sa ghosho dhaartaraashtraanaam hridayaani vyadaaryat |
nabhascha prithvim chaiva tumulo vyanunaadayan || 19 ||
That tumultuous sound resounded through the earth and the sky, shattering the hearts of the sons of Dhritraashtra.
sa : that
ghosho : sound
dhaartaraashtraanaam : of the sons of Dhritaashtra
hridayaani : hearts of
vyadaaryat : shattered
nabhascha : sky
prithvim : earth
chaiva : and
tumulo : tumultuous
vyanunaadayan : resounded
During college years my classmates and I used to participate in inter-college music competitions. Teams from various colleges competed with each other for the "best music team" prize. Usually the teams would all be waiting backstage to be called on to perform, but in the interim they would do "mini rehearsals" where they would sing one or two lines of their song to warm up. What was interesting is that most teams knew who would win just by hearing that two line sample of the song, because it provided a glimpse of that team's talent and preparation.
Similarly, when the Pandavas blew their conches, their sound was much louder and spirited than the Kauravas, even though the Pandava army was a fraction of the Kaurava army. That sound provided a window into the Pandava army's determination and preparation, which had the effect of injecting fear into the hearts of the Kauravas.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Bhagavad Gita Verse 15-18, Chapter 1
paanchajanyam hrishikeesho devadattam dhananjayaha |
paundryam dadhamau mahaashankam bheemekarmaa vrikodaraha || 15 ||
anantavijayam raaja kuntiputrau yudhistiraha |
nakulaha sahadevashcha sughoshamanipushpakau || 16 ||
kashyashcha parameshvasaaha shikhandi cha mahaarathaha |
dhristhadyumno viraatashcha saatyakischaparaajiataha ||17||
drupado draupadeyascha sarvashaha pruthiveepate |
saubhadrashcha mahaabaahuh shankhaandadhmuh prithakprithak || 18 ||
Hrishikesha blew his conch named Paanchajanya, Arjuna blew his conch Devadatta, and the fearsome Bheema blew his mighty conch named Paundra.
King Yudhishtira, son of Kuntu, blew his conch named Anantavijayam, Nakula and Sahadeva blew their conches named Sughosha and Manipushpaka.
The King of Kashi, a supreme archer, the mighty warriors Shikhandi, Dhristadyumna, King Viraata and Satyaki ..
King Drupada, the sons of Draupadi and Abhimanyu, the mighty armed son of Subhadraa, all blew their respective conches, O King.
paanchajanyam : conch named Paanchajanya
hrishikeeshaha : one who has conquered the senses (Krishna)
devadattam : conch named Devadatta
dhananjayaha : one who has achieved victory over wealth (Arjuna)
paundryam : conch named Paundra
dadhamau : blew
mahaashankam : mighty conch
bheemekarmaa : Bheema
vrikodaraha : one who has extraordinary capacity to imbibe food
anantavijayam : conch named ananta-vijayam
raaja : king
kuntiputrau : son of Kunti
yudhistiraha : Yudhishtira
nakulaha : Nakula
sahadevashcha : and Sahadeva
sughoshamanipushpakau : conches named Sughosha and Manipushpaka
kashyashcha : King of Kashi
parameshvasaaha : supreme archer
shikhandi : Shikhandi
mahaarathaha: mighty warrior
dhristhadyumno : Dhrishtadyumna
viraatashcha : King Viraata
saatyaki : Saatyaki
aparaajiataha : indefeatable
drupado : King Drupada
draupadeyascha : Draupadi's sons
sarvashaha : all
pruthiveepate : O king
saubhadra : Abhimanyu
mahaabaahu : mighty armed
shankha: conches
dadhmuh : sounded
prithak : their respective
Blowing of the conches was a tradition that signified the start of a war. In other words, once that sound was heard, there was no room for compromise, there was no more vacillation on whether or not to fight, everyone was committed to start the war. Note that the Pandava army has well-known conches, but the Kaurava army's conches are nameless.
We should remind ourselves again and again that the Gita is first and foremost a practical text on how to lead a balanced life, a life that is in harmony with the world. Therefore, we should try to connect what we read in this text to our own life and experiences.
Arjuna was face to face with the Kaurava army, and the sound of the conches indicated that he was about to deal with an extremely difficult situation - that of war. Most of us also have to deal with extremely difficult situations every day, though usually not that of life or death, but ones with high stakes nevertheless. If you are a student, then a tough exam is an example. If you have a job, then a upcoming meeting with your boss is another example.
When I read the blowing of the conches, I recalled a sound from my childhood which for me had similar implications. Early in the morning, at the same time everyday, I would hear the sound of a air raid warning alarm, coming in from the distance. There was no imminent threat of an air raid, that sound was used only to test the warning system. But for me personally, it reminded me that in a few minutes I would have to face the most difficult situation a shy, nerdy kid has to face everyday - school!
paundryam dadhamau mahaashankam bheemekarmaa vrikodaraha || 15 ||
anantavijayam raaja kuntiputrau yudhistiraha |
nakulaha sahadevashcha sughoshamanipushpakau || 16 ||
kashyashcha parameshvasaaha shikhandi cha mahaarathaha |
dhristhadyumno viraatashcha saatyakischaparaajiataha ||17||
drupado draupadeyascha sarvashaha pruthiveepate |
saubhadrashcha mahaabaahuh shankhaandadhmuh prithakprithak || 18 ||
Hrishikesha blew his conch named Paanchajanya, Arjuna blew his conch Devadatta, and the fearsome Bheema blew his mighty conch named Paundra.
King Yudhishtira, son of Kuntu, blew his conch named Anantavijayam, Nakula and Sahadeva blew their conches named Sughosha and Manipushpaka.
The King of Kashi, a supreme archer, the mighty warriors Shikhandi, Dhristadyumna, King Viraata and Satyaki ..
