BHAGAVAD GITA The Global Dharma for the Third Millennium Chapter Eleven Translations and commentaries by Parama Karuna Devi Copyright © 2013 Parama Karuna Devi All rights reserved. Title ID: 4173077 ISBN-13: 978-1482548518 ISBN-10: 1482548518 published by Jagannatha Vallabha Vedic Research Center phone: +91 94373 00906 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.jagannathavallabha.com © 2011 PAVAN Correspondence address: PAVAN House Siddha Mahavira patana, Puri 752002 Orissa Chapter 11 Visva rupa darshana yoga The yoga of contemplation of the universal form After speaking about the glories of the universal form, Krishna is now going to show it directly to Arjuna, on his request. Arjuna knows that the supreme Consciousness can connect directly to his mind and give him a direct perception of its vibhutis, just as if he was looking at it physically. What would be the difference anyway? What is sense perception? A micro electrical transmission in the nervous system, carried by the electro-magnetic power of consciousness, and received from other sources of transmission that use waves of various frequencies, such as light, sound, motion, heat, etc. When the consciousness leaves the body, or where the nervous system wiring is interrupted by tissue damage, there is no more sense perception. Conversely, when the consciousness expands outside the range of the physical senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste), it can perceive other things in what many call ESP (extra sensorial perception). Also, there is a "6th sense" of subtle perception of magnetic energy, that we can feel for example when we are within someone else's magnetic sphere of the body (called aura), and we can perceive their emotions - such as fear, lust, joy, anger, etc. Parama Karuna Devi Conventional academy says it is about pheromones - a type of hormones produced by the gland system in our bodies, that give off a particular smell, but if our perception is clear enough, we can directly experience a flow of energy, like an electrical current, that has nothing to do with smell. In this regard, we may note that according to the Vedic system, the mind is called the 6th sense. Furthermore, the mind can independently create sensory perceptions through visualization, memory, and even hallucination - that are increasingly powerful manifestations with varying degrees of deliberation, knowledge and awareness, depending on the individual experiencing them. Popular mainstream culture has developed a sort of duality of love- hatred for these powerful functions of the mind, on one side ridiculing and condemning day-dreaming and hallucinations, and on the other side praising genius in creative imagination. The actual difference between the two sides is the strength of awareness and understanding. The lack of knowledge and clarity among the general population usually lead people to think that the problem is about conventional reality versus subjective illusion, and to rely on established official authorities to tell the difference between the two. However, the boundary between what is acceptable and what is not acceptable can be easily misplaced by ill-motivated leaders that take the position of authorities in spite of their lack of ethical qualifications. This generates serious problems at many levels - individual and collective - and inevitably sufferings appear whenever the natural order becomes unbalanced and the purpose of life is derailed. Vedic knowledge gives us a complete and scientific method of directly verifiable experiences, that can be repeated consistently by different individuals in exactly the same way, with the precisely 4 Bhagavad gita, Chapter 11 same procedures and results. This is why it is so important for any student of Vedic knowledge to follow the requirements with the greatest precision and sincerity possible, because even a small inconsistency or disruption in the programmed protocols will vitiate the process and make it unsuccessful. Thus, academic indology is intrinsically doomed to fail to understand Vedic knowledge, because it does not give any importance to the actual key that can open its doors. Modern medical research has admitted that a large part of the human brain (between 65% and 85%) remains unused by most people in contemporary society. The ancient science of yoga is precisely meant to train individuals to the full utilization of the human body-mind set, consciously engaging those faculties that sometimes manifest spontaneously in phenomena that modern science cannot explain, and that have been defined as telepathy, telekinesis, clairvoyance, and so on. VERSE 1 arjunah: Arjuna; uvaca: said; mat anugrahaya: for kindness towards me; paramam: supreme; guhyam: secret; adhyatma: of the original atman; samjnitam: understanding; yat: that; tvaya: by you; 5 Parama Karuna Devi uktam: said; vacah: words; tena: by that; mohah: confusion; ayam: this; vigatah: is gone; mama: my. Arjuna said, "My confusion has been removed by the teachings that you have kindly explained