Mananam

Gītā-śāstra-vicāraḥ, Śrī Ācārya-vākyeṣu darśitaḥ  (A reflection on the Gītā-śāstra as revealed through the words of the Ācārya) 1. What is the ultimate purpose ( prayojana ) of the Gītā-śāstra? tasya asya gītā-śāstrasya sa ṃ kṣepata ḥ prayojana ṃ para ṃ ni ḥ śreyasa ṃ sa-hetukasya sa ṃ sārasya atyantoparama-lakṣa ṇ am. The concise purpose of this Gītā-śāstra is parama-ni ḥ śreyasa -the supreme good, characterized by the total cessation ( atyantoparama ) of sa ṃ sāra along with its cause ( sa-hetuka ) – (i.e. ajñāna)   2. How does the Ācārya describe the Gītā’s position among all scriptural teachings? tad ida ṃ gītā-śāstra ṃ samasta-vedārtha-sāra-sa ṅ graha-bhūta ṃ . This Gītā-śāstra is a condensation ( sa ṅ graha-bhūta ) of the essence ( sāra ) of the entire meaning of the Vedas ( samasta-vedārtha ).   3. Who are the true pa ṇḍ itā ḥ that Śrī K ṛ ṣ ṇ a refers to in the Gītā? nānuśocanti pa ṇḍ itā ḥ ātmajñā ḥ | pa ṇḍ ā ātma-viṣayā buddhir yeṣā ṃ...

  śrīmadātmane gu ṇ aika sindhave nama ḥ śivāya dhāmaleśa dhūta kokabandhave nama ḥ śivāya | nāmaśeṣitā namad bhāvasindhave nama ḥ śivāya pāmaretara pradhāna bandhave nama ḥ śivāya || 1 || Why kokabandhu = “sun” Koka often denotes the cakravāka (ruddy goose). A famous poetic conceit: the male and female cakravākas are separated at night and can reunite only when the sun rises. Because the sunrise ends their grief, the sun is called their bandhu (friend/kinsman). Hence kokabandhu (“friend of the koka bird”) becomes a nāmadhēya for the sun. So in this verse, dhāmaleśa-dhūta-kokabandhu poetically says: “the One by whose tiniest ray the sun (friend of the koka-bird) is outshone and driven away.” nāmaśeṣitā = nāma (name, mere word) + śeṣita (made to remain, left over) → “reduced to a mere name / left as nothing but a word” namad = from namat (bending, bowing, one who prostrates) → “of the devotee who bows; of the bo...