Gita verses BG 7.7 to 7.19 - Mananam
Pattinathhaar a saint had
once said - எட்டும் இரண்டும் அறியாதவர் மூடர் (Those who do not know the eight and the two are indeed
fools). By this eight is meant aśtamūrti tattvam – (5 elements,
sun, moon and ātma chaithanyam). By two is meant - அம்மை அப்பன் (mother, father). In other words, this focus on Svarūpa
lakśanam must not turn our notion of chaithanyam (consciousness) into some
abstract entity devoid of life expressions – like love, but instead allow us to
develop that bhakti along with the svarūpa pratyabhijnyā (recognition of one’s
Self’s essential nature as pure existence, consciousness). This is complete
holistic spiritual unfoldment.
The verse from BG 7.7 are
key for contemplation and the subsequent holistic spiritual unfoldment from
within, wherein we enjoy Īśvara through those choicest manifestations in
prakriti. In BG 7.7 Bhagavān has
declared He is the underlying unity (sūtrē maṇigaṇā iva), on which are strung these diverse manifestations
(i.e. modifications of prakriti).
mattaḥ parataraṅ nānyatkiñcidasti dhanañjaya.
mayi sarvamidaṅ prōtaṅ sūtrē maṇigaṇā iva৷৷7.7৷৷
O Dhananjaya, there is nothing else whatsoever higher than
Myself. All this is strung on Me like pearls on a string.
Bhāśyam: ….sarvam, all; idam, this, all things, the Universe;
protam, is strung, woven, connected, i.e. transfixed; mayi, on Me, the supreme
God; like cloth in the warp, [Like cloth formed by threads constituting its
warp and woof.] and iva, like; maniganah, peals; sutre, on a string. 'What qualities
are You endowed with, by virtue of which all this is strung on You? This is
being answered:
rasō.hamapsu kauntēya prabhāsmi śaśisūryayōḥ.
praṇavaḥ sarvavēdēṣu śabdaḥ khē
pauruṣaṅ nṛṣu৷৷7.8৷৷
O son of Kunti, I am the taste of water, I am the
effulgence of the moon and the sun; (the letter) Om in all the Vedas, the sound
in space, and manhood in men.
puṇyō gandhaḥ pṛthivyām ca tējaścāsmi vibhāvasau.
jīvanam sarvabhūtēṣu tapaścāsmi tapasviṣu৷৷7.9৷৷
I am also the sweet fragrance in the
earth; I am the brilliance in the fire, and the life in all beings; and I am
the austerity of the ascetics.
Bhāśyam: Disagreeableness of odor in the earth, and
of the like, brought about by the combination of different elements, is because
of the avidyā and adharma of transmigrating jīvas.
Ānandagiri
tīkā: ' Odor' etc. in their primary
forms arc verily agreeable (and sacred), since they arc objects of enjoyment by
Siddhas and their like. But when they (odor, etc.) get transformed in
combination with their own effects (the elements), they become disagreeable to
ordinary living beings, owing to the evil (sin) in those beings.
Bhāśyam: And the brilliance, lustre in lire. Agni, am I. So also, the life in all beings, that by which all beings live, the vital energy; and the austerity in ascetics am I: in Me, that austerity, are ascetics woven
bījam mām sarvabhūtānām viddhi pārtha sanātanam.
buddhir buddhimatām asmi tējas tējasvinām aham৷৷7.10৷৷
O Partha, know Me to be the eternal Seed of all beings. I
am the intellect of the intelligent, I am the courage of the courageous.
EXT: Here we see bhagavān explicitly saying He is the
eternal, ancient, seed, cause for the germination, of all beings. This ought to
be recognized, as the assurance of the divine plan, underlying all creation. He is also the intellect of the intelligence,
i.e. discriminative wisdom (which we can manifest as nityānitya vastu vivekam
and ātma unātma vivekam).
balam balavatām asmi kāma rāga vivarjitam.
dharma viruddhō bhūtēṣu kāmō smi bharatarṣabha৷৷7.11৷৷
11. And of the strong I
am the strength which is devoid of passion and attachment. Among creatures I am
desire which is not contrary to righteousness, O scion of the Bharatas.