King Drupada, the sons of Draupadi and Abhimanyu, the mighty armed son of Subhadraa, all blew their respective conches, O King.
paanchajanyam : conch named Paanchajanya
hrishikeeshaha : one who has conquered the senses (Krishna)
devadattam : conch named Devadatta
dhananjayaha : one who has achieved victory over wealth (Arjuna)
paundryam : conch named Paundra
dadhamau : blew
mahaashankam : mighty conch
bheemekarmaa : Bheema
vrikodaraha : one who has extraordinary capacity to imbibe food
anantavijayam : conch named ananta-vijayam
raaja : king
kuntiputrau : son of Kunti
yudhistiraha : Yudhishtira
nakulaha : Nakula
sahadevashcha : and Sahadeva
sughoshamanipushpakau : conches named Sughosha and Manipushpaka
kashyashcha : King of Kashi
parameshvasaaha : supreme archer
shikhandi : Shikhandi
mahaarathaha: mighty warrior
dhristhadyumno : Dhrishtadyumna
viraatashcha : King Viraata
saatyaki : Saatyaki
aparaajiataha : indefeatable
drupado : King Drupada
draupadeyascha : Draupadi's sons
sarvashaha : all
pruthiveepate : O king
saubhadra : Abhimanyu
mahaabaahu : mighty armed
shankha: conches
dadhmuh : sounded
prithak : their respective
Blowing of the conches was a tradition that signified the start of a war. In other words, once that sound was heard, there was no room for compromise, there was no more vacillation on whether or not to fight, everyone was committed to start the war. Note that the Pandava army has well-known conches, but the Kaurava army's conches are nameless.
We should remind ourselves again and again that the Gita is first and foremost a practical text on how to lead a balanced life, a life that is in harmony with the world. Therefore, we should try to connect what we read in this text to our own life and experiences.
Arjuna was face to face with the Kaurava army, and the sound of the conches indicated that he was about to deal with an extremely difficult situation - that of war. Most of us also have to deal with extremely difficult situations every day, though usually not that of life or death, but ones with high stakes nevertheless. If you are a student, then a tough exam is an example. If you have a job, then a upcoming meeting with your boss is another example.
When I read the blowing of the conches, I recalled a sound from my childhood which for me had similar implications. Early in the morning, at the same time everyday, I would hear the sound of a air raid warning alarm, coming in from the distance. There was no imminent threat of an air raid, that sound was used only to test the warning system. But for me personally, it reminded me that in a few minutes I would have to face the most difficult situation a shy, nerdy kid has to face everyday - school!
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Bhagavad Gita Verse 14, Chapter 1
tataha shvetair hayair yukte mahati syandane sthitau |
maadhavaha paandavaschaiva divyau shankau pradadhmatau || 14 ||
And then, seated on a magnificent chariot harnessed to white horses, Shri Krishna and Arjuna blew their divine conches.
tataha : thereafter
cha eva: both
maadhavaha : Shri Krishna
paandavaha : Arjun
sthitau : situated
mahati syandane: on a magnificent chariot
yukte: harnessed
shvetaiha : by white
hayaiha: horses
pradadhmatuha: resounded
saha: their
divyau: divine
shankhau: conches
With this verse, we are introduced to the key figures in the Bhagavad Gita, as we leave behind Duryodhana and the Kaurava army. Lord Krishna was a divine incarnation or an avatara, and Arjuna was one of the five Pandava princes. Arjuna was considered the most skillful archer and warrior of his time. Shri Krishna was a close friend of Arjuna, and offered to be his charioteer for the Mahabharata war.
Many commentaries offer a lot of background from the Mahabharata in order to describe the grandeur of Arjuna's chariot. It was a robust chariot, endowed with several divine powers. A key feature of the chariot was a flag in which Lord Hanumaan had entered in the form of an emblem. Therefore it is said that Lord Hanumaan was one of the few individuals to hear the Gita firsthand.
The prior verses served to paint a picture of the Kaurava army, that was ready to engage in conflict with the Pandavas. As we move further into the text, the perspective shifts from Duryodhana's viewpoint to Arjuna's.
maadhavaha paandavaschaiva divyau shankau pradadhmatau || 14 ||
And then, seated on a magnificent chariot harnessed to white horses, Shri Krishna and Arjuna blew their divine conches.
tataha : thereafter
cha eva: both
maadhavaha : Shri Krishna
paandavaha : Arjun
sthitau : situated
mahati syandane: on a magnificent chariot
yukte: harnessed
shvetaiha : by white
hayaiha: horses
pradadhmatuha: resounded
saha: their
divyau: divine
shankhau: conches
With this verse, we are introduced to the key figures in the Bhagavad Gita, as we leave behind Duryodhana and the Kaurava army. Lord Krishna was a divine incarnation or an avatara, and Arjuna was one of the five Pandava princes. Arjuna was considered the most skillful archer and warrior of his time. Shri Krishna was a close friend of Arjuna, and offered to be his charioteer for the Mahabharata war.
Many commentaries offer a lot of background from the Mahabharata in order to describe the grandeur of Arjuna's chariot. It was a robust chariot, endowed with several divine powers. A key feature of the chariot was a flag in which Lord Hanumaan had entered in the form of an emblem. Therefore it is said that Lord Hanumaan was one of the few individuals to hear the Gita firsthand.
The prior verses served to paint a picture of the Kaurava army, that was ready to engage in conflict with the Pandavas. As we move further into the text, the perspective shifts from Duryodhana's viewpoint to Arjuna's.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Bhagavad Gita Verse 13, Chapter 1
tataha shankashcha bheryascha panavaanakagomukhaahaa |
sahasaivaabhyahanyanta sa shabda tumulobhavat ||13 ||
Immediately thereafter, several conches, bugles, trumpets, kettle-horns and cow-horns resounded simultaneously, growing into a tumultuous sound.
tataha: thereafter
shankha: conches
cha: and
bherya: bugles
panamaanaka: trumpets and kettedrums
gomukhaha: cow-horns
sahasaa eva abhyahanyanta: resounded suddenly and simultaneously
shabdaha: sound
abhavat: became
tumulaha: tumultuous
This is another verse in the sequence of verses that brings us closer to the start of the war. It also suggests that the Kaurava army was happy that their commander Bheeshma was eager to begin the war.
As we progress through this verse into some of the later verses, we cannot help but paint a picture of that battlefield, since the words used in these verses are so evocative. For some of us that grew up in India, we probably tend to dig up memories of watching the Mahabharata on Sunday morning, and maybe those memories are recalled. With this verse, we now have another dimension that adds depth to the picture - that of sound.
The author of these verses clearly intends to paint a rich picture of the battlefield, and the Kaurava army in particular. We shall see why shortly.
sahasaivaabhyahanyanta sa shabda tumulobhavat ||13 ||
Immediately thereafter, several conches, bugles, trumpets, kettle-horns and cow-horns resounded simultaneously, growing into a tumultuous sound.
tataha: thereafter
shankha: conches
cha: and
bherya: bugles
panamaanaka: trumpets and kettedrums
gomukhaha: cow-horns
sahasaa eva abhyahanyanta: resounded suddenly and simultaneously
shabdaha: sound
abhavat: became
tumulaha: tumultuous
This is another verse in the sequence of verses that brings us closer to the start of the war. It also suggests that the Kaurava army was happy that their commander Bheeshma was eager to begin the war.
