BHAGAVAD GITA - SIMPLIFIED

Bhagavad Gita 

Preface: 

The main aim is to make a simple and clear presentation of the Bhagavad Gita so that it will create interest to read its original text. 

The text of the Bhagavad Gita has been clubbed according to the subject matters. This will enable the reader to understand the Bhagavad Gita in a better way.

The entire Bhagavad Gita has been divided into four parts for convenient presentation. 

Part 1: (1) Arjuna’s Dilemma

           (2) Yoga of Knowledge

           (3) Yoga of Action

(Note: This part covers mostly Chapters 1,2,3 & 7)

           

Part 2: (4) Yoga of Renunciation

           (5) Yoga of Devotion

           (6) Vedic Rites and Sacrifices

(Note: This part covers mostly Chapters 4,5,12, parts of Chapters 6 & 18).

Part 3:  (7) Techniques of Meditation

            (8) Mind, Senses and Lust

            (9) Three Gunas – Sattva, Rajas and Tamas

            (10) Two Types of Men: Divine and Demonic

(Note: This part covers mostly Chapters 14,16 and 17, part of Chapters 6 and 18). 

Part 4:  (11) Theory of Creation.

            (12) To Know All About Lord Krishna

(Note: This part covers mostly Chapters 7 to 11,13 and 15, parts of Chapter 4). 

S. Sankaran - The Editor of E-Touch.

Bhagavad Gita - Part 1

 1. ARJUNA’S DILEMMA

Arjuna: I will not fight!

Arjuna requested Lord Krishna to place the chariot between the

armies of Kouravas and Pandavas at the battlefield of

Kurushetra. Arjuna saw his kinsmen and venerable teachers

who were arrayed to fight with him. He therefore became sad

on seeing them. Arjuna was afflicted with a dilemma. Arjuna’s

dilemma in the battle field was due to the sin that would befall

on him in killing his kinsmen which included his venerable

teachers as well. He thought that it would be better to be killed

by the sons of Dhristastra.

With tears in his eyes, Arjuna sat on the chariot casting aside

his bow and arrows. Arjuna proclaimed: “I will not fight.”

Krishna’s Advices to Arjuna:

Lord Krishna’s advices to Arjuna to shake off his weakness and

to get up for the battle were  not acceptable to Arjuna. Arjuna

had gone to the extent of declaring that he would live on  alms

rather than to slay these noble men.

Lord Krishna had reasoned Arjuna thus: “For a warrior like you,

it is a great opportunity to  fight. By not fighting, you will fail in

your duty, lose your reputation and incur sin. Above all,

dishonour, which is worse than death, will befall you. If you are

killed, you will go to heaven. If won, you will enjoy the

kingdom on the earth.”

Lord Krishna had added the most  philosophical reasons stating

that the soul exists forever and for that very reason wise men

neither grieve for the living nor for the dead and the soul

simply acquires another body after death – just like discarding

torn garments to wear new ones.

 Lord Krishna is the doer

For Arjuna’s dilemma about incurring sin, Lord Krishna had this

to say: “ You fight treating alike victory and defeat, gain and

loss, pleasure and pain. Then, you do not incur sin by your

performance of mere bodily actions. Above all, if you renounce

all other dharmas and take refuge in Me, I shall liberate you

from all sins. Since by this surrender of all actions to Me, with

your thoughts resting on Me, you are cured yourself of mental

fever as well. Kill Drona and Bhisma and Jagadratha and Karna

and even other Brave warriors. Know that they stand already

killed by Me. Hence, no sin for you and you will surely conquer

the enemies.”

Lord Krishna had also explained that all actions are performed

only by the human characters (gunas) of Nature (Prakriti). But

due to egoism, man thinks “I am the doer”. The forces of

nature with the aid of human organs as their instruments are

responsible for the performance of work. The person who

knows the truth about this role of the forces of Nature in

getting work done did not become attached to the work.

Lord Krishna was more emphatic in His reasoning when He

said: “Non-egoists are not tainted by the actions – even 

killings will not bind them.  Filled with egoism, you think, ‘I will

not fight’. This is vain on your part. Your resolve and your

nature will compel you to fight. You are controlled by your own

nature. Therefore, you shall do – even against your will – what

you do not wish to do out of delusion.”

Arjuna: I will fight

  

Finally Lord Krishna had this to say to Arjuna as a warning:

“You abode in this teaching of Mine, full of faith and free from

trivial objections.  This also releases you from the bondage of

all actions. If anyone finds fault at My teachings and fail to act

thereon due to delusion of all knowledge and want of

discrimination, he is sure to be ruined. He who is ignorant,

wanting in faith and of a doubting mind, is ruined. For the

doubting man, there is neither this world nor the other world,

nor happiness. Therefore, O Arjuna, this doubt in your heart

was born of ignorance. Destroy this doubt to pieces with the

sword of knowledge. Establish yourself in karma yoga and

arise.”

Again Lord Krishna asked Arjuna: Have all delusions born of

ignorance been dispelled from you?

Arjuna said: My delusions are destroyed. I have regained my

wisdom through your grace. I now stand firm, with all my

doubts cleared, ready to act according to your words. Now, I

will fight.

  

2. Yoga of Knowledge

Knowledge of the Soul

There are two souls – human soul and supreme soul. Learning

about these two souls is called yoga of knowledge. The first

lesson to know about the souls is to know that the souls are

invisible to our physical eyes before birth and death, though

visible between the birth and death. Another important factor

about souls are that even though the body is slain, the soul is

not. The soul neither kills nor is killed. Soul cannot be cut,

burned, wetted or dried. As a corollary, they are eternal,

everlasting and omnipresent. Still, soul is looked upon as an

object of wonder and only very few know what the soul is.

Results of yoga of knowledge 

One can know the true nature of yoga of knowledge only by

becoming a disciple of the seers. One needs to prostrate at

their feet, render them services and question them with an

open and guiltless heart. Then those wise seers of truth will

instruct him in that knowledge. He becomes enlightened and

ignorance will delude him no more. Now, he will see the entire

creation first within his own self, and then in Lord Krishna. Due

to his enlightenment, all his sins are burnt to ashes, as a

blazing fire burns the fuel to ashes. Such a person becomes a

sage – purified soul by his knowledge. He becomes

embodiments of faith, zeal and self-control. In that state, he

attains supreme peace.

3. Yoga of Action or Selfless Action (Karma Yoga)

Characteristics of Yoga of Action

Action without attachment to its fruits is a selfless action and

this is called Yoga of action. The greatness of yoga of action is

that even if the action is left incomplete, one is not faced with

any adverse effect. Further such selfless action saves the

performer from great fear of birth and death.

Actions of great men become the standards for the ordinary

men to follow. Hence such great men need to do the duty to

the best of their abilities with mind attached to the Lord

Krishna. Success and failure will not affect such great men and

they are free from both vice and virtue.

A prolonged practice of Karma Yoga is necessary to attain

purity of heart. The attainment of purity of heart will light up

the truth in the self in course of time. This brings peace and

equanimity of mind.

Instruments of Action, Vehicle of Action, Incitement of

Action, Component of Action

Body, ego, sense organs, mind, intellect and soul are the

factors which are prerequisite for performance of any action.

These factors are ‘Instruments of Action.’

Man performs action – right or wrong, with three factors –

body, speech and mind. These three factors are called ‘Vehicle

of Action.’

Man is incited to action due to three factors – knowledge,

object of knowledge and knower. These factors are ‘Incitement

of Action’.

Component of action is threefold - the instruments of action

(eleven organs), the purpose of action and the agent of action

(modes of material nature – three gunas).

 Action without attachment

Action without attachment is selfless action. One who performs such

selfless action is called Karma Yogi. Karma Yogi does such action by 

abandoning the fruits of action for the sake of self-purification and 

attains the everlasting peace. Others, working under the sway of 

desire, are attached to the fruits and get bound.