EXT: Here the strength – balam, is explained by Sri Bhagavatpādā
as follows : -
Bhāśyam: I am
the strength which is necessary for just the maintenance of the body, and not
that which brings about desire and attachment in worldly men. Moreover, in all
beings, I am desire, unopposed to Dharma, not opposed to the precepts of
scripture.—as for instance, the desire with regard to food and drink etc. for
the bare sustenance of the body.
Swami
Chinmayanandaji: Without these two inner urges it is impossible for us to see any
expression of might or strength. Desire (Kama) and attachment (Raga) are
generally considered by students of Vedic literature as almost synonyms; but Śankara,
in his commentary, has very thoughtfully given us distinction between these two
powerful impulses. He says Kāma is 'desire
for what is absent' at present in the scheme of our life, and Raga is 'affection for what one already has.'
These are the two emotions, lashed by which, individuals or communities, or
societies or nations, generally express their might and strength (Balam). Riots
and agitations, battles and wars, are all ever motivated by these two dangerous
urges. In the subtle definition of the Self, the Lord brings a new life of
thought here for the contemplation of the seeker. He says, the Self is not
merely the strength in the strong but "I AM THE STRENGTH DEVOID OF DESIRE
AND ATTACHMENT." As though not satisfied with his own definition, the Lord
gives yet another example. "I AM DESIRE IN BEINGS, UNOPPOSED TO
DHARMA."
yē caiva sāttvikā bhāvā
rājasāstāmasāśca yē.
matta ēvēti tānviddhi natvaham tēṣu tē mayi৷৷7.12৷৷
12. Those things that
indeed are made of sattva, and those things that are made of rajas and tamas,
know them to have sprung from Me alone. However, I am not in them; they are in
Me!
EXT: This an
important verse from two standpoints.
One –
showing the relation between changeless substratum (Self) and the changeful
prakriti. It is a contactless relation - wherein the Self is not brought into
any cause-effect relation with happenings of Prakriti. The prakriti is a
superimposition on Self (like movie on a TV screen).
Second – it
shows how the Self despite being the sūtradhāri at one level (i.e. as Īśvara),
is not enmeshed by the prakriti. He is the lord of the prakriti.
māyāṃ tu prakṛtiṃ vidyān māyinaṃ tu
maheśvaraṃ -
SvetasvatAra Upanisad 4.10
Bhaśyam: Even though they proceed from Me,
nevertheless I am not in them: I am not dependent on or subject to them, as
mortals (samsārins) are; but, on the other hand, they are in Me, they are
subject to Me and are dependent on Me.
The
Lord (now) expresses pity (anukrōśaṅ) that the world does not understand
Him, even though He is the Supreme Lord (parameśvara)
as described above, Eternal, Pure. Wise, and Free by nature (nitya śuddha buddha mukta svabhāvam),
the Self of all beings (sarva
bhūtātmānam) devoid of attributes (nirguṇam), the Source which burns up the seed
of the evil that is samsāra.
EXT: The
next verses explains further how people due to lack of viveka (discrimination),
get deluded by the gunās….and believe the superimposition of prakriti on Self,
to be Real.
tribhir guṇa mayair bhāvairēbhiḥ sarvamidam jagat.
mōhitam nābhijānāti māmēbhyaḥ paramavyayam৷৷7.13৷৷
13. All this world,
deluded as it is by these three things made of the gunās, does not know Me who
am transcendental to these and undecaying.
Bhāśyam: Deluded, fallen into ignorance, want of
discrimination, by these three gunās and the transformation of the gunās,
through such emotions as attachment, hatred and infatuation, this entire, the
whole, world of living beings, does not know Me, who stand beyond them,
distinct from the gunās, surpassing them, immutable, and devoid of decay, i.e.
devoid of all changes such as birth etc.
