sAttvik. Those which eat herbivorous are sAttvik. Those eaten in excess and which promote find that those which are carnivorou find that those which are tAmasik. with men. Similar is the case The sAttvik food consists of all fresh are that which is enjoyed by pe are that which is enjoyed by Comments: determines The kind of food one eats Ayu: sattva Arogya bala sukha prIti vivardhanA: | rasyA: snigdhA: priyA: sthirA hrdyA AhArA: sAttvika || Meaning: longev The sAttvik kind of food promotes comfort and pleasure and the S Aayu> sÅvblaraeGysuoàIitivvxRna>, ù*a Aahara> saiÅvkiàya>. rSya> iõGxa> iSwra sadagopan.org results induhkhaandSoka. and pain.Sincethey kindlethedesire Any foodthathasstrongtasteisrAjasikandeaten inexcess produceill health Comments: desire islikedbytherAjasikpeople. which causespainandsufferingi The foodwhichisexcessivelybitter,sour Meaning: duhkhaSokaAmayapradA:|| AhArA: rAjasasyaishTA kaTu amlalavaNaatiushNAtI Aahara rajsSyeòaÊ>ozaekamyàda>. kq!vMllv[aTyu:[tIú[ê]ivdaihn>, S LOKAM 9 kshNa rUkshavidhAhina:| 156 ll-health and and whichkindlespassion for themthey areeatenin excess and , salty,hot,pungent, harsh,burning, sadagopan.org d, refuse and impure is the food that that food the is impure and refuse d, 157 by the people who are ignorant and lazy. people who are ignorant by the 10 LOKAM yAtayAmam gatarasam pUti paryushitam ca yat | ca amedhyam bojanam tAmasapriyamucchishTam api || Meaning: decaye tasteless, smelling, The ill-cooked, S c yt!, pyuRi;t< pUit yatyam< gtrs< cameXy< Éaejn< tamsiàym!. %iCDòmip is eaten by tAmasik people. Comments: is liked Food that is stale and impure sadagopan.org varNAsrama dharma. SAstrAs. Sothereisno only forthe welfare ofthe worldan peopleare The yaj~nadonebythesAttvik notforanypersonalgainbutitis Comments: to bedone. aphala AkAnksha The sAttvikayaj~na istheone whichis Meaning: sasAttvika:|| evaitimana:samAdhAya yashTavyam aphala AkAnkshibhi:yaj~na: yòVymeveit mn>smaxayssaiÅvk>. A)laka'!i]iÉyR}ae ivix†òaey#Jyte, S LOKAM 11 andasenjoinedinthescriptur palAkAnksha vidhi drshTa: caijyate| vidhi drshTa: 158 butdoneasadutyaccordingtothe d becausetheyareenjoined inthe donewithoutexpectationoffruit, es withtheresolvethatithas sadagopan.org for worldly things or at its best with for worldly things or at its best fruit are rAjasik only, says KrshNa fruit are rAjasik only, says g the clan of Bharata, is the g the clan of Bharata, is one ostentation which is even worse as it as even worse is ostentation which more karma and results in more births. karma and results in more more oduce the result expected. Such people people Such expected. the result oduce 159 result or for ostentation. result 12 LOKAM abhisandhAya tu phalam dambhArthamabhisandhAya api ca eva yat | rAjasam || tam yaj~nam viddhi ijyate bharataSreshTha Meaning: best amon yaj~na, Oh the The rAjasik of undertaken with the expectation Comments: of expectation All yaj~nAs done with the of desire out because they are performed S AiÉs 13 160 iests andothersifneglectedordone e priestsalsobecomingmercenaryand rituals atallratherthandoingthem cessary evil to be done with as quickly e previouschapterinsloka16asthe s and the injunctions in the sAstrAs. s andtheinjunctionsinsAstrAs. ptural sanction, with no offering of ptural sanction,withnooffering of sadagopan.org and the learned, e SAstrAs, and elders gurus, is and 161 Arjavam, straight celibacy forward dealing, aspiring towards spirituality. erity to be observed at the body level. It is only only is It level. body the at observed be to erity h is stressed here as the austerity regarding speech here as the austerity h is stressed , cleanliness and 14 Saucam LOKAM and non violence form the aust at the physical level whic slokAs. and the mind is mentioned in the following the duty of a house holder who is the duty of a house holder who Similarly janam Saucam Arjavam | prAj~na pUjanam Saucam devadvija guru ahimsA catapa ucyatebrahmacaryam || Meaning: of devAs, Brahmins,The worship elders and preceptors of the and non-violence are the austerities cleanliness, guilelessness, celibacy body. Comments: as ordained the Brahmins by the SAstrAs, devAs, worshipping the Revering and mastered th those who have which means S zaEcmajRvm!, deviÖjguéàa}pUjn< %Cyte. zarIr< tp äücyRmih 15 priyam brUyAt.Butheshouldnotsp eak thetruth ifit eshadharma:sanAtana:|| nstitutes verbalausterities. . Itshouldbepleasantbuttrue. 162 , pleasantandbneficial togetherwith eak untruthwhichis pleasing.Thisis ---manu smrti 4:138 ---manu smrti4:138 satyam brUyAt. satyam sadagopan.org . here here . A cow cow . A na brUyAt apriyam , one should not . he could not hear hear not he could priyam ca na anrtam brUyAtpriyam ca na anrtam na brUyAt satyam apriyam satyam na brUyAt ng that way. The sage replied that that replied sage The way. that ng not hear. Thinking that he was mad, that he was not hear. Thinking she was trying to bring sIta to him ion of sIta and VibhIshaNa told him him told VibhIshaNa and sIta of ion , i.e., which is harmful. is harmful. , i.e., which avoid giving pain to Dasaratha by k but had seen the cow. Thus he did k but had seen the cow. Thus s pleasing to RaavaNa but it brought atha was asking him to stop on their the king later that the king later meant was the eyes saw the cow but meant was the eyes saw the ide meditating. The pursuers came and ide meditating. The pursuers telling the truth because ahimsa takes telling the truth because ahimsa y of doing harm. But untruth should not untruth should harm. But y of doing r whether she knew HanumAn, which she which she HanumAn, knew r whether she oke untruth. This is a case of oke untruth. This is a case 163 priyam ca na anrtam brUyAt harmful to the cow. satyam brUyAt priyam brUyAt will please the listener, the listener, will please apriyam shows the meaning of shows the meaning na brUyAt satyam apriyam as it was speak an untruth just to please another. prolonging the agony of separation. SurpanakhA told RaavaNa the untruth that and was punished by LakshmaNa, which wa the command to stop. This again was to him destruction. This is the case of did not know. She spoke untruth but it was in accordance with dharma that one did not know. She spoke untruth even by should not cause harm to others over all else. precedence Rama similarly told Sumantra, when Dasar way to the forest, to drive fast and tell sIta told the rAkshasIs, who asked he who sIta told the rAkshasIs, is not pleasant, is not pleasant, RaavaNaMarIca advised against his abduct will be the truth that RaavaNa and spoke Both were well-wishers to return sIta. and to him with love ce. They spoke not listening to their advi destroyed by example of is the This concern. that There is a story a round to kill, and it went it wishing pursuing were was fleeing from men, who sitting outs hermitage where a sage was a cow comi he saw asked the sage whether the tongue does the eye does not speak and the sage the pursuers went away. What satyam apriyam could not speak and the tongue could spea could not speak and the tongue means that which is not pleasant by wa not pleasant by which is means that it just because be spoken neither sp not speak the truth yet he sadagopan.org kind oftapas,whichisexplainedinthenext sloka. threeslokAsreferonlytosAttvik All therequisitesmentionedinabove bhAva samSuddhi: Atma vinigraha: thoughts oftheworldlyaffairs. mental austerityitmeansthinkingabou maunam saumyatvam mana: prasAda:-theequanimityofmind,devoidrAgaanddvesha. Comments: the austeritiesofmind. Mental calmness, gentleness,silence,self Meaning: mAnasamucyate|| bhAvasamSuddhi: itietattapa: maunamAtmavinigraha:| mana: prasAda:saumyatvam Éavs -silenceregarding anysubjectother 16 -alwaysgentleandlovingtowardsothers. - Control of senses through the mind. the through senses of -Control -asaresultoftheabove, purityofmind. 164 t theLordonlyandbanishingall control,extremeem than theLord.Sinceitrefersto otional purityare sadagopan.org no expectation of result, is known as of result, is known no expectation eech and mind done with supreme faitheech and mind done with supreme 165 swAmi deSikan 17 LOKAM SraddhayA parayA taptam tapa: trividham narai: | taptam tapa: trividham SraddhayA parayA yuktai: sAttvikam paricakshateaphala AkAnkshibhi: || Meaning: body, sp austerities of These threefold sAttvik. S nrE>, tÝ< tpStiTÇivx< ïÏya prya saiÅvk< pirc]te. A)laka'!i]iÉyuR´E> by those whose mind is integrated with by those whose mind is integrated sadagopan.org they maylapseintoworldlylifeanytimeiftheirpopularitydeclines. necessary mentalequipoiseofasAttvik the worldlygrandeurofbeing worshippedasholymen.Sincetheylackthe austerities aspertheSAstrAs,theirpu popularity istheway ofpseudo yogis. The tapasdonewithaviewofreaching Comments: with ostentationisrAjasikandit Any austerityundertakenforthesakeof Meaning: ihaproktamrAjasamcalamadhruvam|| kriyate tat dambhenacaevayat| mAnapUjArthamtapa: satkAra i³yte tidh àae´< rajs< clmØuvm!. sTkarmanpUjaw¡ tpae dMÉencEvyt!, S LOKAM 18 isnotstableorpermanent. 166 Thoughtheyobservetherules ofthe rpose is not aspiring for mukti but for muktibut rpose isnotaspiringfor a positionwhichwill yogi, their success is short lived and yogi, theirsuccessisshortlivedand praise,prideortobeworshipped ensure praiseand sadagopan.org pas done by the asuras was ofpas done by the asuras this as tAmasik.as of The violent methods torment the world later by acquiring torment the world later by 167 dy falls under this kind of tapas. dy falls under this kind of tapas. 19 LOKAM kind. The purpose of their tapas was to tapas kind. The purpose of their are known supernatural powers. These bo injury on the worship like inflicting Some indulge in yogic practices influenced by tAmasikSome indulge in yogic practices impulses and follow The ta austerities tormenting themselves. mUDha grAheNa Atmana: yat pIDayA kriyate tapa: | parasya utsAdana artham udahrtam || vA tat tAmasam Meaning: tormenting one self or others, that obstinacy, The austerity followed through is known as tAmasik. Comments S i³yte tp>, yTpIfya mUF¢ahe[aTmnae va tÄamsmudaùtm!. prSyaeTsadnaw¡ sadagopan.org for it,whichwenever do. denotes. TheLordgivesuseverything as returningafavourdone, The giftthus givenmustbeforthejoy have everything, which isthecommo he could not eat orone issufferingfrom hungerorthirst, drink. It is no useThis meansthatclothes,waterandfood giving everything to thosetanNIrE sOrEaramseyyum who already says, time andtothedeservingperson.IntiruppAvai,ANDAL share what hehaswith others.Thattoo thatonehasto say everyone astheSAstrAs for The gifttoothersisamust KrshNa nowclassifiesthegift Comments: it hastobedonewithout expectinganythinginreturn issAttvik. the one who doesnot returnthe goodturn donetohim,withtheattitudethat A giftwhichismadeattherightplace Meaning: deSe kalecapAtreta | anupakAriNe dIyate itiyatdAnam dAtavyam deze kale c paÇe ctÎan 20 t dAnamsAttvi . in whichcaseitbecomes ordAnaintothreekinds. n practiceinthemodernworld. 