Saturday, February 25, 2012

Bhagavad Gita Verse 35, Chapter 4

yajnyaatvaa na punarmohamevam yaasyasi paandava |
yena bhootaanyasheshena drakshasyaatmanyatho mayi || 35 ||
 
Having realized that knowledge, never again will you be subjected to delusion in this manner, O Paandava. By that (knowledge), you will view all beings completely in you, and likewise, in me.
 
yat : that
jnyaatvaa : having realized
na : not
punar : again
moham : delusion
evam : in this manner
yaasyasi : subjected
paandava : O Paandava
yena : by that
bhootaani : all beings
asheshena : completely
drakshasi : view
aatmani : in you
atho : and likewise
mayi : in me
 
Having explained the method of acquiring knowledge from a teacher, Shri Krishna praises this knowledge in the following shlokas. In this shloka, he provides a test by which we know whether we have truly gained this knowledge or not. He says that this knowledge totally transforms our vision. It gives us whole new way to view the world.
 
Imagine we are at a social gathering. We are introduced to a new person, someone whom we have never met before. At that point, we try to size up that person and are not quite sure how the conversation will go. But when we find out that both of us went to the same school for 8 years, we instantly connect with that person. The sense of separation between us and that person diminishes just a little.
 
Now, take this destruction of separation to its logical extreme where we see all things - plants, rocks, animals, humans - as a part of our own self. Everything is connected to each other. Furthermore, we realize that in essence, distinct entities such as plants and animals are not really distinct. There is only one Ishvaraa but appearing as many forms. This is the grand vision after having obtained this knowledge.
 
So therefore, having gained this knowledge, our moha or delusion with regards to who we are, what is our correct relationship with the world, what are our duties, what is good and bad - all these questions are answered with this vision of the world. After having this vision, our actions in the wold continue, but they do not accumulate any further karmaas because we are in tune with the world.
 

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