If one is content with what chance brings, transcending the pair of 

opposite like pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat, 

heat and cold, he is not bound by action. This contentment is 

achieved by performing actions as offerings to God and without 

attachment. Such a person is out of bounds of bondages and is a 

Karma Yogi. The bonds of all actions of Karma Yogi melt away.

One is not touched by sin, as a lotus leaf by water, if he performs 

actions dedicating them to the Lord  and giving up 

attachment. One’s actions should be free from attachment, fear and 

anger. Such person is purified by the penance of wisdom. He 

becomes one with Lord Krishna.

Actions with attachment is unwise acts. For the maintenance of the

world order, the wise man acts without attachment. Such 

enlightened man should not cause confusion in the minds of ignorant

people by his conduct - giving an impression of ‘non-action’ to ‘his 

unattached action.’ He should make the people interested in all 

activities.

Fruits of Action

Janaka and other wise men reached perfection through action

without attachment alone.

Power in the detachment to the fruits of action is that the

performer of action is freed from the action itself. The motive

force of action should not be the fruits of action.

Non-attachment to the fruits of action should not lead into

inaction. One who works only to enjoy the fruits of his labour,

is verily unhappy because one has no control over the fruits of

actions.

The fruits of action can be renounced through Yoga of

Knowledge. Having all doubts  destroyed by knowledge and

becoming self-possessed, such person is not bound by action.

Such person verily does not do anything having abandoned

attachment to the fruits of action, ever content, depending on

nothing, though engaged in action.  

Action is Superior to Inaction

Arjuna said: If you consider Knowledge as superior to Action, why 

then do you urge me to this dreadful action? By seemingly 

conflicting words, you are confusing my mind. Tell me only about 

that which definitely lead to my highest good.

Lord Krishna said: Freedom from the bondage of action is not 

attained by merely abstaining from action. Perfection is also not 

attained by merely giving up action because no one can remain 

inactive even for a moment. Everyone is driven to action by the 

forces of Nature. He, who controls all sense organs, but dwells in his

mind on the objects of the senses, is called a hypocrite. On the other

hand, a person excels by controlling the sense organs by the power

of the will and remaining unattached and also engaging the organs 

of action to yoga of action.

Therefore, perform your allotted duty. For, action is superior to 

inaction. By desisting from action, you cannot even maintain your 

body.

Krishna as Lord of Action

Sacrificial duty keeps the wheel of creation in motion. Those who rejoice in sense pleasure with no sacrificial duties, are said to lead vain and sinful lives.

If anyone is delighted, contented and satisfied in the self, then for such enlightened person, there is no loss by his inaction. Because he does not depend on anybody for anything.

Lord Krishna said that there was nothing in all the three worlds – heaven, earth and the lower regions, for Him to do, nor was there anything worth attaining by Him, yet He continued to work. The reasons for Lord Krishna’s continuous non-stop work were explained by Himself as follows: “If I do not engage in action relentlessly, people would follow My path resulting in the destruction of the worlds. Then, I should be the cause of confusion among men and of their ultimate destruction. I am therefore the Lord of Action.”

Prescribed Action

Even the ancient seeker for liberation performed actions.

Therefore, one needs to perform such actions as have been one

by those ancient seekers.  

Many types of spiritual disciplines for the action of body, mind

and senses are described in the Vedas. Thus knowing the truth

about the spiritual disciplines and also through their

performance, one shall be freed from the bondage of action

and also from the evil effects of birth and death.

The soul in the body is action less. Inactive soul in the body is

the witness for the action of the body.

  

 The Bhagavad Gita – Part 2

4. Yoga of Renunciation or Path of Sanyasa

Karma Yoga is superior to Sanyasa Yoga :

Arjuna said: You praise in one breath both renunciation of action (Sanyasa) and the performance of action (Karma Yoga). Tell me definitely, which one is the better of the two.

Lord Krishna said: Of the two, the performance of action is superior to the renunciation of action. Because renunciation of action (sanyasa) is difficult to practise compared to the performance of action (karma yoga or selfless action). Renunciation and the performance of action - both lead to Liberation. But the man of selfless action (karma yogi) by keeping his mind fixed on God, reaches Brahman faster than a Sanyasi.

In fact only ignorant treats yoga of knowledge and yoga of action as different. But the wise knows that yoga of knowledge and action are the same. It is because the person, who has truly mastered one, gets the benefits of both. The state, which one attains by knowledge, that same state is attained by selfless action too. He, who sees both knowledge and selfless action as one, sees truly.

Sanyasi is Yogi

Embodied soul renounces all actions through its control of

mind. And then the soul rests at ease in the city of nine gates

of the body. Such self-realised soul neither acts nor causes to

act.

A perpetual renuncer of action neither dislikes nor desires.

Such Renuncer does his duty without caring for the fruits of

action.

One does not become a sanyasi (renuncer) merely by not

lighting the sacred fire and one does not become a yogi merely

by abstaining from work.

Renunciation (sanyasa) is same as selfless action (karma

yoga). Selfless action is the means to attain the heights of

yoga. Once reached that stage, self-realisation leads to peace

of mind. At that stage, one ceases to have any attachment

either for the objects of senses or for actions. Hence, a karma

yogi renounces the selfish motive behind an action.

The Renucer (Sanyasi) is also a Yogi.

Renunciation(Sanyasa) and Reliquishment (Tyaga)

Arjuna said: I desire to know the true nature of renunciation 

(sanyasa) and relinquishment  (tyaga ) and   the difference between 

the two.

Lord Krishna said: Renunciation (sanyasa) is the abandonment of 

all desires and profits prompted actions. Relinquishment (Tyaga) is 

the abandonment of the fruits of all actions.

Abandonment of the fruits of ritualistic actions to achieve specific 

rewards alone is laid down for a sanyasi, leaving ascetic actions 

untouched. But, Tyaga covers abandonment of the fruits of all 

actions. In short, sanyasa is tyaga, but tyaga is not sanyasa.

Liberation through Abandonment of Fruits of Action

Some sages declare that all actions should be given up as evil.

Some other sages say that Sacrifice (yajna), gift and austerity

should not be abandoned. Those other sages argue that

sacrifice, gift and austerity are  obligatory duties and hence

they should not be abandoned. Because these obligatory duties

are purifying to the world at large.

Abandonment of the obligatory duties out of delusion is

Ignorance (Tamasika). Abandonment due to fear of body pains

is Passion (Rajasika). Abandonment of fruits of action is

Goodness (Sattvika).

Relinquisher (Tyagi) does not distinguish between agreeable

and disagreeable work. For the embodied being, it is impossible

to renounce action completely. Only feasibility is to renounce

attachment to the fruits of actions and such person is

considered relinquisher (Tyagi).

What are the fruits of actions? The fruits of actions consist of

three characteristics - evil, good and mixed. These three fold

effects of actions will never accrue to the relinquisher.

Abandonment of fruits in all works will fetch liberation, which

leads to Lord Krishna.

5. Yoga of Devotion 

Worship of Divine Forms and Formless:

Arjuna said: Some Devotees worship you in your Divine Forms and

some others worship you in your formless Absolute. Of these, who is

the best knower of Yoga? 

Lord Krishna said: Those who worship me in my Divine Forms are

the best yogis. Those who worship me in my formless Absolute – 

with their senses controlled, even minded and devoted to the 

welfare of all, are also come to Me. But, the obstacles faced by the 

worshipers of Formless Absolute are far greater because the 

comprehension of the un-manifest by the embodied beings is very

difficult. On the other hand, those who abandon the fruits of action 

and meditate on Me as their sole refuge, I lift them from the ocean

of death-bound worldly existence.

If you are unable to fix the mind on Me in spite of 

repeated practices, then devote yourself whole-heartedly to works of

service to Me abandoning the fruits of action with the self-subdued.

Hence, it should be understood that knowledge is better than 

practice, meditation is better than knowledge, and renunciation of 

the fruits of action is better than meditation. Peace immediately 

follows the renunciation.