168 without evenexpectingustothankHim and time to adeserv and timeto kam smrtam || kam smrtam it isnousegivinghimsomethingwhich of givingandnotexpectingafavouror should begivenaccordingtotheplace, aretobegiven rAjasik asthenextsloka ing recipient andto theneedy. When ambaramE ambaramE sadagopan.org kra slightly cut His kra slightly cut His tadvakshasthala nitya e of His devotees and returns ite of His devotees and returns g in return or as a return favour or g in return or as a return favour lp done to him. The good souls value value souls good The him. to done lp is, Draupadi tore her sari and wrapped cakra and after the killing, the cakra elf ever indebted to the gopis for the to the gopis elf ever indebted omised to help her at the appropriate unintentionally. KrshNa regretted that raised finger. The ca round the temple of GuruvAyurappan 169 was all the lIla of the Lord only. the Lord was all the lIla of t Lakshmi abides forever, t dAnam rAjasam smrtam || 21 , remembers even the smallest servic , remembers even the smallest LOKAM chasing his cow. The Lord thought that he should do that man some good since since good some man that do should he that manifold. It is said that a man went thought Lord The cow. his chasing story a is There called. she as though soon even his temple round went he as Draupadi of rescue the to go not did He it behind this incident even though When KrshNa killed SiSupAla with His When KrshNa pr time KrshNa That around His finger. vAsarasika His on rested and KrshNa to back came seeing th finger and started bleeding. On yat tu pratyupakarArtham vA puna: | phalam uddiSya ta dIyate ca pariklishTam Meaning: of somethin The gift given with expectation unwillingly is rAjasik. Comments: To do something as pratyupakAram is not wrong but one should not do it with the attitude the he that he is returning incapable them consider and highly very others by them to done good something Hims of returning it. KrshNa considered towards Him. love they showed Lord nArAyaNa, in whose ches S pun>, va )lmuiÎZy yÄu àTyupkaraw¡ Sm&tm!. tÎan< rajs< piri¬ò< c dIyte sadagopan.org unless givenwholeheartedly. To givesomething unwillingly isalso hewasnotabusinessman to exchangesomethingforhisbhakti. wanted said Himwhat he borrowing orabusinessdeal.PrahlAdawhenthe Lordasked To givesomething expectin to theLordHimself. who helpsusthroughthem.Henceifweforg who isungrateful?Whensomeonedoesan that havebeengivenbyHimtous!Howcanoneexpect When the Lord Himself is like that how much more we should be grateful for all anyone but neverremembers Satamapi smaratyapakArANAm krtenaikenaRama isdescribedbyVaalmikiaskatamcidupakAreNa tushyatina though Hewasindebtedtoher. theLord shows HisbhaktaparAdInatva, notasapratyu helped Draupadianyhow krtaj~nAtA displayedbytheLordHims Still theLordwasnotsatisfiedwith who reeled offyardsandofcloth byDussasana time. Hedidsobysupplyingclothestoherwhenshewasdisrobed even ahundred disservice. g somethinginreturn isonly likelendingand , heremembers even asingleservicedoneby 170 wrong becausethegiftlosesitsvalue until hebecame exhausted andfainted. pakAra forwhatshehasdonebut to elf tothe world.KrshNawouldhave what Hehaddoneandthatisthe has created the circumstances as hascreatedthecircumstances ything gooditistheLordHimself et and do harm in return it is done Lakshmitocomeone sadagopan.org ould not be given with ---taittrIya up. - SIkshAvalli be humble and should think be humble and should think ly and insultingly at wrong place and ly and insultingly at wrong place ving few rupees is not a dAna in the 171 y in which dAna is to be done. y in which dAna is to be done. , with reverence. It sh Adeyam | SriyA deyam | Sraddha SriyA deyam means that the dAna must be made yam | samvidA deyam | means that one who gives must aSraddha. 22 LOKAM SraddhayA deyam | aSradhay hriyA deyam | bhiyA de disrespect, according to one's wealth. A millionaire gi in the right manner without transgressing real sense. hriyA done be should it his gift. bhiyA deyam accepting refers the recipient is that honour that it is an that fear the to ïÏya deym!, AïÏyadeym!, iïya deym!, deym!, iÿya deym!, iÉya deym!, s LOKAM Brahman manifest as the Universe. Brahman manifest as the Universe. the parattvam. VedAs and the yaj~nAs were cr VedAs and the yaj~nAs were Comments: The expression ' of an ward off the effects of Brahman. mean the three aspects three words om tat sat iti nirdeSa: br om tat sat iti purA || vedA: ca yaj~nA: ca vihitA: brAhmaNA: tena Meaning: Brahman is denoted by the threefold expression, S Sm&t>, äü[iôivx> indeRzae ` tTsidit y}aí ivihta> pura. äaü[aSten vedaí sadagopan.org to the Supreme Being and the to the Supreme Being and 175 ' become charged with divine power. with divine power. ' become charged om ' when uttered, directs the mind ' when uttered, directs the 24 ' by those who have learnt the VedAs. ' by those who have learnt the om LOKAM tasmAt om iti udAhrtya yaj~na dAna tapa:tasmAt om iti kriyA: | pravartante vAdinAm vidhAna uktA: satatam brahma || Meaning: start always by the VedAs austerities enjoined Hence all sacrifices, gifts and with ' Comments: The word 'om acts done starting with ' S y}dantp>i³ya>, tSmadaeimTyudaùTy äüvaidnam!. stt< àvtRNte ivxanae´a> sadagopan.org moksha are chantedwith'tat'.moksha are the actsdone withoutexpectationofre Since theword' Comments: without expectingresultuttertheword' Those who aspireformokshaandperf Meaning: dAnakriyA: cavividhA:kriyantemokshakAnkshibhi:|| tat itianabhisandhAyaphalamyaj~natapa:kriyA:| dani³yaí ivivxa>i³yNtemae]ka'!i]iÉ>. tidTyniÉs 25 ' referstoBrahman,thegoal tat' 176 orm yaj~nAs and austerities andgifts orm yaj~nAsandausterities sult and with the purpose of attaining sult andwiththepurposeofattaining tat' before theyperform theseacts. be reached, that is moksha, bereached,thatis sadagopan.org sat. Brahman as the Universe, all Brahman as the Universe, nce and goodnessArjuna, and also 177 are of the world are begun with with are of the world are begun sat denotes of the manifestation 26 sat' is used in auspicious actions. LOKAM sadbhAve sAdhubhAve ca sat iti etat prayujyatesadbhAve sAdhubhAve | tathApraSaste karmaNi yujyate || sat Sabda: pArtha Meaning: The word 'sat' is used in the sense of existe the word ' Comments: As the word welf auspicious acts done for the S c sidTyetTàyuJyte, sÑave saxuÉave yuJyte. pawR twa sCDBd> àzSte kmRi[ sadagopan.org free of selfish desiresandwhateverdoneinthatattitudebecomeskarmayoga. with theutteranceof' This meansthatallactivitiessanctioned Comments: in actionsrespecttothese,arenamedas' insacrifices,auster Steadfastness Meaning: evaabhidhIyate|| satiti karma caevatadarthIyam yaj~ne tapasidAnecasthiti:satitiucyate| kmR cEv tdwIRy< sidTyevaiÉxIyte. y}e tpis daneciSwit> siditcaeCyte, S LOKAM 27 om tatsat'becausethemindthenbecomespureand ity andgiftsisalsoknownas 178 bytheVedAs, aresAttvikwhendone sat'. sat andhence sadagopan.org asat, Arjuna and KrshNa concludes that by saying any ter of SrI Bhagavad gItA on ter of SrI Bhagavad gItA ter SraddhAtraya vibhAga yoga:, the ter SraddhAtraya vibhAga med without faith are futile neither neither med without faith are futile 179 nor in the other world. nor ca tat pretya no iha || ca tat pretya yoga: vibhAga SraddhAtraya 28 Thus ends the seventeenth chap Thus ends the seventeenth LOKAM aSraddhayA krtam hutam dattam tapa: taptam ca yat | asai iti ucyate pArtha na Meaning: faith is done without sacrifices gift or austerity Whatever that is fruitful neither here Comments: the chap with the theme of In keeping S c yt!, k«t< tpStÝ< dÄ< AïÏya ÷t< tTàeTy nae #h. n c pawR AsidTyuCyte classification of SraddhA, of three types sacrifice, gifts and austerities perfor bringing result in this world or the next. bringing result in this world 180 sadagopan.org : YOGA ENUNCIATION SA 18 R A een tyAga, abnegation and sannyAsa, een tyAga, abnegation and 181 a the following points are elucidated. a the following SANNY HAPTER elucidating on tyAga and sannyAsa. C THROUGH OKSHA M adhyAyAs epitome of the of the Gita comprise the : th IBERATION L NTRODUCTION The second and 18 The second and Gita. In this adhyAy teachings of the 1. and sannyAsa The identity between tyAga 2. The nature of tyAga. 3. Attributing Lord. agency of all actions to the 4. Elaborate description of sattva, and tamas. rajas 5. yoga of liberation. The means 6. Bhakti betw asks the difference Arjuna first starts Then KrshNa renunciation. I sadagopan.org I wish to know the real I wish to know the inkers in the two slokAs that follow e renunciation of action by sannyAsa hO, HrshIkeSa and slayer of KeSi to and slayer of hO, HrshIkeSa d the meaning of renunciation and d the meaning of renunciation j~nAna mArga and tyAga or abnegation 183 and master of the senses. master of the senses. and 1 LOKAM before conveying His opinion. nature of renunciation, and abnegation. and abnegation. nature of renunciation, Comments: names mahAbA Arjuna calls KrshNa by the can expoun denote that KrshNa alone abnegation, being all powerful Renunciation or sannyAsa denotes the denotes the karma mArga. Arjuna means th and giving up of attachment to fruit by tyAga. KrshNa first puts forth the concept of sannyAsa and tyAga by other th Arjuna said - eSa, the slayer of KeSi, Oh mighty armed, Oh HrshIk arjuna said icchAmi veditum | sannyAsasya mahAbAho tattvam tyAgsya keSinishUdana || ca hrshIkeSa prthak Meaning: S AjuRn %vac tÅvimCDaim veidtum!, s 2 sagesandthewise.HeresannyAsameans 184 d bydesire,saythe learned peopleand sadagopan.org , referred to in the fifth , referred to in the fifth further refer only to karmin or one Arurukshu at the vedic karma like sacrifices etc. at the vedic karma like sacrifices mpanied with results and as such may mpanied with results and as es apply only to those who have not es apply only to those who ons to be renounced? KrshNa answersons to be renounced? KrshNa tened or yogarUDha. Hence the three Hence the tened or yogarUDha. karma has to as even the be abandoned 185 ree guNAs and inclinedree guNAs for activity. and tapas should not be given up. and tapas should not be given the aspirants of salvation. 