Z for Zenith

The Bhagavad Gita is a treasure trove of knowledge - all that you need to be is an inquisitive student, because only when the student is ready, the master appears! Join me this month in the 'April A to Z challenge,' as I take you through selected verses of this monumental scripture, and try to decipher the amazing lessons it has in store for us.                  

Translation

This is the last verse of the Gita and it is a succinct summary of all the lessons that Krishna gave Arjuna. In the end, all we need is for Krishna to be the guide, and we are sure to find our path.

Sanjaya, the charioteer of King Dritharashtra, was bestowed with divine vision by Vyasa, so that he could observe the happenings in the battlefield of Kurukshetra and report it verbatim to the blind king. After he listened to the wonderful conversation between Krishna and Arjuna, Sanjaya’s hair stood on end (roma harshana), and he couldn’t stop rejoicing (hrishyami) at the opportunity to have been privy to the astonishing cosmic form (rupam aty adbhutam) of the Lord and hearing the life changing dialogues (samvadam).

Hence, he declares with great conviction that where Lord Shri Krishna is the guiding force – the master of yoga (yogeshwara) and Arjuna is the warrior (dhanurdhara), there is no doubt that wealth and opulence (shri), success and victory (vijaya) fame, and exceptional power and prosperity (bhuti) will follow.

What this verse means for us.

We are Arjuna – the confused soul, battling life’s highs and lows, facing various dilemmas, stuck with decision making and frustrated with the volleys that life throws at us. So, this is an instruction not just for Arjuna who fought the battle that day in Kurukshetra but for us too.

Our body and mind are indeed the Kurukshetra and the Dharmakshetra. There is an ongoing battle that takes place, every single moment. All we need is someone to hold our hand when we falter, tells us if we are on the right path, and nudge us if we are wrong. If that someone is Krishna, we have already won the battle.

The story of Parikshit from the Srimad Bhagavatam.

The Bhagavatam begins with the story of King Parikshit. Parikshit was the son of Abhimanyu and Uttara, grandson of Arjuna and Subhadra, and nephew of Shri Krishna. Even before he was born, Uttara’s womb was attacked by the ‘brahmastra’ – the most destructive weapon – released by Ashwatthama in a fit of rage.

Ashwatthama’s rage.

Having promised his dear friend Duryodhana, who was on his death bed, he first tried to eliminate the Pandavas while they were sleeping, but failed. Krishna shifted the Pandavas to another tent just before the attack and saved them.

Frustrated at this failure, he tried to kill the unborn child of Uttara so that the Pandavas would have no progeny to continue their lineage. Again, Shri Krishna rescued the unborn child by entering Uttara’s womb and neutralising the effect of the deadly weapon. Parikshit had the rare distinction of having a darshana and protection of Krishna while in his mother’s womb.

The curse of the young Brahmana.

Parikshit was a foremost devotee of Shri Krishna. He was a virtuous emperor and a just ruler, bringing great fame to the legacy of the Pandava clan.

He was cursed by a young brahmana to die in seven days, by the venomous bite of the Takshaka snake. But instead of being scared or angry, he accepted the curse, gave up his kingdom to his son, Janmejaya, and began meditating upon Krishna, preparing for death.

The narration of the Bhagavatam – Krishna once again becomes the guide.

Shri Sukhdeva himself approached Parikshit and narrated the Bhagavatam to him for seven days. At the end of the narration, Parikshit gained fearlessness from death, and sight of the auspicious form of Krishna. His ignorance was dispelled, and he attained liberation by fixing his heart upon the lotus feet of Shri Krishna.

By making Krishna his guide, Parikshit attained what takes seekers many lifetimes to achieve. The Bhagavatam is the ‘Vangmaya Swaroopa’ of Shri Krishna – the text is Shri Krishna himself in literary form. Krishna was Parikshit’s guide throughout his life, just like he had been for Arjuna, but for the final seven days, Parikshit lived every moment immersed in Krishna’s thoughts.

