BHAGAVAD GITA The Global Dharma for the Third Millennium Chapter 18 Translations and commentaries by Parama Karuna Devi Copyright © 2015 Parama Karuna Devi All rights reserved. IISBN-13: 978-1482548631 ISBN-10: 1482548631 published by Jagannatha Vallabha Vedic Research Center phone: +91 94373 00906 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.jagannathavallabha.com © 2015 PAVAN Correspondence address: PAVAN House Siddha Mahavira patana, Puri 752002 Orissa Chapter 18 Moksha yoga The yoga of liberation The wonderful journey of knowledge in the company of Krishna and Arjuna has led us from the awareness of disappointment and confusion of Visada yoga to the first step in transcendental realization - the concept of atman, the spiritual Self that incarnates in this world by wearing material bodies in order to evolve towards perfection or realization, culminating in the fully fledged spiritual form or siddha deha. While the second chapter (Sankhya yoga) showed us how to distinguish between spirit and matter (the subject and the object of the action), the third chapter has taught us what to do with them both: this is the Karma yoga (the action or verb or predicate that sustains the statement according to syntax). In the 4th chapter we have come to the discussion about the purpose of life, that is the acquisition of knowledge (jnana), the direction in which we should channel our actions and efforts to elevate ourselves from the level in which we merely do our work because we are supposed to do it. Through the instrumental factors of knowledge and detachment (vairagya, tyaga or sannyasa, chapter 5) we have become able to focus our mind into the proper state of consciousness or spiritual Parama Karuna Devi realization (dhyana, chapter 6) and to apply this vision to our practical daily life (vijnana, chapter 7), relationships and choices. In chapter 8 (Taraka yoga) we have seen that spiritual realization is at the same time the instrument, the purpose and the essence of liberation, by which we become able to constantly contemplate the Supreme Brahman in ourselves: this is the sum and substance of all the teachings and practices of Yoga. This is the great secret (raja guhya, chapter 9): how to see God in oneself and in all beings, and yet as the unchanged source and foundation of all existence. By constant meditation on God, one attains the highest perfection. We have thus seen that the concepts of renunciation (sannyasa) and liberation (taraka) are connected by the concentration and application of proper consciousness in all our actions (dhyana, vijnana). But what should we meditate (dhyana) on? In chapters 10 (Vibhuti yoga) and 11 (Visva rupa darshana yoga) Krishna clearly explained how one should meditate on the universal powers and form of God (the Virata rupa or Visva rupa) and in chapter 12 we learned that such meditation is not just theoretical, but it must develop into a sincere service in love and devotion (bhakti), that consists in performing all dutiful actions in transcendental consciousness. In the course of this loving service, the most important thing is to clearly understand our duty - in which position we are and how we should relate with everything. For this, we must realize how the personal principle (the self, or the purusha) relates to nature (spiritual and material, the prakriti) and how they are actually one and the same although they appear to be distinct. Chapter 13 has been a real eye opener in this regard. Similarly, chapter 18 will declare that all duties (sarva dharman, 18.66) are actually one and the same - and that is the intimate union with the Supreme (18.65). This is the supreme secret (paramam guhyam, 18.67) and the conclusion of Bhagavad gita. 4 Bhagavad gita, Chapter 18 The discussion about the gunas or modes of material nature was therefore interrupted by chapter 15 to remind us about the ultimate purpose of all the other instructions of Bhagavad gita: the realization of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Purushottama. After discussing the characteristics and the effects of the material qualities or gunas (that we need to navigate in this world to perform our duties) we are now going to study the last chapter of Bhagavad gita, that summarizes its general contents and purpose - much like the second chapter had done - and offers a conclusion that is the next stepping stone for further progress into the science of Transcendence. Moksha, liberation from material conditioning, is not the final destination in our journey, but rather it marks the beginning of real life, of truly meaningful action, and of the full realization of the spiritual dimension introduced in the beginning of the dialog by Krishna's teachings on the atman. This is confirmed in verse 18.54. For those who want to continue their evolution in Transcendence, we recommend that after Bhagavad gita they should study the 108 Upanishads and the 18 Puranas. As Bhagavad gita is part of the text of the Mahabharata, a sincere student will make an effort to read this voluminous work, too, and its counterpart the Ramayana written by Valmiki Rishi. At that point one will be ready to study the famous Vedanta sutra, that is considered the purpose, sum and substance of all the Vedic hymns of the Samhitas. In this work we are offering an Appendix including a short summary of the Mahabharata and the famous Gita mahatmya ("the glories of Bhagavad gita") written by Adi Shankara Acharya. 