3 LOKAM tyAjyam doshavat itityAjyam doshavat manIshiNa: | eke karma prAhu: apare || karma na tyAjyam iti ca yaj~na dAna tapa: Meaning: toSome think that all karma is others say be abandoned as being defective and that the acts like yaj~na, dAna Comments: the acti is which are Now the question that all that some are of the opinion karma sanctioned VedAs are acco by the the view th kindle desire. But others hold should be performed even by alternativ Sankara explains that these S TyaJy< dae;vidTyeke kmR àa÷mRnIi;[>, n TyaJyimit capre. y}dantp> kmR acquired the knowledge of Brahman, the of Brahman, acquired the knowledge adhyAya and not to the already enligh adhyAya and not to the already kinds of tyAga or abandonment described who is still under the influence of th sadagopan.org according to the nature of guNAs that operate onhim. according tothenatureofguNAsthatoperate classified underthethreeguNAs asthein Similarlyevengivingunder thesethreeclassifications. uptheactionsarealso explained in theprevious chaptersthat all actionssanctionedbytheVedAs fall guNAs andhence thekarmAsarealsocla andinte All karmainvolvesbody,mind Comments: abnegation, which,Ohtigeramongmen, isdescribedasofthreekinds. Hear fromMe,Ohthebestamongth Meaning: tyAga: hipurushavyAghratrividha: samprakIrtita:|| bharatasattama| niScayam SrNumetatratyAge Tyagae ihpué;Vyaº iÇivx>s<àkIitRt>. iníy< ï&[u metÇTyageÉrtsÄm, S LOKAM 4 186 llect which arethe ssified according to the guNAs.Itwas the to ssified according e clan of Bharata, about tyAga or or e clanofBharata,abouttyAga dividual acts or give up actions only upactionsonly dividual actsorgive product ofthree sadagopan.org e not to be given up. They have to be e not to be given up. They have 187 is explained in the next sloka. is explained in the next sloka. pAvanAni manIshiNAm || pAvanAni manIshiNAm 5 LOKAM yaj~na dAna tapa: karma na tyAjyamyaj~na dAna tapa: kAryam eva tat | tapa: ca eva yaj~na: dAnam Meaning: and tapas ar The actions like yaj~na, dAna the mind. done as they will purify It does tyAga come in? So where S n TyaJy< kayRmev tt!, y}dantp> kmR y}ae dan< tpíEv pavnain mnIi;[am!. sadagopan.org Now tyAgaisclassifiedintothreekinds. expectation ofthefruit. Thisisnothingbutkarmayoga. mind. Buttheyhavetobeperforme yaj~na, dAnaandtapasarenottobeabandonedbecausetheyhelppurifythe KrshNa nowgivesHisdecisi Comments and shouldbedoneasobligatory. But theseactsalsoshouldbedonewith Meaning: kartavyani itimepArtha phalAnica| sangamtyaktvA etAni apitukarmANi ktRVyanIit mepawR iniít< mtmuÄmm!. c, @taNyip tukmaRi[s¼ 6 niScitam matam uttamam || uttamam|| niScitam matam on the abandonmentof This isMyconfirmed view,Arjuna. 188 out attachmentandexpectationoffruit d withoutattachmentandwithno action.Hesaysthat sadagopan.org and occasional ceremonies like the and occasional ceremonies cted to perform while being in this cted to perform while in this being relinquishing them out of delusion is relinquishing them out of delusion varNAsrama should be performed which should be performed varNAsrama tyAga is only tAmasik by being induced ans that one has to do his duty and not ans that one has to do his 189 ty of the mind and hence abandoning these is not mind and hence abandoning ty of the 7 LOKAM householder. These works help in in works help These for the householder. pancamahA yaj~nAs prescribed acquiring knowledge and puri proper and is only tAmasik. to one's according The karma enjoined It me as secular. include vedic as well will lead to that giving up all work forsake it under the wrong conception moksha. This is a delusion and such a moha. tAmasik. Comments: the daily Obligatory works here means niyatasya tu sannyAsa: karmaNa: upapadyate | na || tAmasa: parikIrtita: mohAt tasya parityAga: Meaning: is expe one actions which The obligatory and embodiment have to be undertaken S kmR[ae naepp*te, inytSy tu s 8 examplesinour everydaylife. ant tobetterhimselfbyimprovinghis 190 e sorrystatofaffairsasitistoday. ual progressact?Thenextslokamakes e decayofthevarNAsramadharma , doesonly rAjasiktyAgaandwillnot behaviormainlydu ould be done as svadharma may be ould bedoneassvadharmamay most people buttheytendtoabandon most people work hard,afraidofthehardshipit y suchasneglecting theagedin workthatisessentialforit canbe physical suffering.Asan e tothehardships sadagopan.org Whatever path one follows, Whatever path one follows, is that the renunciation is not the is that the renunciation is cause they ought to without be done renunciation consists in giving up of consists in giving renunciation rga, this is the important criterion. criterion. rga, this is the important rson who gives up attachment and result 191 fruit, it is sAttvik tyAga. the fruit and attachment. 9 LOKAM kAryam iti arjuna | yat karma niyatam kriyate eva sangam tyaktvA sAttvika: mata: || phalam ca evasa: tyAga: Meaning: be are performed when actions Oh Arjuna, Comments: above slokAs The idea emphasized by the but the true mere abandoning of action action but in giving up of j~nAna mArga, karma or bhakti mA mArga and givingTo do the work without attachment up the fruit induces the purity of the self becomes fit to meditate on one when mind and awakens the awareness and acquires knowledge. What is the state of mind of such a pe of the fruit of action? S inyt< i³yte=juRn, kayRimTyev yTkmR cEv s Tyag> saiÅvkae mt>. s¼< Ty®va )l< attachment and renouncing the attachment and renouncing the sadagopan.org tyAgi is the onewhohasgive tyAgi isthe long as one isHence renunciationdoesnotmeangiving in embodiment one hasdesire fortheresult. to performthe pleasantactionsarealsodoesnotma some action or other. So a as actionstobedonewi the sakeof othersor asaduty.These actions. Sometimesinlife,wehaveto all his tosuchatyAgithrough This meansthatneithersinnormeritaccrues Comments: to whatisbedoneandhow. ones becauseheissaturatedinsattvaand He doesnothatedisagreeableactsnorhegetattachedtotheagreeable Meaning: samAvishTa:medhAvIchinnasamSaya:|| tyAgI sattva na dveshTiakuSalamkarmanaanushajjate| TyagI sÅvsmaivòaemexavIiDÚs 10 thout attachmentanddislik n upthefruitofactions. 192 perform some disagreeable actionsfor performsomedisagreeable are lookeduponbythe enlightenedone upofwork,saysKrshNabecauseas ke himfeelelatedbecause hehasno is wise,towhomtherenodoubtas e for theresult.Similarly sadagopan.org nce is in doing everything without nce is in doing everything KrshNa answersthe next sloka this by 193 he alone is termed as a tyAgi. the subsequent slokAs. the subsequent 11 LOKAM na hi dehabhrtA Sakyam tyaktumna hi dehabhrtA karmANi aSeshata: | who One tyAgIya: tu karmaphala sa: tyAgI abhidhIyate iti || completely. action up give to soul Meaning: embodied any for possible not is It has renounced the fruit of action Comments: certain work apartEven a sannyAsi has to perform from breathing, eating etc., the differe according to his Asrama. But of the fruit of action. attachment and expectation thatBut there may arise a doubt all actions even if one is not expecting a result avoid and how can even the sannyAsis result will naturally have their karma? of their the result experiencing and elaborates on that in S Ty´…< kmaR{yze;t>, n ih dehÉ&ta zKy< s TyagITyiÉxIyte. yStu kmR)lTyagI sadagopan.org cause of karma and its fruits. cause ofkarmaandits of theseproperly getstheresultofbo yoga as being distinct from each other paNDitA: has saidinchapter5,sloka4, used todenotej~nAna mArgaandkarma the effectofkarmaonsannyAsa.Th Then KrshNaanalysesthework, karmait are spreadoutintheworldan realize Brahmanandarenotbornagain? But whathappenstotheresultofth the fruitand actwithoutattachment. perform themwithdesireandattachment The meaning oftheaboveisthatfrui Comments: renounced souls. accrue aftertheirdeathonlytothos The threekindsofresultskarmaare Meaning: kvacit|| natusannyAsinAm pretya bhavati atyAginAm | phalam karmaNa: anishTam ishTammiSramcatrividham ÉvTyTyaigna< àeTy ntus , whichmeansthatonlytheignora 12 d sharedbythegoodsouls. sAnkhyayogau prthakbAlA:pravadanti na 194 ough the terms tyAga and sannyAsa are ough thetermstyAgaandsannyAsaare and notthewise.Onewhofollowseither e who are not tyAgis butnevertothe e whoarenottyAgis th. Hence KrshNa is now describing the th. HenceKrshNaisnow e karmAsoftherenouncedsoulswho mArga respectively, asKrshNahimself mArga respectively, namely unpleasant, pleasantandmixed ts of karma adhere only to those who adhereonlytothosewho ts ofkarma and not to those who haverenounced andnottothosewho Al theresultsoftheirgoodkarmAs self to enable Arjuna to understand self toenableArjunaunderstand nt speak of the sAnkhya and karma ofthesAnkhyaandkarma nt speak sadagopan.org samyak khyAyate for the fulfillment of all , the knowledge of the Self. , the knowledge of the s in order to denote that the Self is s in order to denote that the 195 recipient of the fruit of action. recipient of the fruit of action. om Me, these five causes 13 LOKAM actions cited in the sAnkhya which actions cited in the sAnkhya lead the actions to their end. Comments: expoundingsAnkhya here means the upanishads BrahmavidyA. paramAtma tattvaj~nAnam anena iti sAnkhyam, for the action KrshNa explains the causes nor the neither the agent of actions Oh mighty armed! Know fr panca etAni mahAbAho kAraNAni nibodha me | kAraNAni nibodha panca etAni mahAbAho || proktAni siddhaye sarvakarmaNAm sAnkhye krtAnte Meaning: S mhabahae kar[ain inbaex me, pÂEtain svRkmR[am!. isÏye àae´ain k«taNte sa - Theagentistheindividualself - The functions of the vital airs -Thefunctionsofthevitalairs 14 -Thesense organsaretheinst - The seat of action is the bo 196 fied with body,mindandintellect. ed bytheSAstrAsorforbidden,there nts ofaction,whichare differentand and distinctive functionsofthevital anddistinctive e organsofactionandthemind, rmendriyAs alsomentalfunctionsare nt ofanaction.Theyaretheseat that sustain thebody and thesense sustain that who isalsothe the inner ruler who is the main theinnerrulerwho isthemain ruments of action and also all all ruments ofactionandalso dy, whichistheconglomeration knower. The term term The knower. sadagopan.org varNAsrama and by the prohibited has been enjoined in the VedAs. in the VedAs. has been enjoined meaning, the result of that karma does is that those done without the attitude the SAstrAs, these five are the causes are the the SAstrAs, these five 197 lt of puNya or pApa fall under kAyika, vAcika lt of puNya or pApa fall under given up the sense of agency. up the sense of agency. given e which should be done , the right actions should be done those which are nyAyyam , that is, by speech and by mind. those done by body, which Those 15 means that which are against the means that which are against LOKAM according to one's varNAsrama and whataccording to one's varNAsrama viparItam for any previous sloka are necessary in the mentioned VedAs. The five causes karma to give its result. The implication that "I am the doer" do not give result, not adhere to the one who has and mAnasa are termed as of them all. Comments: resu All the karma which give the his body, speech and mind, whether they by his body, speech and mind, whether Whatever action a man undertakes against SAstrAs or by the are enjoined SarIra vAngmanobhi: yat karma prArabhate nara: | yat karma prArabhate SarIra vAngmanobhi: hetava: || vA pancai: te tasya nyAyyam vA viparItam Meaning: S nr>, àarÉte zrIrva'!mnaeiÉyRTkmR pÂEte tSy hetv>. va ivprIt< NyaYy< va sadagopan.org Such beingthecase,onewith Meaning: paSyatidurmati:|| nasa: buddhitvAt paSyati akrta tatra evamsatikartAramAtmAnamkevalamtuya:| ÊmRit>. spZyit pZyTyk«tbuiÏTvaÚ tÇEv< sitktaRrmaTma S the term kaivalya mukti denotesthe the termkaivalyamukti kevalam KrshNa callshim free andnotaffected byactions or experiencer, kartAandbhoktA.One,who reflected throughsuchintellectappe the minditwillnotbefree fromtheigno Unless