Bhagavad Gita
अकर्तारं स पश्यति Still Mind Perceives the Truth
Why read Bhagavad Gita?
In the present modern world, almost every person is endowed with comforts unheard ever before in the history of mankind. And still, there are many who feel that money and power are the only known solutions to make them happy. Yet people are not happy and are at loggerheads with each other. This clealry shows we are all in confusion. so was Arjun, the principal archer on Padava's side.
Pandavas wanted to claim their part of the empire from Kauravas. However, Duryodhan, the principal antagonist, denies all their demands and war breaks out. Just before the war commences, Arjun breaksdown lamenting the consequences of war.
Pandavas wanted to claim their part of the empire from Kauravas. However, Duryodhan, the principal antagonist, denies all their demands and war breaks out. Just before the war commences, Arjun breaksdown lamenting the consequences of war.
2. Then Krishna, the godhead, helps Arjun to understand that the war or any other activity that is going in this universe, keep happening despite ones liking or otherwise. But as an individual, its for Arjun to comprehend it appropriately. That's central idea of Bhagavad Gita. See the verse below.
3. Complete essense of Gita is captured in a single sloka.
श्रीभगवानुवाच |
उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् |
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मन: ||(6-5)||
uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ nātmānam avasādayet
ātmaiva hyātmano bandhur ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ
uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ nātmānam avasādayet
ātmaiva hyātmano bandhur ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ
Purport : Godhead said unto Arjun!! through the power of your mind, uplift, not degrade yourself. The mind (depending on usage) can be the friend or the enemy of thy self.
Here Krishna emphasized that onus is on Arjun to improve; not on the god to make him better.
4. Bhagavad Gita's appeal is universal and it addresses its message directly to the reader. Intensity of Bhagavad Gita can be felt almost through its 700+ stanzas. Basically it asks the reader to explore, however it doesn't subscribe any particular action (in mind), but asks the reader to ponder. it has many path breaking verses, one of which I am presenting below.
5. Godhead explaining what is appropriate action to Arjun
श्रीभगवानुवाच |
कर्मण्यकर्म य: पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म य: |
स बुद्धिमान्मनुष्येषु स युक्त: कृत्स्नकर्मकृत् || 4-18||
karmaṇyakarma yaḥ paśhyed akarmaṇi cha karma yaḥ
sa buddhimān manuṣhyeṣhu sa yuktaḥ kṛitsna-karma-kṛit
Purport : Goghead said unto Arjun!! Those who see action in inaction and inaction in action are truly wise amongst humans. Although performing various actions, they are true yogis.
4. Bhagavad Gita's appeal is universal and it addresses its message directly to the reader. Intensity of Bhagavad Gita can be felt almost through its 700+ stanzas. Basically it asks the reader to explore, however it doesn't subscribe any particular action (in mind), but asks the reader to ponder. it has many path breaking verses, one of which I am presenting below.
5. Godhead explaining what is appropriate action to Arjun
श्रीभगवानुवाच |
कर्मण्यकर्म य: पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म य: |
स बुद्धिमान्मनुष्येषु स युक्त: कृत्स्नकर्मकृत् || 4-18||
karmaṇyakarma yaḥ paśhyed akarmaṇi cha karma yaḥ
sa buddhimān manuṣhyeṣhu sa yuktaḥ kṛitsna-karma-kṛit
Purport : Goghead said unto Arjun!! Those who see action in inaction and inaction in action are truly wise amongst humans. Although performing various actions, they are true yogis.
We are all reactive to the environment. This reaction produces the rippling effect and the reuslt is the present state of affairs. In this verse, Godhead implies that true action is observing one's own reaction, not any impulsive action. This verse apprears more like modern paradoxical statement!! Similar idea was echoed by J Krishnamurti as below.
_Our minds are tortured, our minds after twisted because we are making such tremendous efforts to live, to act, to think. Effort in any form must be distortion. *The moment there is effort to be aware, it is not awareness. When attention is an effort it is inattention*_ . (You are the World by Jiddu Krishnamurti)
Therefore, the views expressed in Bhagavad Gita are very contemporary and relevant.
6. Most of our knowledge (not scientific or tehcnical or geographical knowledge, but the psychological impressions) we carry is secondary, (not first hand). This secondary knowledge encompasses all the activities of human existence. Thus it offers considerable resistance for change. We are afraid of leaving this knowledge. That's the the bottom line drawn by Bhagavad Gita. It questions the basis of our understanding of this world. It encourages you to discover the ultimate, by decloging your thinking.
7. Every man is unique. Therefore, attempting an universal solution is impossible. Thus Bhagavad Gita leaves the duty of finding the path to salvation on the reader by declaring "तत: पदं तत्परिमार्गितव्यं यस्मिन्गता न निवर्तन्ति भूय:" tataḥ padaṁ tat parimārgitavyaṁ yasmin gatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥ (15-4, after overcoming the influence of the wrong knowledge) you shall search that path by which you shall not come back to this world again.... This Verse (sloka) is not only highlight to the great book but also proves it is rather revolutionary in its ideas, even to this day.
8. The purpose of this blog is enunciate understanding espoused in Gita in simple language for non specialist readers. During these explanations, I shall be taking cues from great poets/authors like Shakesphere, Vemana, Potana, Annamayya, Ramadasu