As we progress through this verse into some of the later verses, we cannot help but paint a picture of that battlefield, since the words used in these verses are so evocative. For some of us that grew up in India, we probably tend to dig up memories of watching the Mahabharata on Sunday morning, and maybe those memories are recalled. With this verse, we now have another dimension that adds depth to the picture - that of sound.
The author of these verses clearly intends to paint a rich picture of the battlefield, and the Kaurava army in particular. We shall see why shortly.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Bhagavad Gita Verse 12, Chapter 1
tasya sanjanayanharsham kuruvriddha pitaamaha |
simhanaada vinadyochchai shankamdadhamau prataapavaan || 12 ||
Then the valiant Bheeshma, elder of the Kuru dynasty, blew his conch loudly, a sound as mighty as the roar of a lion, delighting Duryodhana.
prataapavaan: valiant
kuruvriddhaha pitaamaha: Bheeshma who is an elder of the Kuru dynasty
simhanaada vinadya: roaring like a lion
shankham dadhamau: blew his conch
uchchaiha: very loudly
tasya : in this manner
harsham : delight
sanjayanan : of the king
This is the first verse in a series of verses which indicate the beginning of the Mahabharata war. Traditionally, conches were blown to announce the start of the war. Bheeshma, sensing the fear in Duryodhana, blew his conch so that Duryodhana felt confident that his army was still on his side.
It also indicates the dependence of Duryodhana's ego on external circumstances, such as the roar of conches, in order to strengthen itself, instead of an innate belief that his army was on his side.
simhanaada vinadyochchai shankamdadhamau prataapavaan || 12 ||
Then the valiant Bheeshma, elder of the Kuru dynasty, blew his conch loudly, a sound as mighty as the roar of a lion, delighting Duryodhana.
prataapavaan: valiant
kuruvriddhaha pitaamaha: Bheeshma who is an elder of the Kuru dynasty
simhanaada vinadya: roaring like a lion
shankham dadhamau: blew his conch
uchchaiha: very loudly
tasya : in this manner
harsham : delight
sanjayanan : of the king
This is the first verse in a series of verses which indicate the beginning of the Mahabharata war. Traditionally, conches were blown to announce the start of the war. Bheeshma, sensing the fear in Duryodhana, blew his conch so that Duryodhana felt confident that his army was still on his side.
It also indicates the dependence of Duryodhana's ego on external circumstances, such as the roar of conches, in order to strengthen itself, instead of an innate belief that his army was on his side.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Bhagavad Gita Verse 11, Chapter 1
ayaneshu cha sarveshu yathaabhaagamavastithaaha |
bheeshmamevaabhirakshantu bhavantaha sarva eva hi || 11 ||
All of you should completely protect Bheeshma at all points, situated in each of your various formations.
bhavavtaha: all of you
eva hi: must certainly
abhirakshantu: completely protect
bheeshman: Bheeshma
eva: foremost
sarveshu ayaneshu ca: at all points
avasthitaaha: situated
sarve: respectively
yathaa-bhaagam: in your various formations
Duryodhana instructed his main warriors to ensure Bheesma's safety since the Mahabharata war was about to begin.
Let's do a quick recap. The first chapter opened with Dhristrashtra asking Sanjaya to elaborate on the progress of the war, and that led to Duryodhana's monologue to Drona. After the statement Duryodhana makes in the current verse, he no longer has a "speaking part" in the Gita anywhere.
After this verse, we will encounter a series of verses that get us closer to the start of the battle, and closer to the core of the Gita.
bheeshmamevaabhirakshantu bhavantaha sarva eva hi || 11 ||
All of you should completely protect Bheeshma at all points, situated in each of your various formations.
bhavavtaha: all of you
eva hi: must certainly
abhirakshantu: completely protect
bheeshman: Bheeshma
eva: foremost
sarveshu ayaneshu ca: at all points
avasthitaaha: situated
sarve: respectively
yathaa-bhaagam: in your various formations
Duryodhana instructed his main warriors to ensure Bheesma's safety since the Mahabharata war was about to begin.
Let's do a quick recap. The first chapter opened with Dhristrashtra asking Sanjaya to elaborate on the progress of the war, and that led to Duryodhana's monologue to Drona. After the statement Duryodhana makes in the current verse, he no longer has a "speaking part" in the Gita anywhere.
After this verse, we will encounter a series of verses that get us closer to the start of the battle, and closer to the core of the Gita.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Bhagavad Gita Verse 10, Chapter 1
aparyaaptam tadasmaakam balam bheeshmaabhirikshitam |
paryaaptam tvidameteshaam balam bheemaabhirikshitam || 10 ||
Whereas our army, defended by Bheeshma's strength, is infinitely capable of victory, the Pandava army defended by Bheema's strength, seems limited.
asmaakam tat: our army
aparyaaptam: infinitely capable (to win against the Pandavas)
balam bheeshma-abhirikshitam: defended by Bheeshma's strength
tu: but
eteshaam: these Pandavas
idam: this
paryaptam: limited
balam bheemaa-abhirikshitam: defended by Bheema's strength
Duryodhana continued to boast about his army in this final comment to Drona. Note that Drona did not reply to any of Duryodhana's statements at any point in the conversation. His silence indicated either anger, disappointment or knowing the inevitable that his army was doomed to failure.
If you measure Duryodhana's comments, they tend to become increasingly arrogant and hyperbolic throughout the conversation. Anytime you have somebody making hyperbolic statements praising themselves, it usually indicates an underlying insecurity.
paryaaptam tvidameteshaam balam bheemaabhirikshitam || 10 ||
Whereas our army, defended by Bheeshma's strength, is infinitely capable of victory, the Pandava army defended by Bheema's strength, seems limited.
asmaakam tat: our army
aparyaaptam: infinitely capable (to win against the Pandavas)
balam bheeshma-abhirikshitam: defended by Bheeshma's strength
tu: but
eteshaam: these Pandavas
idam: this
paryaptam: limited
balam bheemaa-abhirikshitam: defended by Bheema's strength
Duryodhana continued to boast about his army in this final comment to Drona. Note that Drona did not reply to any of Duryodhana's statements at any point in the conversation. His silence indicated either anger, disappointment or knowing the inevitable that his army was doomed to failure.