theintellectistraine Comments: intelligence. (unattached) asthedoerofactionhe LOKAM meansoneonlyoralone,thatis 16 durmati n< kevl LOKAM The one to whom no sense of agency belo agency sense of to whom no The one in KrshNa by said was it as Lord the of hands the in that understand Arjuna make to this says instrument an only but adhyAya 11, slokam 33 ' savyasAcin the destruction. was only a pretext for One who acts as the instrument in the yasya na ahamkrta: bhAva: buddhi: yasya na lipyate | bhAva: buddhi: yasya na yasya na ahamkrta: || lokAn na hanti na nibadhyate hatvA api sa: imAn Meaning: S buiÏyRSyySy nah . Hence these three are termed these kartA. Hence LOKAM strument, work and the agent are the are the instrument, work and the agent the inducement to work while, constituents of work. Comments: abse is and about is to have the knowledge of how to do, The inducement to any work three the of of the object the work itself which is anyone If do. to work. In making pot, knowledge of what the pot is the the is the knowledge of how to make it the doer. The of an instrument, action and But the actual work consists potter's wheel and the body and limb the above example, the action the Knowledge ( j~nAnam j~neyam parij~nAtA trividhA karmacodanA | parij~nAtA trividhA karmacodanA j~nAnam j~neyam karaNam karma kartA || iti trividha: karmasangraha: Meaning: S kmRcaedna, iÇivxa pir}ata }an< }ey< kmRs<¢h>. iÇivx> kteRit kmR kr[< sadagopan.org KrshNa thusclassifiesthej~nAna,ka three guNAs. deals withtheguNAs indeta The SAstraofguNAsmentionedhereis Comments: the guNAsmentionedinSastrAonguNA The knowledge, actionandtheagentofare Meaning: procyate guNasankhyAneyathAvatSrnUtAniapi|| evaguNabhedata:| j~nAnam karmacakartAtridhA àaeCyte gu[s 19 il andshowsthateverythingisconstitutedofthe rma andkartAintothreekindsnext. 202 thesAnkhyaSAstraofKapilawhich s. HearfromMethatalsoasitis. threekindsaccordingto sadagopan.org ahman is the only reality e and indivisible reality, Brahman, in e and indivisible reality, Brahman, (ChAn. Up: 6.1.4), the difference is is (ChAn. Up: 6.1.4), the difference eko vaSI sarvabhUtAntarAtmA ekam the Lord everywhere in all beings. This in all beings. the Lord everywhere d the experience the presence of the the of the presence d the experience ed through the scriptures and which is ed through the scriptures and which is 203 ity, his knowledge is sAttvik. ity, his knowledge is sAttvik. and the mud alone is real, Br and the mud alone is 20 LOKAM divine everywhere. The upanishad says, divine everywhere. The upanishad sarvabhUteshu yena ekam bhAvam avyayam Ikshate | sAttvikam tat j~nAnam viddhi avibhaktam vibhakteshu || Meaning: the immutabl one sees By which knowledge all beings, the unity in divers Comments: of gives a perception The real knowledge an comes from the study of scriptures rUpam bahudhA ya: karoti (KaTha. the controller and the 2.2.12), being one, form multifarious. inner self of all makes a single gs made of mud is only clay, vAcArambhaNam of all thin As the real content vikAra: nAmadheyam mrttiketyeva satyam form and name the in only S ÉavmVyymI]te, yenEk< svRÉUte;u saiÅvkm!. iviÏ tJ}an< ivÉ´e;u AivÉ´< in all. This is the real knowledge gain in all. This realized by a sAttvik intellect. sadagopan.org perception ofthepairsopposites.One bhedabuddhi, thepercepti bringing fearandcourage,joyan makes oneseediversityand consisting ofdifferent beings, eachon One who identifieshimselfwith thebody Comments: one separatelyisrAjasik. The knowledge which makesoneseediversityinallbeings by perceiving each Meaning: bhUteshutatj~nAnamviddhirAjasam|| vetti sarveshu prathaktvena tuyatj~nAnamnAnAbhAvAnprthagvidhAn| veiÄ sveR;u ÉUte;u tJ}an< iviÏ rajsm!. p&w®ven tuyJ}an 21 naÉavaNp&wiGvxan!, naÉavaNp&wiGvxan!, on of difference is the cause of dvandvabuddhi, on ofdifferenceisthecausedvandvabuddhi, gives risetorAgaanddv 204 d sorrowasaresult.Inshortthe e distinct.Theattachmenttothebody is notafraidofordislikeshimself. , mindandintellect seestheworldas esha, likes and dislikes esha, likesanddislikes sadagopan.org was waiting for God and was waiting for God e entity as if it is the whole without the whole without e entity as if it is d. God appeared to him in his dream for worship and to offer to God and for worship and to offer to God and r needs. It was nearly night and still night r needs. It was nearly power or wealth etc. But it could exist power or wealth etc. But it and does the rituals but shows no love and does the rituals but shows it alone matters is normally found in in found normally is matters alone it s an obsession. In SrImadbhAgavatam, ary traveler came to his door and asked door. Then the ous and showed him the ove him away. Next an old woman came Next the action is classified threefold. 205 d He not come as promised. God replied, "I came God replied, as promised. d He not come ed even her out because he ed even her out 22 LOKAM to you thrice but you sent me away!" yat tu kritsnavat ekasmin kArye saktam ahaitukam | ekasmin kArye saktam ahaitukam yat tu kritsnavat atattvArthavat alpam catAmasam udAhrtam || Meaning: on to clinging creates which That knowledge reason, against trivial reality and is tAmasik. Comments: thing as if This clinging to a particular like worldly things crave for people who become even an about good thing which Him that if one worships the Lord says towards His dear to the Lord and such creations is not not get the a person will fruit of his pious acts. this. A man was praying earnestly to God to come There is a story to illustrate in his in front of him and God appeared comedream and told him that He would the next day. The man prepared all things was waiting anxiously. Then a beggar came to his door but he had no patience lest God might walk in any time and dr asked for food and he turn could not waste time in looking after he there was no sign of God and lastly a we shelter for the night. The man was furi day ended and he went to bed disappointe and the man asked God why di S s´mhEtukm!, yÄu k«TõvdekiSmNkayeR c tÄamsmudaùtm!. AtÅvawRvdLp< sadagopan.org e sense of agency and agency of e sense aphalaprepsu. The action of one desiring for the fruit of karma is desiring for the fruit of and the result of action due to the and the result of action due med without attachment and likes and med without attachment and 207 means the absence of th denotes the absence of attachment through identification with denotes the absence of attachment sangarahitam and the absence of it makes one and the absence of it makes 23 LOKAM niyatam sangarahitam arAga dveshata: krtam | arAga dveshata: krtam niyatam sangarahitam karma yat tat sAttvikamaphala prepsunA ucyate || Meaning: perfor to be done The work which has of result is sAttvik. dislikes by one who has no expectation Comments: The words arAgadvesha phalaprepsA agency of the sense from who is detached is sAttvik. absence of rAga and dvesha S k«tm!, inyt< s¼rihtmragÖe;t> kmR yÄTsaiÅvkmuCyte. A)làePsuna Expecting or the body, mind and intellect. sadagopan.org Lord doesnotfeelany but doesitonlybecause itisexpected On theother handtheonewho actswith bahulAyAsa. too muchtroubletobringaboutthede of thefruitaction, This isthe andI by theattitude"Iamdoingthis withth A desiremotivatedactivitydone Comments: impulses withalotofeffortisrAjasik. The workdonebyonewhowishes tofu Meaning: || udAhrtam kriyate bahulaAyAsamtatrAjasam yat tukAmepsunAkarmasAhankAreNavApuna:| i³yte b÷layas 24 sAhankAra, mentionedinthesloka.Naturallyonewhenisdesirous AyAsa kAmepsu, hegoestogreatleng , orstrainindoinghiswork. 208 of himoractsasth am theenjoyer orIamtheachiever". e expectationoftheresult,isfollowed out attachment ordesireforthefruit out attachment lfill hisdesire oroutofegocentric sired result. This is mentioned as Thisismentioned sired result. th puttinghimselfinto e instrumentofthe sadagopan.org which inflict hurt, nce they are not sAttvik ings are not kept in mind when a workings are not kept in mind when g should be done about possible loss of relationship and and about possible loss of relationship s own ability before starting to do before starting to own ability s ed the name because the earth was because the earth was ed the name think about the possible consequences think consequences about the possible e desire for result and some tAmasik thout considering the consequence, loss thout considering the consequence, msa. SrimadbhAgavatam says that there 209 dertaking good work or spiritual practices 25 LOKAM was a king PrAcInabarhish who obtain aspect also cannot be avoided due to hi physical or mental, on others. If these th If physical or mental, on others. is induced by moha or delusion. is done, it is only tAmasik. It etc. undertaken is doer the of it if capacity abhicArahoma the of It is also important consider one' to VedAs, beyond is the that which in work any like If enjoined something. rituals Even mind. consequences un in in Even middle. the in left be kept dire will it be in to factors results above or the himsa involves are tAmasik, while leaving any vedic rites in the middle due to inability to is a sin. complete it Some vedic rites like aSvamedha involve killing and he but rAjasik as they are done with th friends, property or reputation. Nothin friends, property or reputation. which may be harmful to self or others, which may be harmful to self anubandham kshayam himsAm anapekshya ca paurusham | himsAm anapekshya anubandham kshayam ucyate || karma yat tat tAmasam mohAt Arabhyate Meaning: delusion wi If a work is begun through that is tAmasik. or hurting others and capability Comments: Before starting something one should S c paEé;m!, ]y< ih LOKAM the action of the fruit of action. the action of the fruit of action. muktasanga and 'Mine'. 