Prayers: 

People worship Lord Krishna with different motives and desires and 

Lord Krishna fulfils their prayers.

Four types of virtuous men worship Lord Krishna – the man in 

distress, the man seeking knowledge, the man seeking wealth and 

the man seeking wisdom. Of these, the man seeking wisdom, ever 

steadfast and devoted to Lord Krishna is the best.

All the fours are noble but Lord Krishna regards the wise man – the 

enlightened devotee as His very Self. It is because the one who is 

steadfast in mind abides in His Supreme Abode.

At the end of many births, the man of wisdom takes refuge in Lord

Krishna, realizing that Lord Krishna is all. A great soul of that type is

rare to find. Others, however, adore other deities with various forms

of worship pertaining to them. Still they do get their desires fulfilled,

which are ordained by Lord Krishna.

With devotion – even if one offers Lord Krishna a leaf, a flower, a 

fruit and water, Lord Krishna accepts it with joy. First offer them to 

Lord Krishna – whether it is food, sacrifice, charity or austerity. Then

only, one will be freed from the bonds of work being good and evil 

fruits.

Who is the devotee dear to Lord Krishna?

The devotee of Lord Krishna hates no being. He is friendly and

compassionate to all. He is the same to foe and friend and also

in honour and dishonour. He is free from the feeling of ‘I and

Mine’, even minded in cold, heat, pain and pleasure and

forgiving. He is ever content, steady in meditation, self-

controlled and possessed of firm conviction, with mind and

intellect fixed on Lord Krishna. Such a devotee is dear to Lord

Krishna.

The devotee of Lord Krishna causes fear to none. At the same

time, none can frighten him. He is free from joy, anger, fear

and anxiety. Such a devotee is dear to Lord Krishna.

The devotee of Lord Krishna is desire less, pure, resourceful,

unattached, unworried and selfless in all his undertakings. Such

a devotee is dear to Lord Krishna.

Devotee of Lord Krishna

The devotee of Lord Krishna neither rejoices nor grieves nor

hates nor desires, renouncing good and evil, full of devotion.

Such a devotee is dear to Lord Krishna. 

The devotee of Lord Krishna is free from attachment. He is

indifferent to censure or praise. He is quiet, content with

anything, homeless, steady minded. Such a devotee is dear to

Lord Krishna.

The devotee of Lord Krishna follows the virtuous path to

Immortality with devotion, looking upon Lord Krishna as

Supreme Goal. Such a devotee is dear to Lord Krishna.

6. Vedic Rites and Sacrifices(Yajna)

Vedic Rites

To think, as if there is nothing else in the Vedas except rituals

for the sole purpose of obtaining heavenly enjoyment is a

misguide. Real purpose of the Vedas lies not in the delight in

the melodious chanting of the Vedas.

Rituals of Vedas are dominated by material desires and the

attainment of heaven as the highest goal of life. Such specific

rites may attain prosperity and enjoyment. But, rebirth is the

result of their actions. Such ritualistic activities do not lead to

Self Realization in their minds, as their minds are attached to

pleasure and power obscuring their judgement to the ultimate

goal.

Limitation of Vedas

Vedas deal with three modes of human characters (gunas) – viz. 

goodness, passion and ignorance (sattva, raja and tama). One 

should also rise above these modes of human characters to become 

self-conscious. One should be ever balanced and unconcerned with 

the thoughts of acquisition and preservation.

When the huge lake water becomes available, then the usage of 

well water is limited. Similarly, the use of Vedas is of limited use for 

the self-realised person.

When the intellect is confused by the conflicting opinions and the 

ritualistic doctrine of the Vedas, then one needs to concentrate on 

the Supreme Being. Then the intellect shall stay steady and firm.

Sacrifices(Yajna)

There are various forms of sacrifices with different offerings.
 
Some yogis perform the service of worship to celestial controllers, while others study scriptures for self- knowledge. Some restrain their senses and give up their sensual pleasures. Others perform breathing and other yogic exercises. Some give charity and offer their wealth as a sacrifice. Others restrict their diet and do meditation. All these have their sins consumed away by sacrifice and all of them understand the meaning of sacrificial worship.
 
They obtain the nectar of self-knowledge as a result of their sacrifice and attain the Supreme Self. For those who do not perform sacrifices, even this world is not a happy place, how can the other world be?
 
Sacrifice through knowledge is superior to sacrifice performed with material things. All actions without exception culminate in knowledge.

 THE BHAGAVAD GITA PART 3 

7. Meditation:

Techniques of Meditation as explained by Lord Krishna

A yogi is to sit in solitude and alone firmly in a clean place. His seat shall be neither too high nor too low. The seat is to be made up of the kusa grass, a deerskin and a cloth spread one over the other. He shall constantly try to control his mind and body. He shall be free from desires and possessions.

Sitting there on his seat, he shall make the mind one pointed. He shall restrain the thinking faculty and the senses. He shall practise yoga for self-purification. He shall hold the body, head and neck erect and still, gazing at the tip of his nose, without looking around, tranquil in mind, fearless, practicing continence. He shall sit absorbed in Lord Krishna. This will lead to the everlasting peace of mind leading to supreme bliss, which is The Abode of Lord Krishna. One feels infinite bliss that is perceivable only through the intellect, and is beyond the reach of the senses. After realizing the Absolute Reality, one is never separated from it.

Yoga is not possible for one who eats too much or for him who abstains too much from eating; it is also not for those who sleep too much or too little. Yoga is the destroyer of pain and yogis should be moderate in eating, recreation, working, sleeping and waking.

“As a lamp in a windless place does not flicker” – this is the simile used for the disciplined mind of a yogi practising concentration on the self-drawing back the restless and unsteady mind from all those objects after which it runs. One shall bring back the mind to the reflection of God.

To Reach Lord Krishna through Meditation

One is fit for becoming Brahman, if the person is endowed with

pure understanding. Such person has to restrain the self with

firmness, turning away from sound and other objects, and

abandoning attraction and aversion. Such person dwells in

solitude, eats but little and his speech, body and mind

subdued. Such person always engages in meditation and

concentration and endues with dispassion. Such person

abandons egoism, violence, arrogance, desire, enmity,

property. Such person is free from the notion of “mine” and he

is peaceful.

Such person becomes serene-minded and he neither grieves

nor desires. Such person is the same to all beings and he

obtains supreme devotion to Lord Krishna. By devotion one

truly understands what and who Lord Krishna is in essence.

Having known Lord Krishna in essence, one immediately

merges with Lord Krishna.

In short, the meditation is: Shutting out external sense-

objects, fixing the gaze between the eyebrows, controlling the

outgoing and incoming breaths that move through the nostrils,

with the senses, mind and intellect restrained, and free from

desire, fear and anger.

Fate of those who failed in Yoga

Arjuna said: O, Lord Krishna! You have said that the yoga of

meditation is characterized by the equanimity of mind, but due

to restlessness of mind, I do not perceive the steady state of

mind.

The mind is very restless, turbulent, strong and obstinate. I

deem it as hard to control as the wind.

Lord Krishna said: The mind is restless and hard to control.

But, the mind can be controlled by practice of meditation and

by non-attachment. If one can subdue the mind and having

attained full control by striving through proper means, he

becomes a yogi, which is my conviction.

Arjuna said: What is the fate of a man who, though endowed

with a firm faith, is not steadfast in his practices owing to

distractions, and therefore fails to reach spiritual perfection? Do

they not perish like a dispersing cloud having lost both the

heavenly and the worldly pleasures, support-less and

bewildered on the path of self-realization? This doubt of mine,

you should dispel in its entirety, for there is none else but you

who can remove this doubt.

Lord Krishna said: The doer of good never comes to grief.