If you measure Duryodhana's comments, they tend to become increasingly arrogant and hyperbolic throughout the conversation. Anytime you have somebody making hyperbolic statements praising themselves, it usually indicates an underlying insecurity.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Bhagavad Gita Verse 9, Chapter 1
anye cha bahavaha shoora madarthe tyaktkajeevitaaha |
naanaashastrapraharanaaha sarve yuddhavishaaradaaha || 9 ||
In addition to our commanders, we also have several other brave warriors who have vowed to give up their life for me. These warriors are well versed in deploying weapons, and are proficient in the art of battle.
anye: besides these
bahavaha: several
shooraha: brave warriors
madarthe: for me
tyaktajeevitaaha: giving up their desire to live
cha: and
naanaashastraprahaaranaaha: versed in the deployment of many weapons
sarve: all of them
yuddhavishaaradaaha: proficient in the art of war
Duryodhana naively tried to impress Drona by glorifying his army, as well as his weapons. Astra denotes weapons that are thrown, and shastra denotes weapons that are hand-held. His ego resurfaced again, which is evidenced by his self-aggrandizing statements like "they will give up their life for me". He probably was trying to convince (or delude) himself that his army is poised to win the battle.
The tendency of the ego to consider something "mine" is called mamataa in Sanskrit. Mamataa literally means "mine-making" or "mine-ness". This is yet another means for the ego to strengthen itself through possessions.
Here's an interesting exercise. Take something that you know for sure is "yours". Now deeply examine it. Is it really yours? For example, say you own a house. On what basis do you consider it yours? Most probably, it's a legal document that the government issues to you. Well, what happens if that government no longer exists? Or, more likely, what happens if the government grabs that land from you because it possesses some precious natural resources? Is the relationship between you and the house "real"?
naanaashastrapraharanaaha sarve yuddhavishaaradaaha || 9 ||
In addition to our commanders, we also have several other brave warriors who have vowed to give up their life for me. These warriors are well versed in deploying weapons, and are proficient in the art of battle.
anye: besides these
bahavaha: several
shooraha: brave warriors
madarthe: for me
tyaktajeevitaaha: giving up their desire to live
cha: and
naanaashastraprahaaranaaha: versed in the deployment of many weapons
sarve: all of them
yuddhavishaaradaaha: proficient in the art of war
Duryodhana naively tried to impress Drona by glorifying his army, as well as his weapons. Astra denotes weapons that are thrown, and shastra denotes weapons that are hand-held. His ego resurfaced again, which is evidenced by his self-aggrandizing statements like "they will give up their life for me". He probably was trying to convince (or delude) himself that his army is poised to win the battle.
The tendency of the ego to consider something "mine" is called mamataa in Sanskrit. Mamataa literally means "mine-making" or "mine-ness". This is yet another means for the ego to strengthen itself through possessions.
Here's an interesting exercise. Take something that you know for sure is "yours". Now deeply examine it. Is it really yours? For example, say you own a house. On what basis do you consider it yours? Most probably, it's a legal document that the government issues to you. Well, what happens if that government no longer exists? Or, more likely, what happens if the government grabs that land from you because it possesses some precious natural resources? Is the relationship between you and the house "real"?
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Bhagavad Gita Verse 8, Chapter 1
bhavaanibheeshmashcha karnashcha kripashcha samitinjayaha |
ashvaththaama vikarnashcha soumaduttistathaiva cha || 8 ||
We have victorious warriors such as yourself, Bheeshma, Kripaachaarya and Karna on our side. Similarly, we also have Ashvaththaama, Vikarna and Bhoorishrava.
bhavaan: yourself
cha: and
bheeshmaha: Bheeshma
karna: Karna
samitinjayaha: victorious
kripaha: Kripaachaarya
tathaa eva: and similarly
ashvaththaama: Ashvaththaama
vikarnaha: Vikarna
soumaduttihi: son of Somadutta which is Bhoorishrava
Having conducted an assessment of the warriors on the Pandava's side, Duryodhana began to conduct a similar assessment of his side.
Throughout the last few verses we were observing Duryodhana's emotional state. After having lobbed an insult at Drona, and not having heard a response back, Duryodhana now became scared that he had angered his army's main commander and his teacher. So he wanted to say something to appease Drona. Hence he began his assessment of powerful warriors by putting Drona first in this verse.
What does this tell us about Duryodhana's personality? Sometimes we tend to view people as either good or evil, and by that logic Duryodhana would be considered evil. But this temporary outpouring of reverence for his teacher shows that Duryodhana had some good qualities in him, although in lower proportion to his bad qualities.
Later the Gita will provide a detailed explanation of types of qualities that all individuals have. At this point, let us consider that all individuals have a mix of three qualities or tendencies: a tendency that draws us towards inertia, another that draws us to action, and another that draws us to equanimity or harmony. Usually, one or two tendencies tend to dominate the other in us.
You may know some people who have a tendency to be lazy and sleep all the time. Or there may be someone who cannot rest and has to keep doing something or the other. Or, there are some who do what's needed to run their lives and are not lazy, and also deal with severe setbacks and challenges while managing to stay calm, collected and even-keel.
What do we think is our most dominant tendency? Are there external factors that change it temporarily? For example, if you find that your most dominant tendency is towards action, are there factors that make you stable and peaceful?
ashvaththaama vikarnashcha soumaduttistathaiva cha || 8 ||
We have victorious warriors such as yourself, Bheeshma, Kripaachaarya and Karna on our side. Similarly, we also have Ashvaththaama, Vikarna and Bhoorishrava.
bhavaan: yourself
cha: and
bheeshmaha: Bheeshma
karna: Karna
samitinjayaha: victorious
kripaha: Kripaachaarya
tathaa eva: and similarly
ashvaththaama: Ashvaththaama
vikarnaha: Vikarna
soumaduttihi: son of Somadutta which is Bhoorishrava
Having conducted an assessment of the warriors on the Pandava's side, Duryodhana began to conduct a similar assessment of his side.
Throughout the last few verses we were observing Duryodhana's emotional state. After having lobbed an insult at Drona, and not having heard a response back, Duryodhana now became scared that he had angered his army's main commander and his teacher. So he wanted to say something to appease Drona. Hence he began his assessment of powerful warriors by putting Drona first in this verse.
What does this tell us about Duryodhana's personality? Sometimes we tend to view people as either good or evil, and by that logic Duryodhana would be considered evil. But this temporary outpouring of reverence for his teacher shows that Duryodhana had some good qualities in him, although in lower proportion to his bad qualities.
Later the Gita will provide a detailed explanation of types of qualities that all individuals have. At this point, let us consider that all individuals have a mix of three qualities or tendencies: a tendency that draws us towards inertia, another that draws us to action, and another that draws us to equanimity or harmony. Usually, one or two tendencies tend to dominate the other in us.
