Sunday, May 20, 2012

Bhagavad Gita Verse 43, Chapter 6

tatra tam buddhisaiyogam labhate paurvadehikam |
yatate cha tato bhooyaha samsiddhau kurunandana || 43 ||

 
There, he regains connection with the intellect of his prior birth, and using that, he again strives for liberation, O joy of the Kurus.
 
tatra : there
tam : he
buddhisaiyogam : connection with intellect
labhate : regains
paurvadehikam : prior birth
yatate : strives
cha : and
tato : using that
bhooyaha : again
samsiddhau : liberation
kurunandana : joy of the Kurus
 
Shri Krishna had explained the fate of two types of meditators. He said that the ones that harbour desires will be born into a wealthy family, and the ones that have no desires are born into a family of accomplished meditators or yogis. He now says that the ones that are born into the yogic family reconnect with their intellect from their prior birth. In other words, their effort in their previous life does not go to waste.
 
We see examples of child prodigies, especially in the field of music and science, who achieve expertise in their fields within a few years of being born. Their personality is somehow pre-configured to excel in their chosen field. Such prodigies get the benefit of nature, which is their parents’ genes, and nurture, which is the conducive environment for mastering their field. Similarly, those who are born into a family of meditators get the benefit of nature and nurture.
 
Such children find themselves attracted to satsangs, bhajans and discourses at a very early age but will not know why they are attracted. Once this happens, they will continue their spiritual journey and begin to strive for liberation automatically. Moreover, their determination will be much stronger than their prior attempt.
 
These children will not have any attraction for worldly pleasure because they have already experienced pleasures and had their fill. They will not harbour any further material desires. Other people will find it bewildering that these children do not get attracted by things that most children crave.
 
Now, what happens to the other type of unfulfilled meditator who is born into an illustrious family? Do they also get reconnected to their prior efforts? Shri Krishna speaks about this next.

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