There is no fall for him either here or hereafter. The successful

yogi goes to heaven to which men of meritorious deeds are

entitled and having resided there for countless years takes

birth in the house of pious and wealthy men. The failed yogi,

however, does not go to heaven, but is born in the family of

enlightened yogis. Then he regains the knowledge acquired in

his former birth and he strives more than before for perfection.

The one, who takes birth in the such family, is instinctively

carried towards God by virtue of the impressions of yogic

practices of previous lives. Even the inquirer of yoga – the

union with God – is superior to those who perform Vedic

rituals.

Lord Krishna said:

The yogi is purified from sins and perfected through many

births and then, reaches the supreme goal. The yogi is superior

to ascetics; he is regarded as superior to men of knowledge

and greater also than those ritualists. Therefore, O Arjuna, be a

yogi. Who is most devout? My worshipper with his inner most

self-merged in Me is most devout.

8. Mind, Senses and Lust:

Diverse modes of mind are seen in all beings and they proceed

from Lord Krishna alone. Diverse modes of mind are as follows:

intelligence, knowledge, sanity, patience, truth, sense-control,

mind-control, pleasure, pain, birth, death, fear and also

fearlessness, non-injury, equanimity, contentment, austerity,

charity, fame and slander.

One must elevate – and not degrade – oneself by one’s own

mind.

The mind alone is one’s friend as well as one’s enemy.

The mind is the friend of those who have control over it, and

the mind acts like an enemy for those who do not control it.

But the mind of the yogi is satisfied with knowledge and

Realization. The yogi is unperturbed and has the senses under

control. For the yogi. a clod of earth, a stone and gold are of

equal value. Such yogi looks equally on a well - wisher, a

friend, an enemy, a neutral, an arbiter, a hateful person, a

relative and also on the good and sinful.  

Senses are mastered by meditation. Meditation brings the

senses under control and fixes the mind firmly on God.

Arjuna said: Impelled by what, does the man commit sin even

against his will?

Lord Krishna said: It is lust born out of passion (Rajaguna)

that becomes anger, when unfulfilled. Lust is insatiable and is a

great devil. The lust is known as the eternal enemy of the wise

here on earth.  As the fire is covered by smoke, as a mirror by

dust and as an embryo by the womb, so self-knowledge gets

covered by different degrees of this insatiable fire of lust.

The abode of lust is the senses, the mind and the intellect; the

lust veils knowledge and deludes the embodied soul. Therefore,

control the senses at the beginning itself.

Slay this foul enemy, the destroyer of all knowledge and

realisation.

The senses are said to be greater than the body; but greater

than the senses is the mind. Greater than the mind is the

intellect; and what is greater than the intellect is the soul.

The lust is a mighty energy, which is killed by the weapon of

spiritual practices. 

Spiritual practices are achieved by controlling the mind by the

intellect.

Mark of the man of steadfast wisdom

The mind of the man of steadfast wisdom is unperturbed by

sorrow. Such person does not crave pleasures. He is

completely free from passion, fear and anger. He neither

rejoices nor recoils on meeting with good and evil.

Such person of steadfast wisdom can completely withdraw the

senses from the sense objects, as a tortoise withdraws its limbs

into the shell for protection from calamity.

Restless senses forcibly carry away the mind of even a wise

person striving for perfection. Desires for sensual pleasures

fades away, if one abstains from sense enjoyment, but the

craving for sense enjoyment remains in a very subtle form.

This subtle craving also completely disappears in the case of

the man of stable mind, when he sees the Supreme Self.

The man dwelling on sense objects develops attachment for

them; from attachment springs up desire, and from desire

ensues anger. From anger arises passion; from passion,

confusion of memory; from confusion of memory, loss of

reason; and from loss of reason, one goes to complete ruin.

But, a disciplined person, enjoying sense objects with senses

under control and free from attachments and aversions, attain

tranquillity. Tranquillity destroys all sorrows. The intellect of

such a tranquil person becomes completely steady and united

with the supreme.

One who has not controlled his mind and senses cannot think

of God and hence he can have no peace. How can there be

happiness for one lacking peace of mind?

A storm takes away a boat on the sea from its destination.

Similarly the mind is tossed by the storm of roving senses,

deluding the intellect – moving the mind away from the shore

of peace and happiness.

River waters enter the full ocean without creating any

disturbance. In the same way, the desires do not create any

disturbance in the mind of steadfast man, but the desires

dissipate.

Heat and cold, pain and pleasure are due to contacts of the

senses with their objects. They come and go and are

impermanent.  Man of steadfast is balanced in pain and

pleasure and is fitted for immortality

All beings follow their nature. Even the wise act according to

their own nature.

What, then, is the value of sense restraint?

The value of sense restraint is the self-realisation. Attraction

and repulsion are rooted in all sense objects. These are to be

controlled, as they are two principal enemies standing in the

way of self-realisation.

9. Three Types of Human Nature:

(Three Gunas – Sattva, Rajas, Tamas)

The Nature- consisting of five basic elements – air, fire, water,

earth and ether – is the mother of all creations, while the seed-

giving father is the Supreme Self. All beings are created from

the union of matter or body and Supreme Self, which is in the

form of spirit or soul. The factors that bind the soul to the body

are the three fold human characters – viz. goodness, passion

and ignorance (three gunas).

Goodness mode - pure and luminous, binds the soul to the

body with joy and wisdom and it moves the soul upwards and

is the most beneficial to the soul to reach heaven.

Passion mode – cupidity and attachment- binds the soul to

body with actions and their fruits. It keeps the soul in the

middle with the onslaughts of greed, selfish works and

restlessness and excitement. Such soul, while leaving the body,

is reborn among those attached to action.

Ignorant Mode – Impure and Delusion – binds the soul to the

body with carelessness, laziness and sleep and it moves the

soul downwards. Such soul while leaving the body is reborn as

lower creatures.

All actions are due to these three modes of human character

functioning as the agent of actions.

The soul conquering these human characters attains to the

Supreme State. When one rises above these characteristic

modes of material nature that originate in the body, one

attains immortality or salvation and is freed from the pains of

birth, old age and death.

To Conquer Gunas

Lord Krishna explained in detail to Arjuna the marks of those

who have succeeded in conquering the three fold human

characters.

Lord Krishna said: The senses and mind due to the forces of

three fold human characters alone act and enjoy and not the

real self or soul inside the human body. Those who conquered

the three fold characters remain unwavering in all situations,

self-poised in pleasure and pain. Such persons do not

differentiate love and hate. They are also unmoved by praise

and blame, by honour and humiliation. Such persons view

friends and foes alike and have abandoned all sense of doer

ships in all actions. Such persons serve Me through the

communion of steadfast devotion and attain fitness to become

Supreme Self. I am the Supreme Self, Heaven, Eternal Law

and Bliss.

Types of Human Character:

There are three types of human character (Gunas). They are

moulded by the nature of faith, food, sacrifice, austerity and

gifts.

The faith of all men depends upon their past births.

Faith of Person in the mode of goodness makes him to worship

god. He likes foods that promote longevity, virtue, strength,

health, happiness and joy and such foods are juicy, soft,

nourishing and agreeable. He performs sacrifice as enjoined by

the scriptures without the attachment for the fruits, with the

mind fixed on the service only. He performs Austerity without

any desire for the fruit. He gives gifts out of a sheer sense of

duty, without expectation of any kind of return, at the proper

time and place, to a fit recipient. 

Faith of Person in the mode of Passion makes him to worship

demi-god and demons. As for foods, he likes foods that are

bitter, sour, salty, excessively heating, pungent, dry and

burning and that cause pain, grief and disease. His sacrifice is

performed in expectation of reward or for self-glorification. His

mode of austerity is for gaining respect, honour and reverence.

He gives gifts with a view to receive in return, or looking for

the fruit, or again grudgingly.

Faith of person in the mode of Ignorance makes him to worship

the dead and the groups of ghosts. His food is stale, tasteless,

stinking, cooked overnight, refuse and impure. He performs

sacrifice without following the scripture and without food and

mantra. His austerity is performed with a foolish obstinacy,

with self-torture or for the purpose of destroying another. His

Gift is given at a wrong place or time, to unworthy persons,

without respect or with insult.