You may know some people who have a tendency to be lazy and sleep all the time. Or there may be someone who cannot rest and has to keep doing something or the other. Or, there are some who do what's needed to run their lives and are not lazy, and also deal with severe setbacks and challenges while managing to stay calm, collected and even-keel.
What do we think is our most dominant tendency? Are there external factors that change it temporarily? For example, if you find that your most dominant tendency is towards action, are there factors that make you stable and peaceful?
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Bhagavad Gita Verse 7, Chapter 1
asmaakam tu vishishtaa ye taannibodha dvijottama |
naayakaa mama sainsyasya sangnyartham taanbraveemi te || 7 ||
O twice-born Drona, now I would like to bring to your attention to our competent warriors. Let me point you to some of my army's commanders.
dvija-uttama: O twice born
asmaakam: on our side
tu: also
ye: those
vishishtaaha: select
taan: on them
nibodhaa: to draw your attention
te:for you
sangya-artham: indicate for your information
mama: my
sainyasya: army
naayakaaha: commanders
taan: about them
braveemi: I will speak
Duryodhana continued his conversation with Drona in this verse. As is apparent from the text of the verse, he wanted to now talk to Drona about his army, having assessed the capabilities of the Pandava army.
Notice how each verse gives an indication of Duryodhana's state of mind. Initially, he saw the well-formed army of the Pandavas that was marching with a single vision, and began to worry that it may prove to be a formidable opponent. His worry prompted him to instigate Drona. Now in this verse Duryodhana's worry unleashed a condescending, mean attitude by calling Drona a "twice born". In Swami Ramdas Samaratha's Dasbodh, there is an entire chapter on signs exhibited by foolish people. According to him, anyone who insults his guru out of pride is considered a fool.
Twice-born usually refers to individuals in the brahman, kshatriya and vaishya classes. However, in this verse, this was a veiled insult because although Drona was a accomplished warrior, he was a brahmin by birth. Duryodhana wanted to imply that Drona, being a brahmin, would be soft on his disciples the Pandavas.In addition, use of the phrase "my army" also indicates that Duryodhana's ego was puffed up at this point.
Negative emotions like fear and worry, when allowed to simmer in the mind, tend to unleash the worst in us. Later, the Gita will go in great detail into how this happens.
naayakaa mama sainsyasya sangnyartham taanbraveemi te || 7 ||
O twice-born Drona, now I would like to bring to your attention to our competent warriors. Let me point you to some of my army's commanders.
dvija-uttama: O twice born
asmaakam: on our side
tu: also
ye: those
vishishtaaha: select
taan: on them
nibodhaa: to draw your attention
te:for you
sangya-artham: indicate for your information
mama: my
sainyasya: army
naayakaaha: commanders
taan: about them
braveemi: I will speak
Duryodhana continued his conversation with Drona in this verse. As is apparent from the text of the verse, he wanted to now talk to Drona about his army, having assessed the capabilities of the Pandava army.
Notice how each verse gives an indication of Duryodhana's state of mind. Initially, he saw the well-formed army of the Pandavas that was marching with a single vision, and began to worry that it may prove to be a formidable opponent. His worry prompted him to instigate Drona. Now in this verse Duryodhana's worry unleashed a condescending, mean attitude by calling Drona a "twice born". In Swami Ramdas Samaratha's Dasbodh, there is an entire chapter on signs exhibited by foolish people. According to him, anyone who insults his guru out of pride is considered a fool.
Twice-born usually refers to individuals in the brahman, kshatriya and vaishya classes. However, in this verse, this was a veiled insult because although Drona was a accomplished warrior, he was a brahmin by birth. Duryodhana wanted to imply that Drona, being a brahmin, would be soft on his disciples the Pandavas.In addition, use of the phrase "my army" also indicates that Duryodhana's ego was puffed up at this point.
Negative emotions like fear and worry, when allowed to simmer in the mind, tend to unleash the worst in us. Later, the Gita will go in great detail into how this happens.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Bhagavad Gita Verse 4-6, Chapter 1
atra shoora maheshvaasaa bheemarjunasamaa yudhi |
yuyudhaano viraatashcha drupadashcha mahaarathaha || 4 ||
dhrishtaketushchekitaanah kaashirajascha veeryavan |
purujitkuntibhojashcha shaibyascha narapungvaha || 5 ||
yudhamanyushcha vikraanta uttamaujaashcha veeryavan |
saubhadro draupadeyashcha sarva eva mahaarathaaha || 6 ||
This army has mighty archers such as Yuyudhaana, King Viraata and Drupada who are equal to Bheema and Arjuna in battle. Other powerful warriors include Dhrishtaketu, Chekitaana, the gallant king of Kashi, Purujit, Kuntibhoja, Yuyudhaana, Uttamauja, Abhimanyu and all the sons of Draupadi.
atra: here
shooraha: brave
maheshavaasaa: with giant bows
cha: and
yudhi: in battle
bheemarjunasamaaha: equal to Bheem and Arjuna
yuyudhaanaha: Yuyudhaana
viraataha: King Viraata
mahaarathaha: mighty warriors
drupadaha: Drupad
dhrishtaketu: Dhrishtaketu
chekitaanaha: Chekitaana
purujitaha: Purujit
kuntibhoja: Kuntibhoja
shaibya: Shaibya
kaashiraajaha: King of Kashi
veeryavaan: gallant
yudhmanya: Yudhamanyu
uttamaujaaha: Uttamaujaaha
saubhadraha: son of Subhadra which is Abhimanyu
draupadeyaaha: sons of Draupadi
sarva: everyone
eva : all
maharaathaaha: mighty warriors
Duryodhana continued his attempt to incite Drona to fight aggressively against the opposing army by calling out the mighty warriors on the other side. He chose each name carefully to elicit a reaction from Drona, since each of these warriors had a history with Drona. The names of the warriors are not important to understanding the Gita, so no need to worry if you cannot remember these names.
Yuyudhaana was Arjuna's top student, and Duryodhana wanted to point out that although Arjuna's top student was fighting on his teacher's side, Drona's top student Arjuna was fighting against his teacher. Drupada also was someone that Drona disliked, as was pointed out earlier. Dhristaketu's father had been killed by Krishna, yet he was on the side of the Pandavas. Chekitaana was the only Yadava warrior not taking the side of the Kauravas.
The king of Kashi was an exceptionally gallant warrior, and took the side of the Pandavas. Yudhamanyu and Uttamauja were exceptional warriors from the Paanchaala kingdom. Purujit and Kuntibhoja were Kunti's maternal brothers who were also related to the Kauravas, but chose the side of the Pandavas. Shaibya was Yudhishtira's father-in-law, similarly related to the Kauravas. Abhimanyu, Arjuna's son, was well versed in the art of breaking military formations. Duryodhana disliked Draupadi immensely, so her sons were pointed out as well.