'I' from the concept of being free anahamvAdI who has said earlier of the Lord kadAcana fortitude and enthusiasm because he is do actions. Comments: and the has given up the sense of agency who A sAttvik doer is the one he is wi because expectation of result th knowledge has the is the doer as he he muktasangha: anahamvAdI dh muktasangha: siddhi asiddhyo: nirvikAra: kartA sAttvika ucyate || Meaning: eg has given up attachment, One who by success enthusiasm and not affected actionless. Being without desire and attachment, he doing everything as failure because he is the success and failure is thinking that S x&TyuTsahsmiNvt>, mu´s¼ae=nh 27 mAtsarya (jealousy).Theword , impureduetotheseimpulseswhichpollute his (anger), kAma rrow is thedoerofrAjasiktype. rrow is 212 , the longing which is born out of desire longingwhichisbornoutof , the as the fruit of action. This leads to all as thefruitofaction.Thisleadstoall (avarice), lobha s joywhenthewishisattainedand hehurtsintheprocessoffulfilling uit of action, isavaricious,vicious, lubdha (avaricious), signifies all signifies (avaricious), moh a (delusion), mada sadagopan.org ) and ). This may be naishkrtika: ) and obstinate (stabdha ts arise out of foolishness. He may be He ts arise out of foolishness. stubborn, deceitful, creates discord, deceitful, stubborn, Sakuni. Otherwise a tAmasik kartA could Sakuni. Otherwise a tAmasik 213 , lacks self control and becomes a slave to his , lacks self control and becomes ayukta: ), and creates discord among others ( 28 SaTha LOKAM ayukta: prAkrta: alasa: stabdha: SaTha: naishkrtika: | vishAdI dIrghasUtrI || ca kartA tAmasa ucyate Meaning: who is One who has no self control, indolent, depressed and who procrastinates is a tAmasik doer of action. Comments: The tAmasik kartA is trai counsel. These listen to wise will not deceitful ( that of due to natural wickedness like be simply lazy and procrastinating out of tamas. S zQae nE:k«itkae=ls>, Ayu´> àak«t> StBx> iv;adI dI"RsUÇI tams %Cyte. c ktaR senses. He is ignorant of proper conduct (prAkrta: senses. He is ignorant of proper sadagopan.org the completionofaworkwhichisalsothreekinds. mean according totheguNAs.Fortitude j~nAnam arises onlythroughproper unders Comments: difference accordingtoguNAs,totallyandalsoindividually. Of understanding andfortitude,dhananja Meaning: aSesheNaprthaktvenadhananjaya|| procyamAnam buddhe: bhedam dhrte:caev àaeCymanmze;e[ p&w®ven xnÃy. buÏeÉeRd< x&teíEv gu[tiôivx<ï&[u, S LOKAM 29 a guNata: trividham SrNu | SrNu a guNata:trividham 214 s consistencyofeffortessentialfor ya, you listen tothethreekindsof ya, youlisten tanding, whichisal so ofthreekinds, sadagopan.org is the freedom is the freedom abhaya or the actions that should be derstanding one's duties and are the illustrations of this. This is are the illustrations of this. akArya pravrtti and nivrtti as they are and rga and nivrtti mArga, of what should , are those enjoined by the VedAs and the VedAs by , are those enjoined tivities and pursue the path to moksha.tivities and pursue the path fearlessness and bondage and release, and release, fearlessness and bondage 215 kArya of all is that of death. of all is iÏ> sa pawR saiÅvkI. iÏ> sa pawR saiÅvkI. comes out of ignorance of un 30 bhaya LOKAM the duties according to the varNAsrama.the duties pravrttim | nivrttim caakArye bhaya abhaye ca cabandham moksham yA vetti buddhi: sAsAttvikI || and fear of Meaning: not, what and pravrtti mA The proper understanding of done be Arjuna, is the sAttvik understanding. Comments: pravrtti mArga consists in performing the duties according to varNAsrama but karma yoga. and without attachment, in short, as as an offering to the Lord yaj~navAlkya Karma yogis like Janaka and suited for those in grahastAsramam. nivrtti mArga is giving all worldly ac up This is for sannyAsi saint-devotees and like sanakAdi, Narada rshabha, Suka etc. sAttvika understanding is to know both without confusion. The actions which should be done, avoided are those which go against the above. Fear, obligations and the greatest fear S ÉyaÉye, c kayaRkayeR àv&iÄ< c inv&iÄ< veiÄ bu bNx< mae]< c ya sadagopan.org moksha. the attachmenttobody.Knowingthis Identification withthebodyth imperishable Self. death andunderstandingthatoneisno from fearwhichariseoutofanalyzing rough ignorancecreates bondage, 216 t thebody,mindandintellectbut the cause of all fears including that the causeofallfearsincludingthat onegetsfree frombondage,whichis bandha due to dueto sadagopan.org with reference to e dAyA and ahimsa. ould be understood according to the ould be understood according a 15 in explaining the Upanishadic s proper understanding, the acts ofs proper understanding, the rNAsrama and also . accompanied with th at which misunderstands dharma and at which misunderstands 217 and that not to be done. ryam ca akAryam eva ca | 31 satyam brUyAt priyam brUyAt LOKAM Dharma is described in the dharma SAstrA as having four parts, namely, namely, parts, four having as SAstrA dharma the in Comments: described is Dharma satyam, dayA, ahimsA. These sh SAnti: and yayA dharmam adharmam ca kA yayA dharmam || buddhi: sA pArtha rAjasI ayathAvat prajAnAti Meaning: is th rAjasik understanding, Arjuna, adharma and the act to be done If one lack context and circumstances. dharma will adharma. turn out to be should be For example an act of truth 17, slok This was discussed in chapter injunction Similarly the actions that should be done and those to be avoided should be understood properly according to the va the occasion. S kay¡ cakayRmev c, yya xmRmxm¡ c AywavTàjanait sa pawR rajsI. buiÏ> sadagopan.org versa. Thisusuallytheconductofth Due todelusion,thetAmasikdoerunde Comments: to whattheyare,OhArjuna,istAmasik. That whichunderstandsadharmaasdharma Meaning: tAmasI|| viparItAncabuddhi:sApArtha sarvArthAn AvrtA| tamasA yAmanyate dharmamiti adharmam bu svaRwaRiNvprIta<í Axm¡ xmRimityamNytetmsav&ta, S LOKAM 32 iÏ> sapawRtamsI. ose describedasAsurikinchapter16. 218 rstands dharma as adharma and vice rstands dharmaasadharmaandvice and like wiseeverythingcontrary andlike sadagopan.org which the mind, praNa and senses are 219 33 LOKAM dhrtyA yayA dhArayate mana: prANa indriya kriyA: mana: prANa indriya dhrtyA yayA dhArayate | sAttvikI dhrti: sA pArtha yogena avyabhicAriNyA || Meaning: thought by Arjuna, unwavering consistent dhrti. established in yoga is sAttvik as sthitapraj~na described This is the state of integration in chapter 2. S mn> àa[eiNÔyi³ya>, x&Tya yya xaryte x&it> sa pawR saiÅvkI. yaegenaVyiÉcair{ya sadagopan.org under rAjasikdhrti. All thedesiremotivatedactivitiesdo Comments: moksha) hisdhrti,fortitude,Arjuna,isrAjasik. three purusharthAs,dharma But whenamanwhoisattachedtothefruitofactionintentonattaining Meaning: rAjasI|| prasangena phalAkAngkshIdhrti:sApArtha kAmaarthAndhrtyAdhAryatearjuna| yayA tudharma às¼en )laka'!]Ix&it>sapawRrajsI. yya tuxmRkamawaRNx&Tyaxaryte=juRn, S LOKAM 34 , arthaandkAma,(thatis,withoutaspiringfor 220 ne with steadfast determination come ne withsteadfastdetermination sadagopan.org ast determination due to obstinacy, obstinacy, ast determination due to eep, fear, grief, depression and pride, grief, depression eep, fear, 221 is is called tAmasik dhrti. > sa pawR tamsI. > sa pawR tamsI. 35 LOKAM yayA svapnam bhayam Sokam vishAdam madam eva ca | || dhrti: sA pArtha tAmasI na vimuncati durmedhA Meaning: sl steadfast in not abandoning One who is Arjuna, his fortitude is tAmasik. Comments: steadf doer may have Even a tAsmasik laziness and procrastination. Th S c, mdmev iv;ad< Éy< zaek< yya Svß< x&it n ivmuÂit ÊmeRxa sadagopan.org There aretwopathsprescribed have arightideaofjoy. sorrow differsaccording tothetemperament andtoenjoyeternaljoyone must whichwillbring himunha do something All actionsareundertakenwiththeexpe Comments: theendofsorrow. revels inandalsoattains Oh bullamongtheclanofBharata,listen Meaning: duhkhAntamcanigacchati|| abhyAsAt ramateyatra | mebharatarshabha SrNu sukham tuidAnImtrividham A_yasaÔmte yÇÊ>oaNt 36 ï&[umeÉrt;RÉ, latter isnotpleasantnoreasytofollowbutsecures to man, one is that of preyas 222 , thejoyisofthreekindsinwhichone ppiness. Buttheconceptofjoyand ctation ofjoyandnooneproceedsto KrshNa classifieseventhejoyas se ofactionbutnotconducive andtheotheris sadagopan.org comes like nectar in the end born from end born like nectar in the comes 223 on the self, is sAttvik pleasure. on the self, is sAttvik pleasure. 37 LOKAM yat agre visham iva pariNAme | amrta upamam tat sukham sAtvikam prasAdajam || proktam Atma buddhi Meaning: but be at first That, which is like poison the serene state of mind focusing S pir[ame=m&taepmm!, yÄd¢e iv;imv àae´maTmbuiÏàsadjm!. tTsuo< saiÅvk< sadagopan.org always resultsfromoverindulgenceonsense objects. when one is notabletoenjoythemdu due todiseaseor topovertybecausesensual pleasuresresultinsorrow contrary, onewhoenjoyshislifewhileyoungcomesto griefinhisoldageeither toen able abusinessman,is student or flying colors. Onlytheonewhosacrifices beginning like workinghardtobecomesu Even inthe worldlysenseallthat fetch birth anddeath,nevergettingarespitefromsamsAra. the onewhoisfullofdesireandenjoys poison in the beginning butAny disciplineconducivetospiritualwelfare isdifficulttopursueandhencelike when it starts yielding results it isComments: like nectar. But nectar atfirstbutturnsouttobelikepoisonintheendisrAjasik. That pleasure withtheobjects,whichislike arisingfromthesensecontacts Meaning: || smrtam rAjasam pariNAme vishamivatatsukham upamam| yattatagreamrta vishaya indriyasamyogAt pir[ame iv;imvtTsuo 38 224 e to old age and due to sickness which anddueto e tooldage joy laterthefruitofhislabour.On longstanding joy are distasteful in the longstanding joyaredistastefulinthe ccessful or to study hard to pass with hardtopass ccessful ortostudy his comfortsinyouth,mayhebea his life goes on and on in to a cycle sadagopan.org ing happy but it is not a real joy but a joy but a ing happy but it is not a real 225 of a drunkard or drug addict. of a 39 LOKAM delusion. Typical example can be that delusion. Typical example can yat agre ca anubandhe ca sukham mohanam Atmana: ca sukham mohanam yat agre ca anubandhe | that like uttham tatnidrA Alasya pramAda udAhrtam || tAmasam end, the in and beginning the in Meaning: both deluding is which pleasure That notion is tAmasik.of sleep, laziness and mistaken Comments: into feel delude the individual These may S maehnmaTmn>, c suo< yd¢e canubNxe tÄamsmudaùtm!. inÔalSyàmadaeTw< sadagopan.org denotes all divi rent class of people as ordainedrent class by devAs in heaven free from the nature from the devAs in heaven free of the four varNAs according to the sentient beings are the composition of sentient beings are the composition 227 puna: mean that this is so again and again in the includes all the worlds below earth also and the worlds below earth includes all 40 prthivyAm LOKAM the worlds above. Both sentient and in sentient the worlds above. Both of these three guNAs. guNAs. of these three Comments: The word guNAs and the word the three process of creation. the tyAga as performing karma according to one's So far KrshNa has explained and expectationvarNAsrama without attachment of result. Now he starts of the diffe elucidating the various karmAs na tat asti puna: | vA divi deveshu vA prthivyAm sattvam prakrtijai: tribhi: guNai: || muktam yat ebhi: syAt Meaning: among the There is no being on earth or their guNAs. KrshNa here describes the attributes three guNAs. S idiv deve;u va pun>, va n tdiSt p&iwVya< SyaiTÇiÉguR[E>. ydeiÉ> àk«itjEmuR´< sÅv< sadagopan.org attitude andactions'. attitude orders ofsocietyarecreatedbyMe according tothedifferencesintheir cAturvarNyam mayAsrshTamguNakarmavibhAgaSa: Comments: earlier statement. foes, aredeterminedbythenature ofthei kshatriyas, The actionsofbrAhmaNas, Meaning: karmANi pravibhaktAnisvabhAvaprabhavai:guNai:|| | brAhmaNa kshatriyaviSAmSUdrANAmcaparantapa kmaRi[ àivÉ´ain SvÉavàÉvEguR[E>. äaü[]iÇyivza< zUÔa[a 41 228 vaiSyas and sUdras, Ohscorcherof sUdras, vaiSyas and r guNAs. is just an elucidation of the (BG. 4-13). 