Austerities

Austerities are of three kinds pertaining to body, speech and

mind. Worship of Gods, teachers and wise are said to be

austerity of the body.  The speech, which causes no

excitement, which is truthful, pleasant and beneficial, and the

practice of sacred recitation – are said to form the austerity of

speech. Serenity of mind, gentleness, silence, self-control and

purity of thought – is called the austerity of the mind.

Knowledge, Action and Actors

The Human characters - three gunas are moulded by the

specific nature of knowledge, action, agent, intellect, firmness

and happiness.

Person in the mode of goodness has knowledge by which he

sees a single Imperishable Being in all existences as undivided

in the divided.

Such person’s action is free from attachment, love or hatred

and non-desirous of the fruit.

Such person’s agent or doer is free from attachment, non-

egoistic, endued with firmness and zeal and unaffected by

success or failure.

Such person’s intellect is that by which one knows the path of

work and renunciation, right and wrong action, fear and

fearlessness, bondage and Liberation.

Such person’s firmness is regulated by yoga of meditation.

Such person’s happiness is pleasure that appears as poison in

the beginning, but turning nectar in the end.

Person in the mode of Passion has the knowledge by which

he sees different entities of different kinds as varying from one

another.

Such person’s action is done out of desires, egoism and great

strain. Such person’s agent is one who is passionate, desiring

to obtain the fruit of action, greedy, cruel, impure, moved by

joy and sorrow.

His intellect is that by which one makes a distorted grasp of

dharma and adharma and right and wrong action.

His firmness is action with attachment and for the fruits.

Such person’s happiness is pleasure that appears as nectar in the beginning, but turning poison in the end.

Person in the mode of Ignorance has the knowledge by

which one clings to one single effect (such as the body) as if it

were the whole – a view that is irrational, untrue and silly.

Such person’s action is done without caring for the

consequence, loss, injury and ability.

Such person’s agent or doer is one who is unsteady, vulgar,

stubborn, deceitful, malicious, lazy, depressed, and

procrastinating.

Such person’s intellect is that by which one regards

adharma as dharma and views all things in a perverted way.

Such person’s firmness is dullness with sleep, fear, grief,

despair and conceit.

Such person’s happiness is pleasure that confuses in the

beginning and in the end and which arises from sleep, laziness

and carelessness. 

There is no being on earth or again in heaven, which can

remain free from these three modes of material nature. Duties

of human beings are distributed according to the Gunas

born of their own nature.

10. Two Types of Men: Devine and Demonic:

There are two types of men in this world – one possessing a

divine nature and the other possessing a demonic nature.

The divine nature is deemed for liberation, the demonic nature

for bondage.

Arjuna was born with the divine qualities.

The following are the qualities of divine nature: Fearlessness,

purity of heart, steadfastness in knowledge and yoga,

almsgiving, control of the senses, sacrifice, study of scripture,

austerity, honesty, non-violence, truth, absence of anger,

renunciation, tranquillity, absence of calumny, compassion to

living beings, freedom from greed, gentleness, modesty,

absence of fickleness, vigour, forgiveness, fortitude, purity,

absence of hatred, absence of pride.

The following are the qualities of demonic nature: Men

possessing a demonic nature know not what to do

and what to refrain from; neither purity nor right conduct nor

truth is found in them.

The persons of demonic nature are those who practise terrible

mortifications contrary to scriptural injunctions impelled by the

forces of lust, pride of power and attachment. As fools, they

torture their own bodies and thereby Lord Krishna dwelling in

them.

Food, worship, penance and charity differ as per their

gunas.

The Demonic Persons say: The universe is unreal, without a

moral basis, without a God, and without an order. Sexual union

of man and woman alone and nothing else causes the world. 

Holding this view, these ruined souls of small intellect, of fierce

deeds, rise as the enemies of the world for its destruction.

Filled with insatiable desires, full of hypocrisy, pride and

arrogance, holding evil ideas through delusion, they work with

impure motives.

The demonic persons are obsessed with endless anxiety lasting

until death. They consider sense gratification their highest aim

and they are convinced that sense pleasure is everything.

Bound by hundred of ties of desire and enslaved by lust and

anger, they strive to obtain wealth by unlawful means for the

fulfilment of sensual pleasures.

They say to themselves being deluded by ignorance: “This

much has been gained by me to day. I shall fulfil this desire.

So much wealth is already with me and yet again more wealth

shall be mine. That enemy has been slain by me, and I shall

slay others also. I am a lord; I am successful, powerful and

happy. I am rich and born in noble family. Who is equal to me?

I shall perform sacrifice, I shall give alms, and I shall rejoice”.

Bewildered by many fancies, entangled in the net of delusion

and addicted to the enjoyment of sensual pleasures, they fall

into a foul hell. Self-conceited, stubborn, filled with pride and

intoxication of wealth, they perform service only in name, for

show, and without the observance of commandments of the

scriptures. These malicious people, due to their egoism, power,

arrogance, lust and anger, hate Lord Krishna who dwells in

their own bodies and those of others.

Those cruel haters, worst among men in the world, Lord

Krishna hurls these evildoers forever into the wombs of the

demons only. Falling into the wombs of demons, in life after

life, they go to still lower states of degradation, without

attaining Lord Krishna.

                                                    

 The Bhagavad Gita – Part 4: Final

General:

In Gita Dhyanam’s sloka, the importance of the Bhagavad Gita has been explained thus: “All the upanishads are the cows, Lord Krishna is the milker/the cowherd boy, Partha is the calf, men of purified intellect are the drinkers of the milk, the milk is the supreme nectar of the Gita.”

There is one more sloka which is equally worth quoting and the translated sloka runs thus: “The battle of Kurushetra is like a river with Bhima and Drona as the banks. The water is Jayadratha. The blue water lily in the river is the prince of Gandhara. The crocodile is Salya. The current in the river is Kripa and the high wave is Karna. Asvathama and Vikarna are terrible sharks. Duryodhana is the whirl-pool. The river of battle was crossed by the Pandavas because they had Krishna as the ferry man.”

There is one familiar and famous explanations of the context of the Gita as an extension of the symbolism of the chariot described in the Kathopanisad.

The human body is compared to the chariot, in which the soul of man is seated as the master of the chariot with the Intellect as the charioteer. The mind constitutes the reins, and the horses are the senses. The chariot is coursing through the battle field of life. Stationed in the battle field, the bewildered spirit of man represented by Arjuna occupying the chariot of the body, looks to the charioteer, the higher mind or the intellect, here represented by Krishna, for advice, guidance and inspiration.

The Gita is the eternal dialogue going on between the ego and the higher mind in the personality of man struggling on the battle field of life.

Yet, in spite of all these, the bare texts of the Bhagavad Gita  themselves are radiant with eternal truths for all to contemplate and to get peace and bliss.

Let there be Light and Let there be Peace. Let all be blessed by Lord Krishna.

Bhagavad Gita - Part 4

11. Theory of Creation: 

The Field and The Knower of the Field

The Field (Kshetra) is usually identified with the Body. The knower of the Field (Kshetrajna) is identified with the Soul or Atma. The knowledge about the body and soul is the wisdom. This wisdom has been sung by the seers in many ways in the Vedic hymns and also in the verses of the Brahmasutras, in the conclusive and reasoned way. The field – apart from the body have the following properties and modifications which are as follows: The five great elements – viz. fire, water, air, earth and ether; the egoism, the intellect, the un-manifested (Primordial Matter), ten organs – viz. five knowledge organs – eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin and five action organs – legs, hands, mouth, anus and sex organ; the mind as the eleventh, and the five objects of the senses – viz. sight, sound, smell, taste and touch; desire, hatred, pleasure, pain, consciousness and firmness. In short, nature (5), senses (15), ego (1), intellect (1), mind (1) and soul (1) totalling in all 24 elements – are the major factors of the field of the body. Of course, the field is not merely the body. But the body is a part of the universal nature of 24 elements.  