We begin to see how interrelated the warring parties were. Some were friends who turned into enemies, some were relatives who chose sides, and some like Drona were equally loving to both sides, but had to choose one based on their duty to the throne and the kingdom.
It is a reminder that nothing in our lives stays the same. A relationship that gives you lot of joy today, could in a matter of seconds turn into a sorrowful relationship at some point.
yuyudhaano viraatashcha drupadashcha mahaarathaha || 4 ||
dhrishtaketushchekitaanah kaashirajascha veeryavan |
purujitkuntibhojashcha shaibyascha narapungvaha || 5 ||
yudhamanyushcha vikraanta uttamaujaashcha veeryavan |
saubhadro draupadeyashcha sarva eva mahaarathaaha || 6 ||
This army has mighty archers such as Yuyudhaana, King Viraata and Drupada who are equal to Bheema and Arjuna in battle. Other powerful warriors include Dhrishtaketu, Chekitaana, the gallant king of Kashi, Purujit, Kuntibhoja, Yuyudhaana, Uttamauja, Abhimanyu and all the sons of Draupadi.
atra: here
shooraha: brave
maheshavaasaa: with giant bows
cha: and
yudhi: in battle
bheemarjunasamaaha: equal to Bheem and Arjuna
yuyudhaanaha: Yuyudhaana
viraataha: King Viraata
mahaarathaha: mighty warriors
drupadaha: Drupad
dhrishtaketu: Dhrishtaketu
chekitaanaha: Chekitaana
purujitaha: Purujit
kuntibhoja: Kuntibhoja
shaibya: Shaibya
kaashiraajaha: King of Kashi
veeryavaan: gallant
yudhmanya: Yudhamanyu
uttamaujaaha: Uttamaujaaha
saubhadraha: son of Subhadra which is Abhimanyu
draupadeyaaha: sons of Draupadi
sarva: everyone
eva : all
maharaathaaha: mighty warriors
Duryodhana continued his attempt to incite Drona to fight aggressively against the opposing army by calling out the mighty warriors on the other side. He chose each name carefully to elicit a reaction from Drona, since each of these warriors had a history with Drona. The names of the warriors are not important to understanding the Gita, so no need to worry if you cannot remember these names.
Yuyudhaana was Arjuna's top student, and Duryodhana wanted to point out that although Arjuna's top student was fighting on his teacher's side, Drona's top student Arjuna was fighting against his teacher. Drupada also was someone that Drona disliked, as was pointed out earlier. Dhristaketu's father had been killed by Krishna, yet he was on the side of the Pandavas. Chekitaana was the only Yadava warrior not taking the side of the Kauravas.
The king of Kashi was an exceptionally gallant warrior, and took the side of the Pandavas. Yudhamanyu and Uttamauja were exceptional warriors from the Paanchaala kingdom. Purujit and Kuntibhoja were Kunti's maternal brothers who were also related to the Kauravas, but chose the side of the Pandavas. Shaibya was Yudhishtira's father-in-law, similarly related to the Kauravas. Abhimanyu, Arjuna's son, was well versed in the art of breaking military formations. Duryodhana disliked Draupadi immensely, so her sons were pointed out as well.
We begin to see how interrelated the warring parties were. Some were friends who turned into enemies, some were relatives who chose sides, and some like Drona were equally loving to both sides, but had to choose one based on their duty to the throne and the kingdom.
It is a reminder that nothing in our lives stays the same. A relationship that gives you lot of joy today, could in a matter of seconds turn into a sorrowful relationship at some point.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Bhagavad Gita Verse 3, Chapter 1
pashyaitaam paanduputraanaamaachaarya mahatim chamoom |
vyoodham drupadaputrena tava shishyena dheemata || 3 ||
Teacher, behold this mighty Pandava army, that your intelligent student Dhrishtadyumna, son of Drupada, has organized in a military formation for battle.
aachaarya: teacher
tava: your
dheemata: intelligent
shishyena: student
drupadaputrena: son of Drupada
vyoodham: organized in military formation
paanduputraanaam: of the Pandavas
etaam: this
mahatim: mighty
chamoom: army
pashya: see or behold
The Gita has many conversations-within-conversations, so it is useful to keep track. In the first two verses, Sanjaya and Dhritrashtra were talking, and in this verse, Duryodhana is addressing his teacher Drona.
Here we begin to explore another theme of the Gita which is that of mental equanimity, or as sometimes it is referred to, "even keelness". We are at our best when our mind, the part of our brain that feels emotions, is calm and not agitated. When our mind is calm it enables our intellect, the part of our brain that evaluates options and makes rational decisions, to give us the most logical way out of a situation. In the TV show "Star Trek", Mr. Spock was always consulted to provide the best decision because he would never take emotions into considerations when making a decision.
In the last verse we saw that Duryodhana wanted to ensure that Drona was sufficiently motivated to fight against his students the Pandavas, lest he become weak due to having a soft spot for them. So Duryodhana attempted to disturb Drona's equanimity by reminding him that the leader of the military formation that is in front of them is the son of Drupada.
Drupada and Drona had a chequered past. They were the best of friends, but due to some misunderstandings, they turned into sworn enemies. By reminding Drona that Drupada's son Dhrishtadyunma is leading the opposing army, Duryodhana wanted to stir up Drona's emotion, in order to make him think that his students purposely put Dhrushtadyumna in front, just to spite Drona.
Do we have such biases or filters in our lives through which we view people or situations? How were they formed? Did some Duryodhana plant them in us? Uncovering such biases makes our decision-making clearer and simpler.
vyoodham drupadaputrena tava shishyena dheemata || 3 ||
Teacher, behold this mighty Pandava army, that your intelligent student Dhrishtadyumna, son of Drupada, has organized in a military formation for battle.
aachaarya: teacher
tava: your
dheemata: intelligent
shishyena: student
drupadaputrena: son of Drupada
vyoodham: organized in military formation
paanduputraanaam: of the Pandavas
etaam: this
mahatim: mighty
chamoom: army
pashya: see or behold
The Gita has many conversations-within-conversations, so it is useful to keep track. In the first two verses, Sanjaya and Dhritrashtra were talking, and in this verse, Duryodhana is addressing his teacher Drona.