We all are here for seven days.

The end of our lives will happen on one of these seven days – Sunday to Saturday. At least Parikshit knew he would not die before the seven days were over, however, we do not have that confirmation. That is what makes the Bhagavad Gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam the most important messages of our lives – make Krishna the guiding force of our lives so that we can spend the uncertain moments of life without fear, without confusion and in complete bliss. This would be the 'zenith' - the ultimate truth and peak of achievement of our lives! 

 

 

Y for Yoga

The Bhagavad Gita is a treasure trove of knowledge - all that you need to be is an inquisitive student, because only when the student is ready, the master appears! Join me this month in the 'April A to Z challenge,' as I take you through selected verses of this monumental scripture, and try to decipher the amazing lessons it has in store for us.                  

Translation

In this verse, Krishna tells Arjuna to be situated in yoga at all times. He asks Arjuna to perform his duty (kuru karmani), abandon all attachments (sangam tyaktva) to success (siddhi) and failure (asiddhi), and stay equipoised (samatvam) at all times. This, he says, is called yoga.

The various paths to Yoga.

Yoga is essentially a union - a union of the jiva and the paramatma. In the Gita, Krishna describes various ways to achieve this union – jnana yoga (through knowledge), dhyana yoga (through meditation), karma yoga (through work), sanyasa yoga (through renunciation of the fruits of action) and bhakti yoga (through unalloyed devotion).

The paths may be different, but the destination is the same. We have to choose the path according to our capacity and our nature.

The story of Uddhava and Gopikas from the Srimad Bhagavatham.

Krishna knew that the Gopikas of Vrindavan yearned for him after his separation from them. So, he sent his closest friend, Uddhava as a messenger of his well-being to meet his parents and the Gopikas.

Uddhava was highly learned and a master of philosophy and yoga. Seeing the yearning of the Gopikas, he wanted to console them and explain to them about the eternal nature of the Self and to make them understand that Krishna was always present within them.

Union in separation.

What Uddhava saw was something beyond conventional wisdom. The abstract teachings that he wanted to impart seemed too insignificant. The Gopikas did not want to understand Krishna, they only wanted to be with Krishna. Every moment of their lives was already absorbed in Him.

They were so lost in his love that they saw Krishna everywhere. They spoke to the bees as if it were Krishna’s messenger. They poured out their love, pain and surrender to it as if it would convey the same to Krishna. They constantly remembered Krishna’s childhood activities and cried and sang about them without shame. They rejoiced in Krishna’s footprints that he had left all over Vraja – by the rivers, on the hills, in the forests, and in every grain of sand in the village. They remembered the sound of his flute and the cows that gathered at his call.

Their devotion was so intense that separation itself became a form of union – bhakti yoga. It is said that when they went out to sell milk and curds, they were so immersed in Krishna's thoughts, they called out, 'Buy Govinda, buy Damodhara, buy Madhava, instead of buy milk, buy curds!' 

Vikretu kama kila gopa kanya, murari padarpita chitta vritti

dhadhyadikam moha vashad avochad, govinda damodhara madhaveti.

Uddhava surrenders at the Gopikas’ feet.

Uddhava bowed at their feet. He said, ‘These gopikas have perfected their lives with unalloyed love for Krishna. Lord Brahma, who created the world, obtained knowledge from Maha Vishnu himself, yet I consider them to be richer devotees. The Gopikas received more compassion from Krishna's embrace during the rasa lila, than the goddess of fortune, Mahalakshmi, who always resides on Krishna’s chest. I would consider myself most fortunate to take birth as even a bush or creeper that would sometimes be touched by the dust of these Gopikas’ lotus feet.’ 

 

Devotion has no parallel.