to me about the supreme secret of spiritual science.” The transmission of this intimate knowledge is motivated by kindness and compassion, as Bhagavad gita has already mentioned before (10.11). This is because the only real problem in the world is ignorance, or the absence of proper knowledge and realization, that is causing all types of sufferings. Ignorance is the only real enemy to be defeated, both at individual and at collective level, and the only means to defeat it is knowledge. For this reason, the Supreme Consciousness descends in human form into this world from time to time (paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca dushkritam, dharma samsthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge, "I manifest myself yuga after yuga, to protect the good people, destroy the evil doers and to establish dharma", 4.8), and/ or empowers individual souls (shakti avesa) to carry on the mission of transmitting Vedic knowledge. It is the most important job in the entire universe, and it can really change the history of mankind. True, life in the material body is inevitably marred by the inherent pains of birth, disease, old age and death, but these sufferings can be reduced to almost nothing by applying the proper knowledge offered by the genuine and original Vedic tradition. It's not just about the medical, social, or technological fields, that can greatly improve the quality of life: above all, it is about the fundamental knowledge of the Self, that dispels the illusion (moha vigata) clouding the natural and fundamental happiness (ananda) that is 6 Bhagavad gita, Chapter 11 the nature of the Self. The adhyatma is the original Self, the atman of the atman, the soul of the soul. It is individual and at the same time, it is beyond individuality, because all Consciousness is connected: this is the supreme secret, the paramam guhyam, that Krishna has been explaining (9.1-2, 15.19, 18.63-64, 18.67, 18.74). Conditioned souls waste their time and energy running after the whims and desires of their minds, hoping to find happiness in the external objects of sense gratification, when actually the real happiness is already eternally (sat) present within the Self. The key to actually experiencing this happiness is knowledge or awareness (cit). Here Arjuna is confirming this realization for us, and expressing gratitude towards Krishna for this wonderful gift. We know that Arjuna is simply playing the role of the student for our benefit, because he is not an ordinary ignorant person. So the gratitude he expresses for Krishna's kindness applies also to recognizing his affection in including him into the compassionate plan for the dissemination of the transcendental science among the conditioned souls. This declaration concludes the first part of the Bhagavad gita, that started when Arjuna, apparently overwhelmed by confusion, requested Krishna to dispel his doubts (1.28, 2.7-8). In this first part, Arjuna asked many questions (2.54, 3.1, 3.36, 4.4, 5.1, 6.33, 6.37, 8.1). After contemplating the universal form, Arjuna will ask more questions, albeit on a higher level of understanding (12.1, 13.1, 14.21, 17.1, 18.1), giving Krishna the opportunity to elaborate more on the practical aspects of devotional service. At the conclusion of the conversation, in 18.73, Arjuna will again state that confusion has been destroyed (nasto mohah) and the memory regained (smritir labdha) thanks to the kindness of Krishna (tvat prasadam). 7 Parama Karuna Devi In that last verse (18.73) Arjuna's words can be referred to the confusion of the general people, and also to his memory of the mission in which he was meant to engage by Krishna's side. Thus we should be extremely grateful for all the opportunities we are offered in this world to come in touch with spiritual knowledge. VERSE 2 bhava: the coming to existence; apyayau: and the dissolution; hi: indeed; bhutanam: of (all) beings/ existences; srutau: (that I have) heard; vistarasah: the elaboration; maya: by me; tvattah: from you; kamala patra aksha: o lotus-eyed; mahatmyam: the glorification; api: although: ca: and; avyayam: imperishable. "O lotus-eyed (Lord), I have heard from you the explanation about the manifestation and the withdrawal of all existences/ beings, and the glories of the imperishable (spirit).” The word apiya means "withdrawing", and refers to the time of the dissolution of the universes (Bhagavata Purana,10.87.12), when all the worlds again enter into Narayana's body (sva sristam idam apiya sayanam saha shaktibhih, "having absorbed this world, that was originally created by him, he reclines together with his energies"). 8 Bhagavad gita, Chapter 11 We have often elaborated on the meaning of bhava, as "existence", or "appearance", as in "becoming". This word applies to the transformations of material nature, and together with the idea of dissolution of the material manifestation, it creates a contrast with the eternal imperishable existence (avyayam) whose vibhutis manifest within the creation and make it glorious.