EXT: Here the discrimination that we lack, is the ātma unātma
viveka – what is Self and what is superimposed on the Self. The Self is
consciousness – pratyagātman, which is asmatprasiddham – ever attained as “I
am” – sense of Being, Consciousness. Yet we attribute to the Self the
attributes of the Prakriti, which are superimposed on it like, movie on a TV
screen. Similarly, here Īśvara teaches us that he is in essence the Self –
nirguna – yet due to being engrossed in prakriti due to adhyāsa dōśa (fault of
superimposition) due to avidyā, we do not recognize the immediacy of Ishwara in
our Self (- i.e. vāsudeva = pratyagātman). Here we are brought to a central
meeting point of Brahmātma vidyā namely that Īśvara is in essence our Self.
Bhāśyam: daivīm ētāṅ triguṇātmikāṅ vaiṣṇavīṅ māyāmatikrāmati ityucyatē
How, again, do they cross over this divine Maya of Visnu,
constituted by the three gunās? – is spoke herewith : -
daivī hyēṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā.
māmēva yē prapadyantē māyāmētām taranti tē৷৷7.14৷৷
14. Verily this divine
illusion of Mine made up of the gunās (i.e. sattva, rajas, tamas) is difficult
to cross over; those who take refuge in Me alone cross over this māyā.
Bhāśyam: Verily, this, Divine Māyā of Mine,
inherent in Me, Īśvara ~Visnu, constituted of the gunās, is difficult to cross
over. Going beyond it entails great hardship. Such being the case, those who,
relinquishing all dharmas (i.e. rites an duties that distract one from taking
refuge in Īśvara / Ātma vidyā) devote themselves to Me alone, the Lord of Māyā,
their own Self, with their whole being, they cross over this Illusion, which
deludes all living beings; they are freed from the bondage of samsāra
EXT: This verse is very similar to BG 18.66 in essence. With
Bhakti to Īśvara and Īśvara prōkta brahmavidya, we can overcome the avidyā,
which leads to adhyāsa (superimposition) and subsequent suffering.
If the way is so
straightforward, why is not followed by one and all ?
na mām duṣkṛtinō mūḍhāḥ prapadyantē narādhamāḥ.
māyayāpahṛtajñānā āsuram bhāvamāśritāḥ৷৷7.15৷৷
15. The evil-doers and
the deluded, who are the lowest of men, do not seek Me; they whose knowledge is
destroyed by illusion follow the ways of āsurās (i.e. cruel, untruthful ~ himsa
ānṛtādilakṣaṇam).
Bhāśyam: Mūdhah, the foolish; duskrtinah, evildoers, sinners; who are
nara-adhamah, the most depraved among men; who are also apa-hrta-jnanah,
deprived of, despoiled of (their) wisdom; mayaya, by Maya; and asritah, who
resort to; asūra bhavam, asūric ways, such as cruelty, untruthfulness, etc.;
na, do not; prapadyante, take refuge; man, in Me, the supreme God.
EXT: Chāndogya Upaniśad (1.2.1) Bhāśyam of Śri Śankara
defines devas and asura and that is relevant here.
The natural functions of the senses which are of the nature of
darkness and which suppress the functions illuminated by the scriptures are called
Asuras. Similarly, the Devas. i.e. functions of the senses which are opposite
of the former and which are of the nature of light consisting in the
discrimination derived from the essence of the scriptures, are engaged in subjugating
the Asuras who are of the nature of darkness.
Thus, in the body of all beings, a fight between the gods and
Asuras. as it were, is going on from time without beginning; each bent upon vanquishing
the other.