'The four (BG.4-13).'Thefour sadagopan.org the mental strength. ViSvAmitra, the mental strength. ViSvAmitra, even though he did not fight back. he did not fight even though , forbearance, uprightness, knowledge, knowledge, , forbearance, uprightness, these qualities. VasishTha brahmarshi VasishTha brahmarshi these qualities. described as that consisting of control of control described as that consisting power of a brAhmin is the real power. power of a brAhmin is the real power. 229 brahmakarma svabhAvajam || m brahmatejobalam balam 42 is the patience that comes from is the patience that comes LOKAM Sama: dama: tapa: Saucham kshAnti: Arjavam eva ca | Arjavam Saucham kshAnti: Sama: dama: tapa: Astikyam j~nAnam vij~nAnam Meaning: is The nature of actions of a brAhmaNa purity of senses and the mind, austerity, S zaEc< ]aiNtrajRvmev c, zmae dmStp> SvÉavjm!. äükmR }an< iv}anmaiStKy< and application of it and faith. and application of it and faith. Comments: consists in The strength of a brAhmaNa by ViSvAmitra could not be conquered of VasishTha, saidbeing astounded by the power -- dhik balam kshatriya bala Fie on the strength of a kshatriya, the kshAnti sadagopan.org An exampleofakshatriyaendowedwi Comments: generosity andlordlinessarethetraitsofakshatriya. Valour, invincibility,steadiness,adro Meaning: cakshAtramkarmasvabhAvajam|| dAnam ISvarabhAva: | dhrti:dAkshyamyuddhecaapiapalAyanam Sauryam tejo danmIñrÉaví ]aÇ 43 th all thesequalitieswasBhIshma. 230 itness, andnon-fleeing frombattle, sadagopan.org is makes it all the more clear that the that is makes it all the more clear one of the three is due to the texture 231 44 LOKAM krshi: gaurakshya vANijyamkrshi: gaurakshya vaiSyakarma svabhAvajam | paricarya Atmakam karma SUdrasya svabhAvajam api || Meaning: trade are the natural duties for a vaiSya and and Agriculture, cattle-breeding service. for SUdra, it is one of Comments: natural to So whichever karma that is qualities thatindividual and th makes the and not by birth. of the individual varNAs are by nature S SvÉavjm!, vEZykmR k«i;gaErúyvai[Jy< SvÉavjm!. kmR zUÔSyaip pircyaRTmk< sadagopan.org accomplishes thiswhile engagedinhisown work. Intent ondoinghisownwork Meaning: SrNu|| nirata:siddhimyathAvindatitat sva karma labhatenara:| samsiddhim sve karmaNiabhirata: SvkmRinrt> isiÏ 45 , one will Listen,howhe beabletoattainsalvation. 232 sadagopan.org e Lord. SUdrAs are of all beings originate by Whom and preted often and was the cause of the us they stand for the strength needed teaching of the VedAs and SAstrAs. the limbs of the Lord, least of all being the limbs of the Lord, least of all being 233 of the Lord that all bow down to. n work, the man attains salvation. salvation. n work, the man attains yam! zUÔae Ajayt. 46 LOKAM The BrAhmins were born from the face of the Lord. This signifies their their signifies This Lord. the of face the from born brAhmaNo asya mukham AsIt | bAhU rAjanya: krta: | were UrU tat asya yad vaiSya: padbhyAm SUdro ajAyata || BrAhmins The svadharma being the learning and the from the arms. Th KshatriyAs were born signifying service to the society. It is to be noted that no the feet born from varNA is inferior being originated from the SUdrAs because it is the feet Next comes the sloka which was misinter evil that is perpetrated by the caste system. äaü[ae=Sy muomasIt!, baø rajNy k«t>, baø rajNy äaü[ae=Sy muomasIt!, ^ê tdSy yd! vEZy> pÑ d to travel and procure the needed for protection. VaiSyAs who are supposed to travel and procure the needed commodities for the society are born from the thighs of th yata: pravrtti:idam tatam | bhUtAnAm yena sarvam sva karmaNA tam abhyarcya vindati mAnava: siddhim || Meaning: the actions Worshipping Him, from Whom ow his all this is pervaded, through Comments: The veda says, S ttm!, svRimd< yen yt> àv&iÄÉURtana< manv>. ivNdit isiÏ< tm_yCyR SvkmR[a sadagopan.org fe of a hermit and fe of a hermit of another because by caste in which one is born because the caste in which one is born because g work as worship and the work which work g work as worship and the dertaken. So there is no mention about is no mention there dertaken. So 235 wever badly done than that 47 LOKAM SreyAn svadharma: viguNa:SreyAn svadharma: paradharmAt su anushThitAt | kilbisham || karma kurvan na Apnoti svabhAva niyatam Meaning: Better is one's own duty, ho be to seem may it though kshatriya a as doing the work which is assigned to the duty his up give to recluse, caste distinction is man-made and has no sanction of the scriptures. wanted a of Arjuna that noted be that should it Here namely and opted for the li elders his of involved killing because it another, of KrshNa, in saying that his own work, thouis better gh considered to be faulty that than superior. The reason for this is given in the next sloka. S prxmaRTSvnuiótat!,ïeyaNSvxmaeR ivgu[> ikiLb;m!. k…vRÚaßaeit SvÉavinyt< kmR comes naturally to one is that to be un comes naturally to one is that doing his duty ordained his nature no one incurs stain. by Comments: about doin KrshNa has explained so far sadagopan.org discourse byextolling bhaktiyoga. is thebest. KrshNaelaboratesonthej~nAna yoganextand culminatesHis Spiritually speaking,itmeansthattillon This theydooutoftheir lucrative jobs, insteadofpursuingcoursefor which they havetheaptitude. a courseofstudyjustbecausethatpr square peginaroundhole.This ismost switches jobshefindsthatwasnot simplerjoband amuch man isdoing case intheworld.Everyonecomplains present apicturethatthegrass isgreener The meaningisthatanywo Comments: smoke. imperfect becauseallworkis envelope One shouldnotrelinquishworkthatcomes naturallytohim thoughitmaybe Meaning: hidosheNadhUmenaagni:ivaAvrtA:|| sarvArambhA apinatyajet| sadosham kaunteya sahajam karma svaRrMÉa ih dae;e[xUmenai¶irvav&ta>. shj< kmRkaENteysdae;mipnTyjet!, S LOKAM 48 own desireorbythepersuasionoftheirparents. rk undertakenmaybedi 236 about hislotandthin cut outforitandfinds himselftobea important instudentswhenthey select e isreadyforj~nAnayoga,karmayoga getting better results. But when hegetting betterresults.Butwhen d byimperfectionsasthefirewith esents apossibilityofgettingmore on the other side. It is usually the fficult atfirstandmay ks thattheother sadagopan.org mmation of consisting of j~nAnayoga anscends all activity by renunciation. anscends all activity by renunciation. 237 the one who has attained perfection. who has attained perfection. the one m sannyAsena adhigacchati || m sannyAsena 49 LOKAM asakta sarvatra buddhi: sprha: | jitAtmA vigata paramA naishkarmya siddhim Meaning: free is who himself, has conquered who all respects, in detached is He, who from desires, that tr attains perfection Comments: is the consu dhyAnA or contemplation cessation of all activities. Then KrshNa gives a description of S ijtaTma ivgtSp&h>, As´buiÏ> svRÇ s sadagopan.org e has reached the state of perfection has reached the state of perfection e 239 50 LOKAM siddhim prApta: yathA Apnoti nibodha me | brahma tathA yA parA || kaunteya nishThA j~nAnasya samAsena eva Meaning: how on Know from Me, Arjuna, in brief, Supreme knowledge. attains Brahman, which is the S äü twaßaeit inbaex me, isiÏ< àaÝae ywa pra. }anSy ya inóa kaENtey smasenEv sadagopan.org sense objects like sound etc., turning away from likes and dislikes. sense objectslikesoundetc.,turningawayfromlikesanddislikes. Endowed withpureintellect,controlling Meaning: ca|| vyudasya rAgadveshau SabdAdIn vishayAntyaktvA buddhyA viSuddhAyAyukta:dhrtyAAtmAnamniyamyaca| zBdadIiNv;ya 51 240 himself with fortitude,givingupthe sadagopan.org little, restraining body and his speech, 241 always, with detachment. 52 LOKAM vivikta sevI laghu ASI yata vAk kAya mAnasa:vivikta sevI laghu | nityam vairAgyam samupASrita:dhyAnayogapara: || Meaning: very Retiring to a lonely place, eating mind, engrossed in meditation S ytvaŠaymans>, iviv´sevI l¸vazI smupaiït>. inTy< vEraGy< Xyanyaegprae sadagopan.org Next KrshNareferstothebhaktiyoga. worthy ofthestateBrahman. Free anger andpossessiveness. He abandonsegothat isconsideringnon-se conducive tomeditation. withde engaged fullyinmeditation, little justtokeep him alive,restrainstheactivitiesofbody,mindandintellect, placeawayfrom He resortstoalonely orhateofthem. asidelove and casting by makes hismindreadyformeditation He isendowedwithpurifiedunderstandingthattheSelfreality. Comments: concept of 'I'and'Mine',being peac Renouncing ego,power,pride,desire Meaning: vimucya nirmama:Santa:brahmabhUyAyakalpate|| | parigraham krodham balamdarpamkAmam ahankAram ivmuCy inmRm>zaNtaeäüÉUyaykLpte. Ah 53 fromthenotionof'I eful heattainsstateofbrahman. 242 angerandpossession tachment fromallotherobjectsnot turning itawayfromthesenseobjects hindrances to meditation andeatsa hindrancestomeditation lf as self, which causes pride, desire, ' and'Mine', hebecomes s, devoid ofthe s, devoid sadagopan.org prasannAtmA, who 10. Such a j~nAni, who who j~nAni, 10. Such a in the seventh adhyAya, seventh adhyAya, in the as a result of his devotion as it as a result of his devotion erything to be equal. He is the one one the is He equal. be to erything l his actions as an offering to Him and l his actions as an offering to Brahman, is tranquil, 243 class of devotees outlined , realized the state of 54 dadAmi buddhiyogam', in chapter 10, sloka tam sloka, namely j~nAni. brahmabhUta th LOKAM attains the eternal abode of peace and bliss due to the grace of the Lord. due to the grace of the Lord. attains the peace and bliss abode of eternal who has parA bhakti. al does Lord everywhere and the He sees He who resorts to the Lord, acquires j~nAna He who resorts to the Lord, was said ' is regarding ev longing, has neither grief nor Comments: brahmabhUta: prasannAtmA na Socati na kAnkshati | prasannAtmA na Socati na brahmabhUta: parAm || bhUteshu madbhaktim labhate sama: sarveshu Meaning: This refers to the fourth 16 S n zaecit n ka'!]it, äüÉUt> àsÚaTma pram!. lÉte mÑi´< ÉUte;u sm> sveR;u sadagopan.org neck, or for the reality and knowing thus e Supreme Being after the e Supreme Being after itual discipline only leads to the itual discipline only soot is cleaned, the light shines shines light the cleaned, is soot ere is no interval between the two in it are simultaneous. When one is it are simultaneous. is pierced with a needle it enters into into is pierced with a needle it enters l the time on his and realization is simultaneous. The and realization is simultaneous. The bhakti which makes one get engrossedbhakti which makes one get h is the consequence of j~nAna, the of j~nAna, h is the consequence as the means of knowing the truth, the of knowing the truth, the means as the two, namely the realization of the the two, namely rfection through j~nAna as described in rfection through j~nAna as ation of j~nAna, karma and bhakti. The ation of j~nAna, karma and 245 through the Lord with love. through the Lord with love. viSate tadanantaram || viSate tadanantaram I am and Who I am in means entering into th 55 LOKAM knowledge of the Lord in reality, but knowledge of the Lord Absolute Reality and the entering into searching for a necklace which was