Of all forms of yoga, bhakti yoga or devotional service is the easiest and yet the most difficult to offer. It is said that in Kaliyuga, we have shorter attention spans, more distractions, and less discipline for complex spiritual practices. Neither can we perform long years of meditation as in Kritayuga, nor can we perform elaborate rituals (yajna) as in Tretayuga, nor be immersed in deity worship as in Dwaparayuga. 

By simply chanting the name of Krishna, especially through practices like nama japa or kirtan, is enough to help us connect with the Supreme in Kaliyuga.  

 

 

X for 'Xtremism and Moderation

The Bhagavad Gita is a treasure trove of knowledge - all that you need to be is an inquisitive student, because only when the student is ready, the master appears! Join me this month in the 'April A to Z challenge,' as I take you through selected verses of this monumental scripture, and try to decipher the amazing lessons it has in store for us.                

 

Read W for Witness here.

 

Translation

In this verse, Krishna says that one must practice eating (ahara), recreation (vihara), work (karma), sleep (svapna), and wakefulness (avabodha) in moderation.

Verse 6.16 forbids any extreme practices – eating too much or too little, sleeping for long hours or very few hours, and so on.

 

Story of Yayati from the Srimad Bhagavatam.

Yayati is the second son of the famous King Nahusa. After his elder brother gives up the throne and takes up the path of renunciation, Yayati is crowned king. He is a good king but given to sense enjoyments. He not only marries Devayani, the daughter of the guru of demons (asuras), Sukracharya, but also marries Devayani’s friend, Sharmista. He promises Sukracharya that would not bear any children with her.

Sukracharya’s curse.

Devayani gives birth to two children. But when he begets three children from Sharmista too, the promise given to his father-in-law is broken. At this point, Sukracharya is furious with Yayati for his transgression and curses him to suffer old age and vitality immediately. Yayati is distressed and begs for forgiveness. Since the curse cannot be taken back, Sukracharya permits him to trade his old age with the youth of any of his sons. None of his sons are ready for such a trade, however the youngest son, Puru agrees to it.

A thousand years of enjoyment.

Yayati gets his youth back. He again begins to enjoy his life – indulging his senses and partaking every material pleasure. After a thousand years of enjoying unlimited material comforts, he still remains unsatisfied. His greed and desire find no end.

Devayani tells him that just like butter added to fire can never extinguish it, similarly, indulging in continual enjoyment can never satiate the fire of desires.  

Yayati finally gives his youth back to Puru and installs him on the throne. He then retires to the forest and engages himself fully in devotional service to the Lord.

Extremism in any form is harmful.

Yayati over indulged himself. But sometimes a devotee or Sadhak may do the opposite and eat too little, sleep too little, and torment their body. A sadhak does not think too much about the body, as they tend to focus on the soul. Verse 17.5 and 17.6 term the practices of tormenting the body as tamasic in nature.

Finding the path of moderation.

Krishna says that though we are here for the liberation of the soul, the body is equally important because without a human body, no sadhana is possible. We need a healthy body so that we can continue our practices. Neither do hunger, sleep deprivation, laziness and frugality help us nor do overeating, over sleeping, over working, over indulgence and greed.

  Excess or too little of anything is bad. Moderation is the key – eat just enough to stay nourished, sleep just enough to feel rejuvenated, and consume just enough to live comfortably.

 

 

W for Witness

 The Bhagavad Gita is a treasure trove of knowledge - all that you need to be is an inquisitive student, because only when the student is ready, the master appears! Join me this month in the 'April A to Z challenge,' as I take you through selected verses of this monumental scripture, and try to decipher the amazing lessons it has in store for us.           

Read V for Virtues here.       

Translation

Krishna says that in this body there exists a jiva (the soul) and the paramatma (the supersoul). The ishwara or paramatma is the witness – the one who oversees everything (upadrusta), the one who permits everything (anumanta), the master – who controls everything (bharta), and the enjoyer – who experiences everything (bhoktra).

 

The story of the two birds on the tree.

In the Mundaka Upanishad, Shaunaka, a great householder asks Sage Angirasa a question, ‘By knowing what does everything become known?’