Key take away from
BG 7.14 and BG 7.15 is the need to develop Bhakti and Viveka. Absence of viveka
– nityānitya vastu viveka and ātma unātma vivekā are key, as taught through Śruti
– leads to asūric tendencies. Thus, we lose the way, which is otherwise
explicitly stated by gītāchāryā.
caturvidhā bhajantē mām janāḥ sukṛtinō.rjuna.
ārtō jijñāsurarthārthī jñānī ca bharatarṣabha৷৷7.16৷৷
EXT: Next three verses (BG 7.16-7.18) are a beautiful
reaffirmation by Bhagavān that we are all the same to him. He also identifies himself
with jnāni as a bhakta.
Bhāśyam: O Arjuna, caturvidhah, four classes; of janah, people; who are eminent
among human beings and are pious in actions, and are sukrtinah, of virtuous
deeds; bhajante, adore; mam, Me; artah, the afflicted-one who is overcome by
sorrow, who is in distress, ['One who, being in distress and seeking to be
saved from it, takes refuge (in Me).'] being over-whelmed by thieves, tigers,
disease, etc.; jijñāsu, the seeker of Knowledge, who wants to know the reality
of the Lord; artārthi, the seeker of wealth; and jnāni, the man of Knowledge,
[i.e. one who, already having intellectual knowledge, aspires for Liberation.]
who knows the reality of Visnu.
EXT: In BG 18.54, Sri Krishna says that “One who has become
Brahman (i.e. jnāni) and has attained the blissful Self (brahmabhūtaḥ prasannātmā) does not grieve or desire. Becoming the same towards all
beings, he attains supreme devotion to Me (madbhaktiṅ labhatē parām)”. Thus, we see karma yōga which leads to jnāna
niśtā, eventually manifests parābhakti in the same jnāni. This jnāni of 18.54
who is endowed with parābhakti, is identified by Śri Śaṃkara has the jnāni in verse 7.16 [See Gita Bhāśya 18.54]. The
jnāni of BG 7.16, is referred to as brahmabhūtaḥ prasannātmā in BG 18.54. From this internal samanvayam (between BG
18.54 and BG 7.16), Śri Śaṃkara clearly reveals his position w.r.t Bhakti as this one
continuous flow of the mind to the nitya vastu both prior to, during and post
realization. The jnāni is one in whom
parābhakti is fully manifest.
tēṣām jñānī nityayukta ēkabhakitarviśiṣyatē.
priyō hi jñāninō.tyarthamaham sa ca mama priyaḥ৷৷7.17৷৷
17. Of them, the man of
Knowledge, endowed with constant steadfastness and one-pointed devotion,
excels. For I am very much dear to the man of Knowledge, and he too is dear to
Me.
Bhāśyam: Tesam, of them, among the four; jnāni, the man of Knowledge, the knower
of Reality, is nitya-yuktah, endowed with constant steadfastness as a result of
being a knower of Reality; and he also becomes eka-bhaktih [1], endowed with
one-pointed devotion, because he finds no one else whom he can adore. Consequently,
that person of one-pointed devotion visisyate, excels, becomes superior, i.e.
he surpasses (the others). Since; I, the Self, am priyah to jnāni; therefore
aham, I; am atyartham, very much; priyah, dear to him. It is indeed a well-known
fact in the world that the Self is dear [2] . The meaning, therefore, is that Vāsudeva,
being the Self of the man of Knowledge, is dear to him. And sah, he, the man of
Knowledge, being the very Self of Me who am Vāsudeva; is very much priyah, dear
to Me. 'If that be so, then the other three-the afflicted and the others-are
not dear to Vasudeva?
EXT: [1] – this term eka-bhaktih, ekāntin, sātvatah,
chitraśikandin etc… appear in Mbh in multiple locations, conveying this very
same idea of a jnāni, who is also a bhaktā. This Īśvara bhakti and advitīya
niśtā are not contradictory as per Mbh.