Here we begin to explore another theme of the Gita which is that of mental equanimity, or as sometimes it is referred to, "even keelness". We are at our best when our mind, the part of our brain that feels emotions, is calm and not agitated. When our mind is calm it enables our intellect, the part of our brain that evaluates options and makes rational decisions, to give us the most logical way out of a situation. In the TV show "Star Trek", Mr. Spock was always consulted to provide the best decision because he would never take emotions into considerations when making a decision.
In the last verse we saw that Duryodhana wanted to ensure that Drona was sufficiently motivated to fight against his students the Pandavas, lest he become weak due to having a soft spot for them. So Duryodhana attempted to disturb Drona's equanimity by reminding him that the leader of the military formation that is in front of them is the son of Drupada.
Drupada and Drona had a chequered past. They were the best of friends, but due to some misunderstandings, they turned into sworn enemies. By reminding Drona that Drupada's son Dhrishtadyunma is leading the opposing army, Duryodhana wanted to stir up Drona's emotion, in order to make him think that his students purposely put Dhrushtadyumna in front, just to spite Drona.
Do we have such biases or filters in our lives through which we view people or situations? How were they formed? Did some Duryodhana plant them in us? Uncovering such biases makes our decision-making clearer and simpler.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Bhagavad Gita Verse 2, Chapter 1
Sanjaya uvacha:
dhristvaa tu paandavaanikam vyoodham duryodhanstadaa |
aachaaryamupasangmaya raaja vachanambraveet || 2 ||
Sanjaya said:
Observing that the Pandava army was organized into a military formation, Duryodhana approached his teacher Drona and spoke these words.
tadaa: during that time
vyoodham: organized into a military formation
paandavaanikam: the Pandava army
dhrishtvaa: observing
tu: and
aachaaryam: Dronacharya
upasangmaya: approached
raaja: king
duryodhan: Duryodhana
vachanam: words
abraveet: spoke
Let's look at the character that is introduced in this verse - Duryodhana. Duryodhana was the son of Dhritrashtra, and leader of the Kaurava army in the Mahabharata war. He was a skilled and strong warrior, almost equal in prowess to Bhima, the strongest warrior in the Pandava army.
Since childhood, Duryodhana grew up with the idea that he was the rightful heir to the throne and not Yudhishtira, who was the eldest brother of the Pandavas. Going back to the theme of the previous verse which is that of attachment, he was extremely attached to the throne. But because he perceived the Pandavas as an obstacle to the throne, which was something that he was extremely attached to, he developed an aversion towards them.
Think of aversion or in other words, hatred, as the polar opposite of attachment. But interestingly enough, it is born out of attachment itself. For example, we saw that Mr. X from the last post was extremely attached to his car, and saw that someone had made a large dent in it. What feeling do you think Mr. X had for the person who caused that dent? That is aversion. Aversion is usually caused when we perceive a person, situation or object as an obstacle between us and the object of our attachment. And aversion, just like attachment, strengthens the ego. Examples are people (I hate my boss), objects (I hate my old TV), positions (I hate anyone who believes in communism) or situations (I hate my job).
Now, why did Duryodhana approach his teacher Drona? He saw the military formation of the Pandavas and began to get scared. As is the case, most people run to someone superior when they get scared, so he approached his teacher for counsel.
Drona was a teacher to both the Pandavas and Kauravas, and had equal affinity to both of them. And unlike some of the other senior warriors, Drona was not a blood relation to the Kauravas. Duryodhana also sensed that he needs to check in with Drona to understand his state of mind, because he needed Drona's prowess to win this war.
There is an interesting leadership lesson here. If you are leading a team - in a business, political or any context - your success is not guaranteed unless everyone buys into a common vision that you as a leader have articulated.
dhristvaa tu paandavaanikam vyoodham duryodhanstadaa |
aachaaryamupasangmaya raaja vachanambraveet || 2 ||
Sanjaya said:
Observing that the Pandava army was organized into a military formation, Duryodhana approached his teacher Drona and spoke these words.
tadaa: during that time
vyoodham: organized into a military formation
paandavaanikam: the Pandava army
dhrishtvaa: observing
tu: and
aachaaryam: Dronacharya
upasangmaya: approached
raaja: king
duryodhan: Duryodhana
vachanam: words
abraveet: spoke
Let's look at the character that is introduced in this verse - Duryodhana. Duryodhana was the son of Dhritrashtra, and leader of the Kaurava army in the Mahabharata war. He was a skilled and strong warrior, almost equal in prowess to Bhima, the strongest warrior in the Pandava army.
Since childhood, Duryodhana grew up with the idea that he was the rightful heir to the throne and not Yudhishtira, who was the eldest brother of the Pandavas. Going back to the theme of the previous verse which is that of attachment, he was extremely attached to the throne. But because he perceived the Pandavas as an obstacle to the throne, which was something that he was extremely attached to, he developed an aversion towards them.
Think of aversion or in other words, hatred, as the polar opposite of attachment. But interestingly enough, it is born out of attachment itself. For example, we saw that Mr. X from the last post was extremely attached to his car, and saw that someone had made a large dent in it. What feeling do you think Mr. X had for the person who caused that dent? That is aversion. Aversion is usually caused when we perceive a person, situation or object as an obstacle between us and the object of our attachment. And aversion, just like attachment, strengthens the ego. Examples are people (I hate my boss), objects (I hate my old TV), positions (I hate anyone who believes in communism) or situations (I hate my job).
Now, why did Duryodhana approach his teacher Drona? He saw the military formation of the Pandavas and began to get scared. As is the case, most people run to someone superior when they get scared, so he approached his teacher for counsel.
Drona was a teacher to both the Pandavas and Kauravas, and had equal affinity to both of them. And unlike some of the other senior warriors, Drona was not a blood relation to the Kauravas. Duryodhana also sensed that he needs to check in with Drona to understand his state of mind, because he needed Drona's prowess to win this war.
There is an interesting leadership lesson here. If you are leading a team - in a business, political or any context - your success is not guaranteed unless everyone buys into a common vision that you as a leader have articulated.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Bhagavad Gita Verse 1, Chapter 1
Dhritraashtra uvaacha:
dharmakshetre kurukshetre samavetaa yuyutsavaha |
maamakaaha paandavaashchaiva kimakurvata sanjaya || 1 ||
Dhritraashtra said:
In Kurukshetra, the field of the Kurus and also the field of righteousness, both my sons and Pandu's sons gathered, eager to fight. What did they do, O Sanjaya?
dharmakshetre : in the field of dharma
kurukshetre : in the field of the Kurus
samavetaa : gathered here
yuyutsavaha : in order to fight
maamakaaha : my (sons)
paandavasahcha : Pandu's sons
eva : also
kim : what
akurvata : what did they do?
sanjaya : O Sanjaya
So begins the first chapter of the Gita. The first chapter is a dialog between Dhritraashtra, father of the Kauravas and Sanjaya, his charioteer and also his adviser. Sanjaya was given divine vision so that he could provide a real-time commentary on the Mahabharata war for the sightless Dhritraashtra.