The Nature is divided itself into material and spiritual nature. This distinction between the Field and Supreme is to be perceived with the eye of wisdom. Due to this wisdom, the deliverance of beings from the nature is achieved and then the soul reaches the Supreme. 

Nature (Prakriti) consists of lower and higher elements. The material nature is lower and the spiritual nature is higher. The lower material nature is divided into eightfold – viz. Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Ether (Five Elements), mind, intellect and ego.

The higher nature is only one i.e. the soul – the life element by which the whole universe is sustained. All creatures have evolved from this two fold natures of Lord Krishna–lower and higher natures as their source. The Lord Krishna is the origin and dissolution of the whole universe. Everything in the universe is strung on Lord Krishna, as rows of gems on a string. 

The Supreme Self has no beginning and possesses no Gunas. It is imperishable, though dwelling in the body which is perishable. It neither acts nor is tainted. As the all-pervading ether is not tainted by reason of its subtlety, in the same way the self-seated in all bodies is not tainted. As one sun illumines this whole world, so the one Soul illumines the whole Field – all human bodies.   

Nature, Soul and Gunas

The nature and soul are both without beginning. All different forms and Gunas are born of the nature. The nature is said to be the cause in the production of the body and the senses. The soul is said to be the cause in the experience of pleasure and pain. The soul is seated in the nature and experiences the Gunas born of nature.  Attachment to the Gunas is the cause of birth in good and evil wombs for the souls. The soul dwelling in this body is really the same as the Supreme. The Supreme has been spoken of as the Witness, the true guide, the Sustainers of all, the Experiencer as the embodied soul, the Overlord and the Absolute as well. Whoever thus knows the soul and Nature together with the Gunas, is never born again, in whatever way he may live. Whatever is born - the unmoving or the moving- know them to be from the union of the body and soul.

Souls in the world (Purushas) are two types - the Non-Liberated and the Liberated. Lord Krishna transcends the non-liberated souls and is even above the liberated souls. Therefore, Lord Krishna in the world and in the Veda is described as ‘Purushothama’, the highest Purusha or the Supreme Self. The wise man who realizes Lord Krishna as the Supreme Person, worships Lord Krishna with all his heart. Thus, Lord Krishna Himself has imparted this most profound teaching. A true understanding of it makes a man really wise and established in a sense of total fulfilment.

The soul enjoys the object of senses, while dwelling in the senses of hearing, sight, touch, taste and smell as well as the mind. The five elements of nature are direct bearing on the five sense organs – like the brilliance in fire for the eyes, the taste in water for the mouth, the sweet fragrance in earth for the nose, the sound in ether for the ears and the life in air for the body. The ignorant knows not the soul - departing from, or dwelling in the body, or enjoying the objects of senses. Pure only can recognize atma or soul. 

Four Divisions of Society:

Four divisions of human society were created by Lord Krishna based on aptitude and vocation (gunas and karma). Though Lord Krishna is the author of this system of the division of labour, He is not an agent but the immortal Lord.

Division of labour is based on one’s ability to perform. They are Brahmins (Intellectuals) for sacred obligations, kshatriyas (warriors) for protections, vaishyas (traders) for business and shudras (workers) for subordinate services under others. One attains perfection by worshipping the Supreme Self through performance of one’s natural duty.

One’s own duty, though devoid of merit, is preferable to the duty of another well performed.  For even death in doing one’s duty leads to one’s good, while a duty alien to one’s growth is burdened with the fear of downfall.

12.  To Know All About Lord Krishna

His Creation

In the beginning, the Creator (Prajapathi) created human beings together with Vedic sacrifice (Yajna). After this creation, the Creator said:  “By this you propagate. May this be to you the Cow of Plenty(Kamathenu) yielding all your wants! Cherish the celestial controllers (Devas) with selfless service and they will cherish you with rain and other desired gifts. Thus, mutually cherishing, you shall attain the highest good. The celestial controllers will give you all desired objects.”

The gifts are to be shared with others. If the human beings do not share the gifts with others, they are thieves. By sharing with others, they are freed from all sin. If one cooks food only for himself, he verily eats sin. All beings are evolved from food; production of food is dependent on rain; rain ensues from sacrifice, and sacrifice is rooted in prescribed action. The prescribed action has its origin in the Vedas, and the Vedas proceed from the Supreme. Hence the Supreme - the all-pervading Infinite is always present in sacrifice.

Incarnation or Avatar

Lord Krishna said: Immortal yoga of knowledge and selfless action were taught by first to Vivaswan (sun god) who, in turn, taught this yoga to Manu – his son and who, in turn, to Ikswaku – son of Manu. Thus transmitted in succession from father to son and due to long efflux of time, this yoga decayed in this world. The same ancient yoga which is a supreme secret, has been today imparted to you by Me because you are my devotee and friend.

Arjuna said: You were born later, but Vivaswan was born in ancient time. How, then, am I to believe that you taught this yoga at the beginning of creation?

Lord Krishna said: Both you and I have passed through many births. I remember them all, but you do not remember. I am birth-less and death-less and the Lord of all beings. Yet, due to my divine power – but keeping my power under control, I manifest myself from time to time for protecting the good, for transforming the wicked and for establishing world order (dharma). My birth and activities are divine.

His Divine Forms

Lord Krishna’s forms are countless – varied hues and shapes. All gods are in His body. The whole universe of the moving and unmoving are all as a unit abide in His body. To see His divine form – the imperishable form as such, one should have a power of divine vision.

His spiritual forms as the lord of the universe possess many mouths and eyes, many marvellous sights, decked with many divine ornaments, wielding many uplifted divine weapons, wearing divine garlands and clothes, anointed with celestial perfumes, with faces on all sides. If the splendour of a thousand suns were to blaze forth all at once in the sky, that would be like the splendour of the Mighty Lord.

The whole universe with its many divisions is drawn together into one. The divine forms have countless arms, stomachs, mouths and eyes on all sides. Sun and Moon are His Eyes and Burning Fire is His Mouth. His form fills up the space between heaven and earth and quarters. The form has no beginning, middle or end. The divine form is seen with diadem club and discus; a mass of radiance blazing everywhere, hard to look at, all round dazzling like flaming fire and sun and immeasurable on all sides and heating the whole universe as radiance. The forms are infinite in power with infinite arms. All venerable praise the divine form with sublime hymns.

On seeing this Divine Form of Lord Krishna, Arjuna said: When I see you touching the sky, blazing with many colours, with mouths wide open, with large fiery eyes, my heart trembles in fear and I find neither courage nor peace. I saw all warriors entering into your mouths – terrible with teeth and flaring like the fire at the time of universal destruction. As the many torrent of rivers rush towards the ocean, these heroes in the world flung themselves into your fiercely faming mouths. As moths rush headlong into a blazing fire for destruction, so do these creatures hurriedly speed into your mouths for their destruction.  Tell me who you are? I also like to know about your purpose, which I am in ignorance.

Lord Krishna said: I am the mighty destroyer of the world. Even without you, those warriors arrayed in the enemy’s camp must die. These warriors stand already slain by Me. You are only an instrument. Pleased with you I have shown you, through my own power of yoga, this supreme effulgent, primal and infinite cosmic body, which was never seen before by anyone else than you. In this mortal world, I cannot be seen in this form by anyone else than you, either through study of the Vedas or of rituals or again through gifts, actions or austere penances

Arjuna’s Forgiveness:

Arjuna said: You are the knower and the knowable and the supreme abode. Salutations to you for your all pervading form – infinite in might and immeasurable in strength. Pardon Me for addressing you as “O, Krishna, O, Yadava, O, Friend” looking on you merely as a friend ignorant of your greatness. In whatever way I may have insulted you for jest, while at play, reposing, sitting or at meals, when alone or in company – for all that I crave forgiveness from You. You are the Father of this world moving and unmoving. You are to be adored by this world, you are the greatest guru; none there exists, who is equal to you in the three worlds; who then can excel you, O Being of unequalled power? I implore you to forgive me as a father with a son, as a friend with a friend and as a lover with his beloved. I rejoice that I have seen what was never seen before, but my mind is confounded with fear. I desire to see You as before, crowned, bearing a mace and a discus in the hand, in your former form only, and having four arms.

