Idhika Turya - शान्ति कैसे प्राप्त हो ।Praket Ehimay - Sudama and Krishna
Moti Aunty’s Pravachan
Significance of Gita Jayanti:
Recently Geeta Jayanti was celebrated with great pomp and show at the Red Fort in new Delhi, India. There is also currently a proposal to make Gita as the national book. Bhagavad Gita literally means the “song of the divine”. It was on the Hindu calendar date of Aghan (also known as MargSheersha)-Shukla Ekadashi (Nov-Dec/Waxing
phase of moon/11th day) when Krishna delivered the Bhagavad Gita to Arjun.
‘Marg-Sheersha’ literally means the road – head. The month therefore represents the best route to God. In chapter 10, when Krishna explains his presence amongst the various things in this material world, he exclaims that within the months, he is present as the month of MargSheersha.
Vedas are said to be the essence of all Shlokas and mantras. The essence of Vedas is said to have been captured in the Upanishads. The essence of the Upanishads is further summarized in the Gita. Gita is the only scripture within the Sanatan Dharma which has a ‘jayanti’ in its own right.
respectively mean the ‘attachment’ and the ‘destruction of ‘. Therefore ‘moksha’ literally means the destruction of all attachments.
On Moha (attachments): Arjun’s personality though very admirable lacked on two accounts. He was overconfident and also he thought that there was no one more intelligent than him. When Arjun expresses dhaartaraashtrasya Durbuddhe Yuddhe Priya Chikirshavah I want to take a Closer look at those Warriors who have Gathered here in this Battle as well wishers of that Demonic Minded Son of Dhritarashtra (Chapter 1, text 23), Krishna steers the chariot to the middle of the battlefield where Bheeshma and Drona were in the clear line of sight of Arjun. Krishna does this, because Bheeshma and Drona were the two people whom Arjun respected the most and looking at them, Arjun would certainly struggle with his attachments towards them. This inner struggle of Arjun becomes the foundation of Krishna delivering Gita to the entire mankind. Later Arjun says “>nashto mohah smritir labdha” (Chp 18/Text 73). Arjun tells Sri Krishna that he had forgotten the reason why he came to the battlefield in the first place, but is grateful to Sri Krishna for reminding him of his duties which need to be done without attachments. Chapter 18 is therefore also called the ‘Moksha-Sanyas’ yoga.
Ramayan also quotes the evils of moha ‘Moha Sakal Vyadhin kar mula’ (Attachments are the root of all worries) and ‘Moha Sakal Vyadhinkar Mula’ (All-sakal afflictions-vyadhin arise from Moh). If one is able to let go of the ‘Me’, ‘mine’ and ‘I’, all troubles will settle down on their own. It is our decision to partake in the joys and sorrows of the mind.
The mind always wants things per its own desire. Rather than doing what it is supposed to do, it wants to do what it likes to do. Therefore Krishna said in the 1st shloka of the 6th chapter:
Anasritah karmaphalam karyam karma karoti yah
sa sannyasi ca yogi ca na niragnirna cakriyah (Chp 6, Text 1)
A karma yogi is one who does not renounce the action. A sanyasi is usually one who renounces all actions. However a true sanyasi is one who does all actions by not being attached to the fruits of those actions. jñeya˙ sa nitya-sannyåsîyo na devesti na kankshati (Chp 5, Text 3). Krishna says whatever actions one performs must be performed without attachment to them. If one is able to perform his actions in this way, there remains no need to retire to a forest or resort to inaction.
Sitoshana sukh Dukehsu Samah Sang Vivarjitah (hp 12, Text 18). All human miseries are either obtained from nature (of the nature of heat, cold etc.) or from other human beings (of joys and sorrows etc). One who is able to maintain equanimity at these extreme polarities, that person can be said to be a sanyasi. By maintaining a steady mind, one is certainly able to claim victory over the soul.
Chapter 6 Discussion:
Further in chapter 6, Krishna explains the lakshanas (qualities) of one who is such a sanyasi
yuktahara-viharasya
yukta-cestasya karmasu
yukta-svapnavabodhasya
yogo bhavati duhkha-ha
(Chp 6, Text 17).
Such a sanyasi consumes a moderate diet (ahaar) which consists of satvik food and in regulated amounts. His vihaar (places he goes) is also ideal. He does not perform any action in extremities. Krishna emphasizes on balance in actions and equanimity of mind. This is also mentioned earlier in Gita Samo bhutva samatvam yoga ucyate (Chp 2, text 48)
On Yoga: Krishna further explains in Chapter 6 how one can find this balance. By meditating and bringing the balance of the Sun nadis (Ida) and the Moon nadi (pingala) and by balancing them thru the Sushumna nadi, one is able to achieve this harmony of the breath. This technique is also known as ‘Hatha’ yoga (‘Ha’ means Sun and ‘Tha’ means moon, so essentially this yoga is the balancing of the sun(positive, masculine) and moon powers (negative, feminine)). By being able to manage the flow of prana within ones own body, one can easily attain the position of a yogi.
A yogi is one who does the above, a yogiraj is one who teaches yoga. Yogishwar (Shiva) is the spiritual amster of all the yogirajs while Yogeshwar Krishna is one from whose body, yoga manifests.
Gita concludes with Sanjay saying:
yatra yogesvarah krsno
yatra partho dhanur-dharah
tatra srir vijayo bhutir
dhruva nitir matir mama
(Chp 18, text 78)
This means wherever one finds the combination of Krishna who is the yogeshwar and the perfect yogi (Arjun), wealth, victory and knowledge are bound to manifest.
Conclusion: By achieving efficiency and balance in our actions and equanimity in the mind, one is able to put the teachings of chapter 6 to practice.