This verse begins to reveal one of the recurring themes of the Gita - the downside of extreme attachment to objects or situations. Dhritraashtra means someone who clings to his kingdom, and Sanjaya means victory. Dhritraashtra was extremely attached to his sons and his kingdom, which is one of the reasons that the Mahabharata war occurred. He refers to his nephews as "Pandu's sons" indicating that they are a 3rd party, whereas his sons are referred to as "my sons".
What exactly is attachment? Here's an example. Let's say Mr. X brought a brand new car. He shows it to all his friends, they ooh and they aah, his spouse is happy, his kids are jumping up and down and so on. When he hears all the praises, there usually is something inside him that "puffs up". That thing is the ego. Now let's say a few weeks have passed. It's morning and as he opens the car door, he notices a large dent on the side of the car. He begins to experience anger, sadness, and a whole host of other emotions.
What just happened? It was attachment to the car. Mr. X's ego created an identification with the new car. In other words, it began to think of the car as an extension of its identity. So any praise for the car became the ego's praise, and any harm to the car became the ego's harm. The ego strengthens itself by attachment, i.e. identification with objects, thoughts (I am smart, I am sincere etc), positions (e.g. right wing vs. left wing). Eckhart Tolle talks about ego and attachment in his books "The Power Of Now" and "A New Earth".
So what is the practical lesson here? Later chapters and verses will go in detail into this subject, but till then, this verse urges us to examine our life and take stock of our attachments. What are our attachments? How strong are those attachments? What can we do to prevent ourselves getting entangled in more and more attachments?
Also - at this point, do we think that all attachments are bad? Or are some good? Upon introspection we will find the answers. The Gita will begin to address those questions as we go further into it.
dharmakshetre kurukshetre samavetaa yuyutsavaha |
maamakaaha paandavaashchaiva kimakurvata sanjaya || 1 ||
Dhritraashtra said:
In Kurukshetra, the field of the Kurus and also the field of righteousness, both my sons and Pandu's sons gathered, eager to fight. What did they do, O Sanjaya?
dharmakshetre : in the field of dharma
kurukshetre : in the field of the Kurus
samavetaa : gathered here
yuyutsavaha : in order to fight
maamakaaha : my (sons)
paandavasahcha : Pandu's sons
eva : also
kim : what
akurvata : what did they do?
sanjaya : O Sanjaya
So begins the first chapter of the Gita. The first chapter is a dialog between Dhritraashtra, father of the Kauravas and Sanjaya, his charioteer and also his adviser. Sanjaya was given divine vision so that he could provide a real-time commentary on the Mahabharata war for the sightless Dhritraashtra.
This verse begins to reveal one of the recurring themes of the Gita - the downside of extreme attachment to objects or situations. Dhritraashtra means someone who clings to his kingdom, and Sanjaya means victory. Dhritraashtra was extremely attached to his sons and his kingdom, which is one of the reasons that the Mahabharata war occurred. He refers to his nephews as "Pandu's sons" indicating that they are a 3rd party, whereas his sons are referred to as "my sons".
What exactly is attachment? Here's an example. Let's say Mr. X brought a brand new car. He shows it to all his friends, they ooh and they aah, his spouse is happy, his kids are jumping up and down and so on. When he hears all the praises, there usually is something inside him that "puffs up". That thing is the ego. Now let's say a few weeks have passed. It's morning and as he opens the car door, he notices a large dent on the side of the car. He begins to experience anger, sadness, and a whole host of other emotions.
What just happened? It was attachment to the car. Mr. X's ego created an identification with the new car. In other words, it began to think of the car as an extension of its identity. So any praise for the car became the ego's praise, and any harm to the car became the ego's harm. The ego strengthens itself by attachment, i.e. identification with objects, thoughts (I am smart, I am sincere etc), positions (e.g. right wing vs. left wing). Eckhart Tolle talks about ego and attachment in his books "The Power Of Now" and "A New Earth".
So what is the practical lesson here? Later chapters and verses will go in detail into this subject, but till then, this verse urges us to examine our life and take stock of our attachments. What are our attachments? How strong are those attachments? What can we do to prevent ourselves getting entangled in more and more attachments?
Also - at this point, do we think that all attachments are bad? Or are some good? Upon introspection we will find the answers. The Gita will begin to address those questions as we go further into it.
Introduction
*Om Ganeshaaya Namahaa*
I decided today to begin a blog that is my attempt to understand the Bhagavad Gita.
I can't remember the exact date, but it was around 5 years ago that I chanced upon a television program in India where a prominent teacher of the Gita was conducting a discourse in English, stripped of all the usual pomp and ceremonial activities that usually accompany a discourse. As I watched that program, I realized that there is something here that is attracting me, but I could not quite explain why. I tried to watch that program as often as possible during my 3 month stay in India.
When I returned to the US to continue my work, those Gita discourses stuck in my head. I began to buy commentaries on the Gita from several authors, and eventually came across a teacher whose audio discourses resonated with me. Now I am looking at the end of the 18th chapter (the last chapter) of the Gita, and having gone through it over the course of 2 years, still feel a need to understand it deeply.
This blog is my attempt to restart my journey of the Gita, beginning with the first verse of chapter 1. But this time, I want to go deeper and understand each verse to the best of my ability. I will keep the language as simple as possible, and provide examples that I and most people can relate to.
I decided today to begin a blog that is my attempt to understand the Bhagavad Gita.
I can't remember the exact date, but it was around 5 years ago that I chanced upon a television program in India where a prominent teacher of the Gita was conducting a discourse in English, stripped of all the usual pomp and ceremonial activities that usually accompany a discourse. As I watched that program, I realized that there is something here that is attracting me, but I could not quite explain why. I tried to watch that program as often as possible during my 3 month stay in India.
When I returned to the US to continue my work, those Gita discourses stuck in my head. I began to buy commentaries on the Gita from several authors, and eventually came across a teacher whose audio discourses resonated with me. Now I am looking at the end of the 18th chapter (the last chapter) of the Gita, and having gone through it over the course of 2 years, still feel a need to understand it deeply.
This blog is my attempt to restart my journey of the Gita, beginning with the first verse of chapter 1. But this time, I want to go deeper and understand each verse to the best of my ability. I will keep the language as simple as possible, and provide examples that I and most people can relate to.
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