5 Parama Karuna Devi VERSE 1 arjunah uvaca: Arjuna said; sannyasasya: of sannyasa; maha baho: o powerfully armed one; tattvam: the truth; icchami: I desire; veditum: to know; tyagasya: of tyaga; ca: and; hrisikesa: o Hrishikesha; prithak: difference; kesi nisudana: o slayer of Kesi. Arjuna said: "O powerful Krishna, o Lord of the senses, o slayer of Kesi, I wish to know the truth of the difference between tyaga and sannyasa. The chapter on the yoga of liberation begins with the crucial subject of renunciation: moksha is simply freedom from material conditionings, and it can be attained only by renouncing to the material identifications and attachments (ahankara and mamatva) of which Krishna has been talking all along the Bhagavad gita. These are symbolically personified by the asura Kesi, who was killed by Krishna in his Vrindavana lila. We have seen that chapter 5 was dedicated to the science of renunciation (sannyasa yoga) and specifically in verses 5.1 to 5.6 6 Bhagavad gita, Chapter 18 and 5.13, and therefore in the introduction to that chapter we have given a brief summary of the history of the order of sannyasa in Hindu tradition or varna ashrama dharma. Since that subject is also connected to the contents of chapter 18, we invite our readers to refresh the topic by consulting chapter 5. The subject of sannyasa was discussed also in 3.4, 3.30, 4.41, 6.1, 6.2, 6.4, 8.11, 9.28, 12.6, while tyaga was discussed in verses 12.11, 12.12, and 16.2. The concept of renunciation is thus presented on two levels, respectively external and internal, or we could say regulated and spontaneous. Krishna has clearly stated that mere external sannyasa is not sufficient (3.4, 5.2), but one should attain a deeper consciousness of renunciation even without the need for the external requirements of the sannyasa ashrama (5.3, 5.4, 6.1, 6.2). It has been made abundantly clear that mere regulations are not only insufficient in themselves but also extremely difficult and painful to follow especially in Kali yuga (5.6), just like it is difficult and painful (and insufficient as well) to simply meditate on the impersonal and non-manifested (12.5). Therefore active service to the Supreme and to all beings (sarva bhuta hite) is indispensable (12.13-14, 12.6). As we will see in the next verse, sannyasa refers to physically abandoning those actions that are not considered directly useful to the transcendental service, while tyaga refers to a state of consciousness by which one performs any activity in a completely selfless spirit. This level is also known as avadhuta, and it is higher and more difficult to attain than the conventional position of sannyasis, because an avadhuta is not bound by any rule or regulation, while sannyasis are expected to strictly follow the scriptural injunctions for their specific order of life. For example, a sannyasi cannot have a residence, a bank account, a regular source of income, or more possessions than the traditional things he can 7 Parama Karuna Devi carry by hand - more specifically, a walking stick (danda) and a small container for water (kamandalu). The digambari ("clothed by the directions of space") sannyasis do not wear any clothes, but if a sannyasi wants to wear something, it should be a simple loincloth made from old and worn out cloth discarded by others, and he should eat simple food by begging from door to door, without depending on anyone and without keeping anything aside for the next day. He cannot stay in one place for more than 3 days, and he should travel alone and on foot, without using palanquins or other vehicles, riding animals etc. Even if insulted or attacked, he cannot defend himself but he should always behave as a friend of all beings, and remain firmly situated in the transcendental consciousness without any material identification, affiliation or attachment, simply preparing himself to die at any moment. He cannot become a professional teacher, engage in debates, or take shelter of any cause, faction or sect. Special exceptions to these rules can be made in case of emergency or extraordinary circumstances, but still the principle of renunciation must be understood properly and applied honestly.