al the seeing spectacles on his forehead, through but it was there all the time. previous sloka refers to the state of pe to the state previous sloka refers knowledge from the SAstrAs and the spir with chimney covered reality. When the bhaktyA mAm abhijAnAti yAvAnbhaktyA mAm tattvata: ya: ca asmi | j~nAtvA tata: mAm tattvata: Meaning: He understands Me as what Me. enters into Comments: is mentioned Even though the devotion is it the culmin in this sloka is end denoted Ramanuja by defined as dhruvasmrti, the is bhakti As chapter. second the yoga whic from dhyAna non-different on the learning of SAstrAs and meditation knowledge of reality through with Absolute. Through j~nAna coupled uninterruptedin the dhruvasmrti, viSate tadanantaram realization. When the petals of a flower the second after piercing the first but th S yavaNyíaiSm tÅvt>, É®ya mamiÉjanait tdnNtrm!. ivzte }aTva tÅvtae ttae ma< sadagopan.org return to samsAra and theblissattainedthusisimperishable. and return tosamsAra surrender, andthusheattainsthestateof experience, performsallactionsasofferi A devoteewho acquired thewisdomofrealitythroughknowledgeand Comments: imperishable statethroughMygrace. Performing allactions, alwaystakingre Meaning: padamavyayam|| SASvatam matprasAdAt avApnoti | madvyapASraya: apisadAkurvANa: sarvakarmANi mTàsadadvaßaeit zañt 56 246 fuge inMe,heattainstheeternal and muktionattainingwhichthereisno ng to the Lord, in a spirit of total ng totheLord,inaspiritof sadagopan.org actions without the actions idering sukha, duhkha etc, equally and idering sukha, duhkha etc, equally Na starts about the advising Arjuna , with your thought engrossed in Me, , with your thought engrossed member the Lord even for moment and Lord means doing all Lord 247 g as the instrument of the Lord. g as the instrument of the Lord. is to have no other thought but of the Lord, and 57 means having no other desire except to attain the feet of the Lord. Lord. the of feet the attain to except desire other no having means LOKAM concept of 'I' and 'Mine' and workin 'I' and 'Mine' and concept of of mind cons Buddhiyoga is the equanimity of action. the result by not being affected mayi sannyasya matpara: resorting to Him only as the sole refuge. maccitta: For a devotee only duhkha is not to re the sukha is His service. course of action to be taken by him. course of action to be taken the all actions to renouncing Mentally cetasA sarva karmANi | mayi sannyasya matpara: buddhiyogam upASritya maccitta: bhava || satatam Meaning: to Me all actions Mentally renouncing let your mind rest in Me always. resorting to the yoga of equanimity, Comments: Krsh Now in relevance to the context, S miy s 58 œ úyis. 248 ing from his svadharma. Thenextsloka ing fromhissvadharma. e words of KrshNa and actaccordingly e wordsofKrshNaand oss over all difficulties with My grace. difficultieswithMygrace. oss overall sadagopan.org cision of yours is e to ego and this de and the ego that he is the agent of agent and the ego that he is the 249 , and even if he ceases to fight his nature, and even if he ceases to fight mithyA 59 LOKAM yat ahankAram ASrityayat ahankAram na yotsya iti manyase | te prakrti: tvAm||mithyA esha vyavasAya: Meaning: fight is du Your thinking that you will not you will persuade to fight. only a myth. Your nature his to according Comments: propensities have will Arjuna that is here means be KrshNa only could What it fight to not decides he If births. previous of result a as guNAs of his duty due to the misunderstanding action. Hence it is delusion, him. will overpower S n yaeTSy #it mNyse, ydh 60 250 e mainroleistoprotectdharma. and actionshavingnocontrolover adhyAya 2,whereKrshNatoldArjuna allsenseof agencyand surrenderto s toHim.Then,theLordwillsteerHis that he will not fight, will be fruitful thathewillnotfight,befruitful t as favourable astheyareatthe t asfavourable r himsoonandwhen thathappenshe re is stronger, no resolve to give up sadagopan.org ting of three guNAs according to which 251 Se arjuna tishThati | Se arjuna tishThati e heart of all beings, spinning them as though mounted of all beings, spinning them e heart 61 LOKAM Comments: The wheel of mAyA is the prakrti consis ISvara: sarvabhUtAnAm hrdde ISvara: sarvabhUtAnAm yantra ArUDhAnibhrAmayan sarvabhUtAni mAyayA || Meaning: The Lord is situated in th of mAyA. by His power on a wheel, S itóit, ùÎeze=juRn svRÉUtana< $ñr> yNÇaêFain mayya. æamyNsvRÉUtain sadagopan.org refuge inHimthenextsloka. one whohasthepowertostopmotion who givesthebirthsinseve soul withthebodyoutofignorance. cycleofbirthsanddeaths. Th round inthe his effort.Similarlytheindividualsoul The onewhoismountedona giantwheel the innercontroller,yourownselfandimmortal'. beings know, whosebodyisallbeings,and This means,'Hewho dwellsinallbeings esha taAtmAantaryAmyamrta: bhUtANiantaroyamayati SarIram ya:sarvANi bhUthAni bhUthAninavidu:asyasarvANi yam sarvANI ya: sarveshubhUteshutishThan ymyTye; tAaTma=NtyaRMym&t--- n ivÊyRSysvaRi[ÉUtainzrIr y> sveR;u ÉUte;uitóNsveR_yae ÉUte mentioned intheUpanishad -- the individualselfisprope _yae=Ntrae y~svaR[I ÉUtain < y> svaRi[ ÉUtaNyNtrae < y>svaRi[ÉUtaNyNtrae lled intoaction.TheLordis ral bodiesaccordingtothekarmaofeach.He isthe sarvebhyo bhUtebhyoantara: 252 The manbehindthewh mountedonabodyistakenroundand andiswithinthe who controls allbeings fromwithin,is is takenon amerry . Hence KrshNa tells Arjuna to take . HenceKrshNatellsArjunatotake is is due totheidentificationof is due theinner selfofallas m, whomnoneofthe ---Brhd.Up.3-7-15 ---Brhd.Up.3-7-15 goroundwithout eel istheISvara sadagopan.org . vAsudeva: sarvam iti quiring joy out of talking ng for any worldly fruits like power, power, ng for any worldly fruits like 253 ll respects, by Whose grace you shall find you shall find ll respects, by Whose grace s that one should think of the Lord always think of the s that one should hAnam prApsyasi SASvatamhAnam prApsyasi || at comes as His grace, ac – in all respects mean 62 LOKAM Meaning: in a in Him alone, Arjuna, refuge Seek tam eva SaraNam gaccha sarvabhAvena bhArata | gaccha sarvabhAvena bhArata tam eva SaraNam parAm SAntim st tat prasAdAt supreme peace and eternal abode. Comments: sarvabhAvena without desiri and act as His instrument Him as in singing His name and in short considering about the lIlAs of the Lord, 7, sloka 19, in chapter in life as KrshNa said everything that is eternal. supreme bliss enjoys Such a devotee S Éart, gCD svRÉaven zr[< tmev zañtm!. àaPSyis Swan< tTàsadaTpra< zaiNt< wealth, fame etc. taking wh sadagopan.org yoga isthemostsecretofallandit His discipleindoubtandastheJagatguru choose which eversuits him.Butatthesa to andbhaktiyogahavebeen karma yoga instructed thusandasksArjuna Then KrshNawindsupHisdiscoursebysa Comments: you chooseafterdiscriminatingonwhathas beensaid. The mostsecretknowledgehasbeentold Meaning: tathAkuru|| vimrSya etataSesheNayathaicchasi | mayA guhyataram iti tej~nAnamAkhyAtamguhyAt ivm&ZyEtdze;e[ yweCDis twak…é. #it te}anmaOyat 63 254 good forhimtofollowthebhaktimArga. good toyouandadoptwhicheverpath ying thatthesecretsofj~nAna yoga, me time KrshNa did notwanttoleave me timeKrshNadid He saysinthenext slokathatbhakti sadagopan.org d highest truth. I will tell you what is what is I will tell you d highest truth. 255 ll remembered slokAs of the Gita. ll remembered slokAs of the 64 LOKAM Hear from Me again, the most secret an Hear from Me again, the most very dear to Me. good for you because you are and we Next are the two most quoted sarva guhyatamam vaca: | bhUya: SrNu me paramam iti tata: vakshyAmiishTa: asi me drDham te hitam || Meaning: S vc>, prm< me ÉUy> ï&[u svRguýtm< ttae vúyaim te ihtm!. #òae=is me †Fimit sadagopan.org which is the which is ditate on that splendent like the Sun and is beyond splendent like 257 e one transcends death. There is no other path to no other path is e one transcends death. There by the Lord not only to Arjuna but to the whole d we have the passage – naNy> pNwa iv*te=ynay. means that one should know, me 65 manmanAbhava LOKAM vedAhametam purusham mahAntam Aditya varNam tamasa: parastAt | tameva viditvA ati mrtyum eti nAnya: panthA vidyate ayanAya || 'I know this great person who is re darkness. By knowing Him alon vedahmet< pué;< mhaNtmaidTyv[¡ tms> prStat!, prStat!, mhaNtmaidTyv[¡ tms> vedahmet< pué;< tmev ividTva=it m&Tyumeit go by'. KrshNa mentions four types of discipline to attain the Lord. 1. 'Focus your mind on Me. Be My devotee. Be My worshipper. Bow down to Me. Me. to down Bow worshipper. My Be devotee. My Be Me. on mind your 'Focus you truly as you are dear to Me'. promise You shall come to Me only. I Comments: This is the promise given mankind. In SvetASvatara Upanisha manmanA: bhava madbhakta: madyAjI mAmmanmanA: bhava namaskuru | satyammAm eva eshyasi te: asi me || Meaning: S m*ajI ma< nmSk…é, mNmna Év mÑ´ae iàyae=is me. te àitjane mamevE:yis sTy< sadagopan.org the mUla mantra and dvaya. dvaya. the mUlamantraand forms oneofthethreeimportantchants caramasloka, consideredtobethesloka The nextslokaisthefamousonetake "You willcometoMe". isdeartotheLo single mindeddevotion as Hehassaidintheseve Renouncing thusallego-centricimpulses Either oneorallwillsecure 4. 3. 2. dear andbowingdowninsubmissionlove. mAm namaskuru Lord. madyAjI His nameandgloryetc. madbhakta: love anddevotion. object of directperception with cons is to do everything in the spirit of yaj~na as an offering to the is to become a devotee of the Lord, by worshipping Him, singing meanstoworshipwithexcessive nth adhyAya,sloka17thatthej~nAniwhoiswith the attainmentofLord. 