 Lord Krishna assumed his own gentle form and consoled Arjuna who was terrified.

His Attributes:

Lord Krishna dwell in all – taste in water, radiance in moon and sun, syllable OM in Vedas, sound in ether, manliness in man, sweet fragrance in earth, brilliance in fire, life in all beings, austerity in ascetics.

                                                   

Lord Krishna is seated in the hearts of all. The memory, knowledge and their loss come from Lord Krishna.                                                       

He is said to be beyond darkness, knowledge, the knowable, the goal of knowledge.

Again, Lord Krishna is the only object worth knowing through the Vedas. He is the author of the Vedanta as well as the knower of the Vedas.

He is the beginning, the middle and the end. He is all in this world – sun, moon, senses, consciousness, mountains, ocean, monosyllable OM, Gayathri Mantra, Himalayas, sages Narada and Kapila, Varuna, Yama, time, death, Ganges, fame, fortune, speech, memories, intelligence, constancy and forbearance, splendour, victory, effort, good, silence, wisdom.

Of those who debate, He is the reason. There is no being, whether moving or unmoving that can exist without Him.

He stands supporting the whole universe with a single fragment of Himself.

Lord Krishna is sacrifice, worship, offering, medicinal herb, Vedic hymns, sacrificial fire, father, mother, three Vedas. He is also the supporter, the Lord, the witness, the abode, the shelter, the heat, rain and host of others. Men versed in the Vedas cleansed of their sins by the performance of sacrifices drank soma juice. They attained the heaven by their meritorious deeds to enjoy heavenly felicities there. When the asset of meritorious deeds was exhausted, they born again in the world due to their desires.

Those who worship Lord Krishna are assured of their worldly wants fulfilled and also preservation of their assets. Those who worship other deities and the ghosts go to them. Lord Krishna’s worshippers come to Him.

Lord Krishna is the undivided whole, yet He seems to be divided due to His dwelling in all beings as if divided into many. He is to be known as the supporter of all beings. He is the destroyer and the creator of all. He has no sense organs, but the faculties of the senses function by His power. He is devoid of Gunas, yet, He experiences them. He is inside as well as outside all beings. He is unmoving, but He looks like one moving because He is everywhere. He is both far and near – far to the ignorant and near to the knowing one. Owing to subtlety, He cannot be known like gross object.

The Lord dwells in the hearts of all beings and by His Maya causes all beings to revolve as though mounted on a machine. Under Lord Krishna’s direction and control, Nature brings out this mighty universe of living and non-living beings. Thus does the wheel of this world revolve. All beings revolve into Nature – He brings all into being and destroys them as well. These activities do not in any way bind Him, because Lord Krishna remains detached like one unconcerned in their midst.

Lord Krishna is the eternal seed of all beings, the intelligence of the intelligent, the splendour of splendid, strength of the strong devoid of desire and passion.

Lord Krishna is the light in the sun, moon and fire. He is the supporter of all beings by His energy and nourishes all herbs. Abiding in the body, Lord Krishna manifest as the digestive fire. In combination with vital energies of breaths – both exhalation (Prana) and inhalation (Apana), Lord Krishna is the digester of four kinds of food – by way of biting, swallowing, drinking and licking. 

His Supreme Nature: 

The sovereign science is to free the soul from the worldly life. This science is easy to perform and is in agreement with the moral law. One should have faith in this sacred doctrine to get rid of the eternally recurring cycle of births and deaths.

Lord Krishna is everywhere in this world in His un-manifested being. With hands and feet everywhere, with eyes and heads and mouths everywhere, with ears everywhere – He exists enveloping all.

All objects dwell in the Supreme Self or Absolute, but not the Supreme Self in them.  The Supreme Self is infinite and hence Finite Object only can dwell in Infinite Object. This is similar to the fact that wind (finite) is in space (infinite), but space is not in wind. He is the source and support of all objects and yet not abiding in them.

All beings are same to Lord Krishna and none is hateful and dearer to Him. But, those who worship Lord Krishna with devotion dwell in Him and Lord Krishna too dwells in them. A confirmed sinner, on worshiping Him with unwavering faith and devotion, will become a righteous one which begets a lasting peace. No devotee of Lord Krishna will ever perish. Irrespective of caste or creed, all attain to the highest spiritual goal on taking refuge in Lord Krishna.                                                                                      

                          

One who abandons all desires and becomes free from longing and feeling of “I” and “MY” attains peace. There is no time factor to attain the Brahman State. Even at the death hour, a man gets into oneness with Brahman. The wise man who knows the truth thinks: “I do nothing at all”. In seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, walking, sleeping, breathing, speaking, giving, taking as well as opening and closing of eyes, the wise believes that only the senses are operating upon their objects.

The Lord does not create the urge for action, or the feeling of doer-ship, or the attachment to the results of action in people. The powers of material nature do all these. The omnipresent God does not take the responsibility for the good or evil deeds of anybody.  As knowledge is enveloped with ignorance, the mortals are constantly falling a prey to delusion about actions.

When the ignorance has been destroyed by the knowledge of God – that knowledge reveals the Supreme Being just as the sun reveals the object of the world. Those who think of the Supreme always, who are ever at one with the Supreme, who are deeply devoted to the Supreme, and who look upon the Supreme as their goal, get purified of their sins by divine knowledge and go to the state from which there is no return to world life. Any enlightened person is a Brahmin who is endowed with learning and humility. Thus a brahmin is one who perceives God in all. Hence such enlightened person looks with equal eye on a cow, an elephant, a dog and an outcaste.

Those whose mind is set in equality have accomplished everything in this very life. Such a person has realized the Supreme Being, because the Absolute is untouched by evil and knows no distinction. Established in Brahman, with firm understanding and with no delusion, the knower of Brahman rejoices not, getting what is pleasant and grieves not, getting what is unpleasant. With the self-detached to sense objects, through meditation of Brahman, he enjoys the eternal Bliss.  

Enjoyments born of sense-objects are indeed the sources of misery and they have a beginning and an end. The wise men do not rejoice in them. He who is able to withstand the urge arising from passion and anger in this very life, before casting off the body, is a yogi and is a happy man. He whose happiness is within, whose rejoicing is within and whose light is within, that yogi, established in Brahman, attains the beatitude of Brahman. The seers whose sins have been waned away, whose doubts have been dispelled, who have controlled their mind, and who are devoted to the welfare of all beings, attains the Supreme Being. Knowing Lord Krishna, the recipient of all sacrifices and asceticism, the supreme lord of all the worlds and the well-wisher of all beings, the devotee attains peace.  

Seven great sages, Sanakas, Manus were emanations, being projections of Lord Krishna’s Thought. He is the source of all things, from Lord Krishna all these go forth – knowing thus the wise ones worship Lord Krishna, being filled with ecstatic devotional fervour. They are ever contented and delighted by mutually conversing about Lord Krishna and enlightening each other thereby. By dwelling in the hearts of His worshipers, He destroys the ignorance-born darkness by the luminous lamps of wisdom. Lord Krishna is the supreme Brahma, the Supreme abode and the supreme purifier.

The triple designation of Supreme Self is “Om, Tat, Sat.”

Om represents Actions.

Tat represents Detachment of Actions

Sat represents Faith of Actions

These actions refer to the sacrifice, gift and austerity.