[2] Brih.Up 1.4.8 This Self is dearer than a son, dearer than wealth,
dearer than everything else
Brih.Up.2.4.5 It is not for the sake of all, my dear, that all
is loved, but for one's own sake that it is loved.
udārāḥ sarva ēvaitē jñānī tvātmaiva mē matam.
āsthitaḥ sa hi yuktātmā māmēvānuttamām gatim৷৷7.18৷৷
18. All of these,
indeed, are noble, but the man of Knowledge is the very Self. (This is) My
opinion. For, with a steadfast mind, he is set on the path leading to Me alone
who am the super-excellent Goal.
Bhāśyam: Noble, eminent, indeed are all these:
these three (other than the jnāni) also are dear to Me. Verily, none who is My
devotee can be but dear to Me, Vāsudeva. However, the jnāni, is supremely dear
(to Me); that is the distinction. Why is it so? The jnāni, I regard as My very
Self: it is My conviction that he is not different from Me (the Self); for with
the mind steadfast, concentrated on the thought, " I am myself the Lord
Vāsudeva. I am not different from Him (I am nobody else)", he is
established in Me alone, having engaged himself in the attainment of Yoga, the
Wise-man seeks to attain Me only, the Supreme Brahman, as the supreme goal to
be reached.
EXT: For Īśvara, jnāni is non-different than Him. For the jnāni, Īśvara is non-different
than him. This recognition of the Self as the same reality, on which both jīva
and Īśvara are two appearances, constitutes knowledge. With the brahmavidyā,
used to illuminate the buddhi the jnāni sets himself (or herself) on the path
to recognizing, accepting and abiding as the infinite reality, which he (or
she) always was, is, ever will be.
Sri Jnāneshwar in Bhavārtha Deepikā (BG 7.17): He is
the man of wisdom, My true devotee, because in the light of knowledge he has
gone beyond duality and unity. Though he has become one with Me, he still
remains My devotee. Just as a crystal placed in moving water seems moving for a
moment, the same is the case of a man of wisdom. when the wind stops it becomes
identified with the sky, so when the devotee becomes one with Me, he still
continues to be a devotee. When the wind blows it appears to have a separate
existence from the sky, otherwise it continues to be with it. So, when the
devotee performs actions, he appears as a devotee, but internally he has
attained identity with Me. And in the light of knowledge, he regards Me as his
Self; and so I too, being pleased with him, consider him as My very Self.
bahūnām janmanāmantē jñānavānmām prapadyatē.
vāsudēvaḥ sarvamiti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ৷৷7.19৷৷
19.At the end of many
births the man of Knowledge attains Me, (realizing) that Vasudeva (the
innermost Self) is all. Such a great-soul one is very rare.
Bhāśyam:
At the end of many births during which he
was engaged in acquiring the purification (of the intellect) that is the means
to the attainment of Knowledge, the Man of Wisdom who has attained the fruit,
Knowledge (in his current birth), takes refuge in Me, Vāsudeva, the innermost
Self (" Pratyagātman "), directly. How? By realizing that all this is
Vāsudeva (Vāsudeva is all this). He who thus takes refuge in Me, the Self of
all, that great soul, to whom there is neither an equal nor a superior, is
therefore, very rare: as has been said, " Hardly one among thousands of
men, etc.'' (VII-3).
Sri Jnāneshwar
in Bhāvārtha Deepikā (BG 7.19): …with the grace of his Guru, he enjoys the
mild rays of the sun of knowledge, and the glorious treasure of the unity of
all things comes into his vision. Then wherever he casts his eyes, he sees Me
alone, and even if he sits quietly, he sees nothing else but Me. Just as the
pot sunk in water has water both within and without, so he lives in Me and I
abide both inside and outside of him. His state cannot be described in words, so
what I have said is enough. The treasure house of knowledge becomes open to him
and wherever he goes, he thinks that he has become the whole world (131-135).
He has the faith born of experience that the world is the manifestation of God
and so he is the great devotee and jnani as well.
Comments
Post a Comment