Angirasa explains in great detail about various aspects and then gives a very profound allegory.  He says, two birds seated on a tree, cling close to each other. One bird eats the fruits while the other looks on without eating.

द्वा सुपर्णा सयुजा सखाया समानं वृक्षं परिषस्वजाते ।
तयोरन्यः पिप्पलं स्वाद्वत्त्यनश्नन्नन्यो अभिचाकशीति ॥ (3.1.1)

dvā suparṇā sayujā sakhāyā samānaṃ vṛkṣaṃ pariṣasvajāte.
tayoranyaḥ pippalaṃ svādvattyanaśnannanyo abhicākaśīti.

He explains that the tree represents the body, and the two birds represent the jiva and the paramatma. The first bird which eats the fruit is the jiva, that is us. We enjoy the various fruits of life – the joy, the sorrow, success and failure. The other bird which looks on without eating is the paramatma, who is a witness to all our activities.  As long as the first bird is caught in the experiences of life, it is restless, anxious and confused. But the moment it notices and turns towards the second bird, it gradually realises it true nature.

Krishna is the witness.

Krishna is present in our hearts; we don’t need to search him elsewhere. He observes everything we do, but himself never gets attached or affected. He also does not interfere but if we turn towards him, he provides us with clarity to lead our life and leads us to moksha.

 

The story of Puranjana from the Srimad Bhagavatam.

Sage Narada narrates the story of Puranjana to King Prachinabarhi who is excessively involved in leading a life of fruitive activities, rituals and sacrifices. Through the story he makes the king realise that performing fruitive activities will lead to entanglement and miseries and make him lose sight of the ultimate goal.

Who is Puranjana?

Puranjana’s story is symbolic. He is a king searching for a suitable place to live; just like a jiva searching for a body to inhabit. He has a mysterious companion – Avijnata sakha, the unknown friend. Avijnata represents the paramatma, but since the jiva never recognises him, he remains unknown to him through various lifetimes. Avijnata accompanies him in every life, silently witnessing his actions. He neither imposes not interferes.  

After wandering, Puranjana finds a magnificent city with nine gates – the human body. He meets and marries a beautiful woman – representing our intellect or mind.  He gradually becomes absorbed in worldly pleasures, family, and identity.

The Turning Point

As time passes, he grows old, suffers, and ultimately dies, thinking of his wife. As a result, he is reborn as a woman, Vaidarbhi, daughter of King Vidarbha, and is later married to a saintly king, Malayadhvaja. When Vaidarbhi grieves after Malayadhvaja passes away in severe penance, Avijnata, the Supreme Witness, finally appears before Vaidarbhi, who was previously Puranjana.

The paramatma is never separated from the jiva.

Avijnata reminds her that though the body keeps changing, the jiva inside remains the same, hence she should stop identifying with her body.  The one who is always there with the jiva is only the paramatma. Krishna remains with us as a witness to all our actions. Till we realise and recognise him, he remains unknown, but when we begin to know him, he slowly reveals himself.

 

Even if no one sees, he does.

In verse 18.61, Krishna says, I reside in everyone's heart.

ईश्वर: सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशेऽर्जुन तिष्ठति  

If one commits a sin thinking, they were all alone and no one saw them, this verse tells us that, as a witness, Krishna sees them, not seated somewhere outside but within their own hearts. So before we do something questionable, we must be aware that we will still be answerable to him. 

Conversely, if one commits a good deed and feels sad that no one saw them doing it, they need not worry, for Krishna sees them nevertheless. To prevent that good deed from becoming a source of bondage, all we need to do is offer our deeds (karmas) to Him.  

V for Virtues

 

The Bhagavad Gita is a treasure trove of knowledge - all that you need to be is an inquisitive student, because only when the student is ready, the master appears! Join me this month in the 'April A to Z challenge,' as I take you through selected verses of this monumental scripture, and try to decipher the amazing lessons it has in store for us.       