Whatever is performed as a sacrifice, gift or austerity without faith is declared to be Asat.  Asat has no value here or hereafter. Beginning less is the Supreme Brahman. It is to be neither being (Sat) nor non-being (Asat).  If one has really known this truth, he attains to immortality

The Yoga of Realization - Maya (illusion):

The three modes of material nature – goodness, passion and ignorance – also emanate from Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna is not dependent on, or affected by, the modes of material nature; but the modes of material nature are dependent on Lord Krishna. Human beings are deluded by various aspects of these three modes of material nature and they do not know Lord Krishna – the eternal and above these modes. This divine power (Maya) of Lord Krishna, consisting of three states of matter is very difficult to overcome. Only those who surrender unto Lord Krishna easily cross over this Maya (Illusion).

The evildoers, the ignorant, the lowest persons who are attached to demonic nature, and whose power of discrimination has been taken away by divine illusive power (Maya) do not seek refuge in Lord Krishna. Without any insight into Lord Krishna’s transcendental nature, unique and immutable, men of poor understanding look upon Lord Krishna as a mere human individual, having come into manifestation from an un-manifested state.

Lord Krishna is not revealed to all, as He is veiled by yoga Maya  (Divine Illusive Power). Those who take refuge in Lord Krishna and strive for deliverance from old age and death, they realize in full all about the Absolute, His spiritual manifestation and His works of spiritual import. The steadfast persons, who know Lord Krishna alone as the basic of all – the mortal beings, temporal beings and the Eternal Being – even at the time of death, attain Lord Krishna.

Foolish men do not understand Lord Krishna’s higher nature as the Supreme Lord of all that exists and disregard Him manifested in the human body. Those who are of having the characteristics of fiends and demons – viz. cruel, proud and passionate – will never know Lord Krishna. But the ones endowed with virtuous characteristics of celestial forms understand Him as the Immutable and the source of all beings. Such persons always sing His glories and prostrate before Lord Krishna. Others by their wisdom worship Him as one in all and as the Immanent in all.

His Realization and Supreme Bliss:

Lord Krishna explains the full implications of real knowledge and its realization.

One needs to absorb the mind in Lord Krishna, to take refuge in Lord Krishna and also to perform yogic practices. That is how one shall know Him fully. There is no doubt about these. In knowing Him, amongst thousands of men, scarcely one strives for perfection and of those who strive and succeed, scarcely one realizes Him in truth.

Supreme bliss comes to a self-realized yogi whose mind is tranquil, whose desires are under control, and who is free from faults. A yogi, who is in union with the Supreme Being, sees every being with an equal eye because of perceiving the omnipresent self- abiding in all beings, and all beings abiding in the Supreme Being. Such yogi never loses the sight of Lord Krishna. The yogi who is established in union with Lord Krishna, and worships Lord Krishna as residing in all beings, abides in Lord Krishna, whatever may be his mode of living.

                                                                                                              

Some perceive the Supreme in the heart by the practice of meditation with a purified mind, others by the yoga of knowledge and yet others by yoga of action. Still others, not knowing thus, worship as they have heard from others; they too certainly overcome the cycle of births and deaths. He sees, who sees the Supreme Lord, remaining the same in all beings, the undying in the dying and therefore, he reaches the Supreme Goal. All actions are done by the nature and soul is action less. The moment man perceives the diversified existence of beings as rooted in the one supreme spirit, and the spreading forth of all beings from the same, that very moment he attains Brahma – who is Truth, Consciousness and Bliss solidified. 

His Message for Salvation for dying man: 

One, who departs from the body, thinking of Lord Krishna alone even at the time of death, attains His state; there is no doubt about it. Thinking of whatever entity one leaves the body at the time of death, that and that alone one attains, being ever absorbed in its thought. Therefore, one should think of Lord Krishna at all times with mind and reason thus set and such a person will doubtless come to Lord Krishna. If one meditates with devotion even at the time of death with a steady mind and with the power of Yoga properly fixing the life-breath in between the eyebrows on the Supreme Self, that person reaches Him. Concentrate on Lord Krishna as wise, ancient, the ruler, smaller than the smallest, the sustainers of all, inconceivable form, resplendent like the sun and beyond ignorance. And he attains the shining Supreme Self

His Message for Time of Death: 

The goal into which aspirants bereft of all desires enter is the abode of Imperishable as described in the Vedas (Holy Scriptures). All the gates of the body closed, the mind confined within the heart, having fixed his life energy in the head, engaged in firm yoga, uttering the monosyllable – OM, which is Brahman, and thinking of Lord Krishna, he who departs leaving the body, attains the Supreme Goal. Then there is no rebirth.

Time of death also determines salvation and re-birth. 

The one who dies at the daytime, bright fortnight and six months of the northern course of time – attains to Brahman. 

The one who dies at night, the black fortnight and the six months of the southern course of the sun – attains the lunar sphere to have re-birth in the world. 

These two paths of the world, the bright and the dark, are considered to be eternal; by one, one returns not to this world, and by the other, one returns on rebirth to this world. Whoever among Yogis knows these two paths, they are never deluded. Therefore, be steadfast in Yoga at all times. The one who knows all this knowledge goes beyond getting the benefits of the study of the Vedas, performance of sacrifices, austerities, and charities. That person attains salvation.

Gates of Hell 

Three gates of Hell are lust, anger and greed, which are destructive of the man’s spiritual nature. Therefore, one should abandon these three. If a man is free from these three, he can work out his own good and reach the highest goal. He who abandons the commandments of the scriptures and lives on the impulse of his desires, he attains neither spiritual perfection, nor worldly happiness nor liberation. Therefore, let the scriptures be the authority in determining what should be done and what should not be done. One should perform the duty following the scriptural injunction.

Supreme Abode 

Supreme Abode of Lord Krishna is not illumined by the sun or by the moon or by the fire. Those who are free from pride and delusion, which have conquered the evil of attachment, who are constantly dwelling in the Supreme Being with all lust completely stilled, who are free from dualities of pleasure and pain; such wise ones reach His Supreme Abode. Having reached there, people never return to this world.

The eternal Jivatma in this body is a particle of Lord Krishna’s own being. The Jiva or Individual Soul attracts the senses with mind as the sixth, abiding in the Nature. When the individual soul gets a new body or abandons an old one, the individual soul, the lord of the body, moves carrying the mind and the senses with him, as the wind carries smells from their seats.                                                                                                                         

Lord Krishna said the following words as His Concluding remarks:

“O, Arjuna! These teachings are never to be spoken by you to one who is devoid of austerities, nor to one who is not devoted, nor to one who does not do service, nor to one who speaks ill of Me. He, who with supreme devotion to Me, will teach this immensely profound philosophy to My devotees, shall doubtless come to Me alone. And he who will study this sacred dialogue of ours, I shall regard it as equivalent of worshipping Me with

knowledge sacrifice.”

Sanjaya’s conviction: 

Sanjay had said this as his final words: “Thus I heard this

wonderful dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna, causing

my hair to stand on end. By the grace of sage Vyasa, I heard

this most secret and supreme yoga directly from Krishna, the

Lord of Yoga, Himself speaking to Arjuna before my very eyes

of clairvoyance granted by sage Vyasa. Wherever there is

Krishna, the Lord of Yoga, accompanied by Arjuna wielding the

bow – there reign good fortune, victory, prosperity and sound

policy. Such is my conviction.”                                              

The End.

Acknowledgements: 

1. The American Gita Society web page:www.gita-society.com.

2. Srimad Bhagavad Gita by Swami Chidbhavananthar (Tamil & English).

3. Srimad Bhagavad Gita by Swami Tapasyananda.

4. The Bhagavad Gita by Gita Press, Gorakhpur.

5. Bhagavad Gita by Bharathi (Tamil).

6. Discourses of Gita by Vinobaji (Tamil).

7. Bhagavad Gita by Dr. K.K.Ramalingam (Tamil).

8. The Bhagavad Gita by M.K. Gandhi.