258 thedevoteebecomesdeartoLord rd. TosuchapersontheLordpromises n toteachbhaktiyogaandcalledthe tant remembrance, dhruvasmrthi, with with tant remembrance,dhruvasmrthi, enjoining prapattibyvaishNavites.It ofvaishNavAs,th love as the one who is most most is who one asthe love e othertwo being sadagopan.org ll be released from ll be released , "do not grieve". Hence this , "do not grieve". Hence this who need not be worried about". need not be who effect in the ninth adhyAya in sloka the ninth effect in rd says that He wi relinquishment of all sense of agency, agency, sense of relinquishment of all donment (tyAga), elucidated indonment (tyAga), elucidated the mA Suca: have done before the rise of bhakti. nner will be redeemed if he resorts to nner will be redeemed if he resorts om time immemorial due to past karma,om time immemorial due to past who may fear that they may not attain pursued, j~nAna, karma or bhakti. This pursued, j~nAna, karma or eek Me alone for refuge. I will free you eek Me alone for refuge. I 259 e]iy:yaim ma zuc>. e]iy:yaim ma zuc>. , "you are grieving about those , "you are grieving about those 66 LOKAM Completely relinquishing all dharmas, s relinquishing all dharmas, Completely aban of concept to the has reference of the chapter. beginning the Lo If one practices such abandonment, all sins, meaningwhich results fr the sins a devotee giving up agencybecause once a man becomes and fruits of action, no to him anymore. sin can accrue This sloka gives solace to the devotees sarvadharmAn parityajya mAm ekam SaraNam vraja parityajya mAm ekam SaraNam sarvadharmAn | aham tvA sarvapapebhyo mA Suca: || mokshayishyAmi Meaning: S mamek< zr[< ìj, svRxmaRNpirTyJy ma svRpape_yae Ah< Tva worry. from all sins and hence do not Comments: complete all dharmas means Relinquishing the path fruits etc., whatever may be the goal due to the evil karma that they KrshNa has already given a promise to this 30-31 where He said that even a worst si the Lord. The discourse of the Gita was started with sloka 11, chapter 2, aSocyAn anvaSocastvam The discourse ends here with the words the ends here with The discourse sadagopan.org parityajya parityajya karmas thatimportant thingtorememberis thatthis shouldrequire mental andphysicaldiscipline be done accordingof following tofor whichnoteveryoneisqualified.Ital varNAsrama. the paths etc. whichrequire sadvidyA daharavidya, of So j~nAna what sarvadharmAn is meant yoga, by karma yoga or bhakti yoga as these meaningisasfollows. prapatti, considered astheepilogue.When the is calledthecaramasloka,last ‘mAm ekam SaraNam vraja’-SrI SaraNam ‘mAm ekam meansthattheprapatti doesno ? denotes allthedisciplinesenjo 260 Oppiliappan utsavarwiththAyAr verse of theGita.Therest canbe so referstothosewhoarenotcapable which does notcome easily.Most carama sloka takenasthatenjoining carama sloka does not mean that one can relinquish doesnotmeanthatonecanrelinquish the understanding of theUpanishads theunderstandingof t require any other qualification t requireanyother qualification ined intheVedAssuchas sadagopan.org AgAmi sancita mahAviSvAsam, to him because he is acting with the to him because he is acting , says the Lord, meaning, says the Lord, that once you ly an instrument in the hands of the in the hands ly an instrument not affect him due to mercy of the the the result of the prArabda karma which the result of the prArabda ent karma, prArabda,is exhausted and 261 , helplessness of not being able to follow any to follow able of not being , helplessness have no fear either about his past karma, his past either about have no fear e prapanna to seek refuge Lord asks the prapanna to - By this the akincanya , accepting the Lord alone as the saviour and Lord alone as the saviour , accepting the - The prapanna need need The prapanna - , which has not started giving result, nor about the future karma, not adhere , the result of which does surrender to Him body and soul you become His property and the onus of of onus the and abject surrender. of except that other path property vraja mAm ekam SaraNam His whattermed as is help. This can that He alone belief the with in Him alone become you goptrtva varaNam soul and body Him to surrender becomes His. rescuing you from all the sins mA Suca: except the feeling of feeling the except that He will protect. faith unflinching aham tvA sarvapApebhyo mokshayishyAmi karma karma attitudethe doer but on that he is not Even after that he has no more births. Lord. He had to live only till the pres Lord. He had to live only till has already started on him, to act does Lord. sadagopan.org one who isundertheinfluenceofguNA where theknoweroftruthiscautioned attachment it will onlyMoreover evenif one listenstoitif confuse him as or onewhoslanderstheLordbecauseit should notbedisclosedtoanyonelacking KrshNa ends up saying that this discourse which containsComments: most secret doctrine devotion, andnotinterestedtohear This (discourse)shouldneverbetold Meaning: nacamAmya:abhyasUyati|| na caaSuSrUshavevAcyam | naabhaktAyakadAcana idam tenaatapaskAya n cazuïU;vevaCy 67 and alsotoonewhocavilsatMe. 262 s beforeheis readyfordetachment. mentioned intheslok hehasnot orcouldnotgive uphis to onewho lacksselfcontrol,hasno austerity ordevotionisindifferent against trying to change themindof tochange trying against will be a waste of time and effort. a 29ofchapter 3, sadagopan.org st secret to My devotees with great st secret to My devotees with 263 a mamevE:yTys LOKAM ya idam paramam guhyam madbhakteshu abhidhAsyati | krtvA mAmbhaktim mayi parAm asamSaya: eva eshyati || Meaning: which is mo this discourse One who tells devotion, he attains Me undoubtedly. S guý< mÑ´e:viÉxaSyit, y #d< prm< Éi´< miy pra< k«Tv sadagopan.org dearest to Me. dearest to There isno oneamongmenwhoisdearer Meaning: bhuvi|| bhavitA nacametasmAtanya:priyatara: kaScitmepriyakrttama:| na catasmAtmanushyeshu Éivta ncmetSmadNy>iàytraeÉuiv. n ctSmaNmnu:ye;u kiíNmeiàyk«Äm>, S LOKAM 69 264 to Methansuchapersonandheis sadagopan.org een us with full of dharma, I am een us with full of dharma, 265 70 LOKAM adhyeshyate ca ya: imam dharmyamadhyeshyate ca Avayo: samvAdam | mati: || aham ishTa: syAm iti me tena j~nAnaya~jnena Meaning: betw conversation learns this One who by him through j~nAnayaj~na. worshipped S xMy¡ s (work), vishaya 71 (utility or the fruit). Even though BhagavadgIta is not a separate orthefruit).EventhoughBhagavadgIta (utility isnotaseparate . Nowtheothertwo,namely, vishaya NàaßuyaTpu{ykmR[am!. (subjectmatter), ', thatitis ic MahAbhArata,ithasco otherdevotees of theLord 266 Sreyas d hencewecouldsay setoutas attainingthesupreme by njaya that it is a discourse ofKrshNa njaya thatitisadiscourse on, austerity,wishto servetheLord anubandhacatushTayam thisdiscourseistantamounttothe out cavil,healsoattains and mukti andonewholistenstoitwithfaith adhikAri , aboutwhatis goodforhim,that adhikAri (onequalifiedtostudyit) me tobetreatedasan willattainHimandhe and prayojana that the first two that thefirsttwo , namely, the , namely, yacchreya: are sadagopan.org ating Arjuna from theating Arjuna is also delusion 267 KrshNa puts to him next. listening, studying and expounding the discourse. discourse. expounding the studying and listening, prayojana,The particular of extric that question specified by the Krshna says- sadagopan.org should beabletoanswerasArjunadid, This isthequestionweshould askours Comments: ignorance vanished?" "Have youheardattentivelyallthatwastoldandhasyourdelusioncausedby Meaning: pranashTa:tedhananjaya|| kaccit aj~Anasammoha: | ekAgreNacetasA kaccit etatSrutampArthatvayA ki½d}ans 72 268 elves afterthestudyofGitaand sadagopan.org , confused chidyante sarva samSayA: dharmasammUDhacetA: Na to advise him which is good for is good Na to advise him which the Lord and Arjuna says that it was was it that says Arjuna and Lord the ta the sole purpose was to remove the rding his duty.Now the mission is gained knowledge by Thy grace. Freed grace. Freed Thy by knowledge gained was free from delusion and doubt. This . Now Arjuna is ready to do the bidding bidding the do to ready is Arjuna Now . apanna. KrshNa as the jagatguru and the 269 at prasAdAt | mayA acyuta and delusion have vanished. 73 LOKAM arjuna uvAca tv nashTa: moha: smrti: labdhA sthita: asmi gata sandeha: karishye vacanam tava || sthita: asmi gata sandeha: karishye Meaning: Arjuna said: I have and "Destroyed is the illusion S AjuRn %vac TvTàsadaNmyaCyut, Sm&itlRBxa nòae maeh> kir:ye vcn< tv. iSwtae=iSm gtsNdeh> from doubts, I am steadfast and will do Thy command". Comments: that he was Arjuna said in the beginning about dharma and adharma andabout dharma and adharma asked Krsh him. He said that he was Sishya and pr SaraNya, started the discourse on the Gi accomplished and Arjuna says that he through the grace of only achieved can be the prasAda of KrshNa, tvat prasAdAt of KrshNa because his doubts As Upanishad says, bhidyate hrdayagranthi: (muND:2.2.8) delusion and doubt of Arjuna rega sadagopan.org VyAsa haschosenthename imparting toArjuna. This could be achieved only through th never come toharm. praNaSyati tAtagaccati durgatim But oneshouldrememberthewordsofLord intensity ofourresolve,aboveallthegraceLord. the Lord.Whenthat willhappendepends of theGita,which,coupledwithdevotion Likewise we can also expect only tothe Lord, become karma yoginsprevailed uponhimoncehestarteddoin through the learninghe exhausted hiskarmainfluencedby without compunction asKrshNasaidearlie become asthithapraj~na.wa But thisisnottheknowle SaraNya neve onewho word meansthe , therefugeofdevotees prakrti: tvAmniyokshyati (Ch.9.31) bywhichtheLordgives (Ch.6.40) and dge ofselfrealizationbecauseArjunahadnotyet s the knowledge sufficient tomakehimdohisduty acyuta r swervesfromHisstate. insloka59. bywhichArjuna callsKrshNabecause the whoneverforsakes them. 270 e supreme knowledge which theLord was his guNAs. ThemAyAoftheLord hisguNAs. kaunteya pratijAnIh willleadustowardstheattainmentof g hisdutywhichproved thewordsof on thedensityofourkarmaand r thathisnaturewilltakeoveruntil assurance thatHisdevoteeswill assurance na hikalyaNakrtkaScit HeretheLordis i namebhakta: sadagopan.org ting conversation between the great ting conversation between 271 74 LOKAM VAsudeva and Arjuna. Sanjaya said - and exhilara Thus I heard the wonderful sanjaya uvAca iti aham vAsudevasya ca mahAtmana: | pArthasya samvAdam imam aSrausham adbhutam romaharshaNam || Meaning: S sÃy %vac c mhaTmn>, pawRSy #Tyh< vasudevSy raemh;R[m!. s 75 272 heard thismostsecretyogaexpounded sadagopan.org 273 76 LOKAM rAjan samsmrtya samsmrtyarAjan samsmrtya samvAdam imam adbhutam | muhu: || puNyam hrshyAmi ca muhu: keSavArjunayo: Meaning: and Arjuna, conversation between KrshNa Oh King, remembering this wonderful I am enjoying it again and again. S s SLOKAM 77 sadagopan.org ', the highest Lord Hari, I am filled wonder, with mself, who is the master of all yoga,mself, who is the master of grace of sage VyAsa and extols the grace of sage VyAsa and extols ated to have heard the conversation 275 it, he rejoices at his good fortune again and again it, he rejoices at his good fortune concludes by saying, 77 LOKAM tat ca samsmrtya samsmrtyatat ca samsmrtya rUpamati adbhutam hare: | vismaya:|| mahAn rAjanca puna: puna: me Meaning: form of And remembering the magnificent Oh King, and feeling elated again and again. Comments: was el Not only Arjuna but also Sanjaya to the due KrshNa and Arjuna between discourse yogeSvarA: KrshNatkathayata: svayam as 'yogam of the Lord Hi knowledge from the mouth and says that remembering and filled with wonder. He S hre>, êpmTyÑut< s Thus endstheeighteenthchapterofSrIBhagavadgItAon Thus endsthegreatgospelof 78 krshNAya vAsudevAya devakInandanAya ca krshNAya vAsudevAya nandagopakumArAya govindAya namonama: Srimad bhagavadtgItA sampurNam sampurNam Srimad bhagavadtgItA r such an individual. r suchanindividual. , armed withdetachmentan , armed Moksha sannyAsayoga: nds ofGodalwaysreadytolistenthevoicewithin, ruvA nIti: mati: mama || mama|| nIti:mati: ruvA om tatsat 276 and firmjustice.Thisismyconviction. y equipped to do His command and acts y equippedtodoHiscommandand servants of the Lord to do His bidding servants oftheLordtodoHisbidding humanity, the BhagavadgIta BhagavadgIta humanity,the of the yoga and Arjuna the archer, is thatwhentheLordthereto d discrimination bornout d discrimination