Read U for Upliftment here.           

Translation

In this verse, Shri Krishna describes twenty-six virtues that befit a saintly person – fearlessness (abhayam), purity of mind (sattva), steadfastness in spiritual knowledge (jnana yoga), charity (dana), control of the senses (damah), sacrifice (yajna), study of the sacred books (svadhyaya) , austerity (tapah) , and straightforwardness (arjavam); non-violence (ahimsa), truthfulness (satyam), absence of anger (akrodah), renunciation (tyagah), peacefulness (shantih), restraint from fault-finding (apaishunam), compassion toward all living beings (daya), absence of covetousness (aloloptvam), gentleness (mardavam), modesty (hrih), and lack of fickleness (achapalam); vigour (tejah), forgiveness (kshama), fortitude (dhritih), cleanliness (shaucham), bearing enmity toward none (adroham), and absence of vanity (atimanita).

Story of Daksh Prajapati, Sati and Lord Shiva

Once upon a time, all the prajapatis or leaders performed a great sacrifice. It was well attended by all the great sages, philosophers, demigods and fire-gods and their followers.

Dakṣha was the leader of the Prajapatis. When he entered that assembly, all the fire-gods and other participants in that great assembly, with the exception of Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva, stood up in respect for Dakṣha. Since Lord Brahma was his father, Daksha offered respects to him and sat down. Daksha was quite offended to see Lord Shiva sitting and not showing him any respect.

Daksha’s virtues get overshadowed.

Daksha felt insulted. His pride told him that he was leader of all leaders, the son of Lord Brahma, and deserved to be respected. His ego told him that since Lord Shiva was married to his daughter Sati, he was expected to bow to Daksha, since the father-in-law is equal to a guru.

But he had forgotten that despite being his son-in-law, Lord Shiva was much higher in position. Full of ego and pride, Daksha insulted Lord Shiva, using vile words. He forbade Shiva from receiving any share in the oblations of sacrifice.

Lord Shiva, embodying the Gita’s teaching of absence of anger (akrodha) and inner calm (shanti), did not react. He simply withdrew.

 Sati faces humiliation.

Sometime later, Sati came to know of a ‘vajapeya yagna’ being held at her father’s house. Not knowing about her husband’s insult by her father, she insisted on going though they had not been invited. When Shiva did not accompany her, she marched off alone.

Once at her father’s palace, she not only felt unwelcome by him but also realised that he had not kept a share of the oblations of sacrifice for her husband. This insult was too much for her to bear. She was too embarrassed to go back to her husband, and after cursing her father, jumped into the sacrificial fire giving up her life.

While the divine virtues lead to harmony, forsaking them lead to chaos. Pride led to humiliation, which in turn led to suffering and lastly to destruction.

Lord Shiva unleashes Veerabhadra.

Lord Shiva did not mind his own humiliation, but when he came to know that his dear wife, Sati had also not been spared, he could bear it no more. He unleashed his own fearful form – Veerabhadra, on Daksha. Daksha finally paid for his mistake, when Veerabhadra severed off his head and threw it into the sacrificial fire. Later, all the gods prayed to Lord Shiva, and showing forgiveness (kshama) and compassion (daya), Lord Shiva gave Dakska the head of a goat.

Finding balance.

Daksha failed to show many of the virtues - purity of mind, control of his senses, absence of anger, vanity, restraint in finding fault, and bearing hostility towards Lord Shiva, the one who should have been worshipped. Lord Shiva on the other hand, did not get angry when humiliated, stayed calm and also forgave Daksha out of compassion.

 

Virtues bring about inner discipline.

This verse serves as a measure of our own spiritual growth. It is not easy to be perfect from the first moment itself, but with conscious practice and making Krishna our guide, it is not impossible either. These are the virtues that help us achieve inner peace and harmony. Turning away from them can bring conflict and discord.

 

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