kireeteenam gadinam chakrinam cha tejoraashim sarvato deeptimantam |
pashyaami tvaam durnireekshyam samantaadyeeptaanalaarkadyutimaprameyam || 17 ||
I see you with a crown, mace and discus, glowing with an abundance of brilliance everywhere. The blazing fire of sunlight from all sides makes you incomprehensible, difficult to perceive.
kireeteenam : with crown
gadinam : with mace
chakrinam : with discus
cha : and
tejoraashim : abundance of brilliance
sarvataha : everywhere
deeptimantam : glowing
pashyaami : I see
tvaam : you
durnireekshyam : difficult to perceive with eye
samantaat : from all sides
deeptaanala : blazing fire
arkadyutim : sunlight
aprameyam : incomprehensible
As he saw more aspects of the cosmic form, Arjuna realized that he could also see divinity in that form, not just the material world. The mace and discus that he saw are weapons of Lord Vishnu. They symbolize spiritual discipline and the destructive power of time, respectively. Another symbol of Lord Vishnu is the conch, which symbolizes a call to action and a rebuke against lethargy. Arjuna also sees a crown because Ishvara is the ultimate commander and does not move under the control of any selfish desires.
“The blazing fire of sunlight”, “abundance of brilliance everywhere” - these poetic phrases convey the light of the eternal essence that Arjuna saw in the cosmic form. It is the same eternal essence that resides within all of us, but is covered with a layer of avidya or ignorance. As we have seen earlier, the eternal essence inside us enables our mind, intellect, senses and body to function. Ishvara, the purest embodiment of the eternal essence, shines like an infinite number of suns, without anything to obstruct its brilliance.
Now, no matter how hard he tried, Arjuna was not able to accurately capture his experience in words. This is because the eternal experience is not an object that can be perceived with the senses and described by our mind and intellect. He admits this limitation of his mind by declaring that the cosmic form is “aprameyam”, it is incomprehensible.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 16, Chapter 11
anekabaahoodaravaktranetram pashyaami tvaam sarvatonantaroopam
naantam na madhyam na punastavaadim pashyaami vishveshvara vishvaroopa || 16 ||
I see you with numerous hands, bellies, mouths and eyes, with infinite forms from all sides. I see no end, middle and beginning of you, O lord of the universe, O cosmic form.
aneka : numerous
baahuhu : hands
udaraha : bellies
vaktra : mouths
netram : eyes
pashyaami : I see
tvaam : you
sarvataha : from all sides
anantaroopam : infinite forms
na : no
antam : end
madhyam : middle
punaha : and
tava : your
aadim : beginning
pashyaami : I see
vishveshvara : O lord of the universe
vishvaroopa : O cosmic form
Arjuna, in his hasty speech, fleshes out the detailed imagery of Ishvara's cosmic form. He now sees an infinite number of forms, but his mind cannot in any way comprehend or point out what is being seen. It is only able to process parts of this image - hands, mouths, eyes and so on, but is not able to make sense of the whole picture. The fable of the blind men who could only touch parts of the elephant comes to mind here. One blind man thought that the trunk was a rope, the ear was a sieve and so on, but they did not realize that they were touching an elephant.
When Arjuna could not figure out how the various eyes, hands, bellies and mouth fit together, he tried to see whether the entire cosmic form had a shape or an outline to it. As a warrior, he was trained to look at a gigantic military formation and make sense of it based on its shapre. But his mind failed there as well. He was not able to locate where that cosmic form began, where its middle was, and where it ended. All our mental functions are useless when we cannot distinguish one thing from another.
We may be tempted to visualize the cosmic form based on some artistic rendition of this shloka that we would have seen in our childhood, especially when we were growing up in India. Most paintings of this shloka show Shri Krishna as a tall entity with many arms, legs and faces but we can still see the battlefield where he is standing on. However, Arjuna was completely engulfed and surrounded by this cosmic form in all three dimensions, “from all sides” as the shloka reads. It is impossible for a human to visualize and capture it accurately in a painting.
Through this shloka, Shri Krishna reveals the limitations of the mind with its tendency to chop up everything into fragments. It fails to understand Ishvara's mind which is operating at the cosmic level. Our thoughts are limited to what we consider "me" and "mine", but Ishvara's thoughts take the entire universe into account. Furthermore, it also indicates that all names and forms arise from Ishvara and merge back into Ishvara.
naantam na madhyam na punastavaadim pashyaami vishveshvara vishvaroopa || 16 ||
I see you with numerous hands, bellies, mouths and eyes, with infinite forms from all sides. I see no end, middle and beginning of you, O lord of the universe, O cosmic form.
aneka : numerous
baahuhu : hands
udaraha : bellies
vaktra : mouths
netram : eyes
pashyaami : I see
tvaam : you
sarvataha : from all sides
anantaroopam : infinite forms
na : no
antam : end
madhyam : middle
punaha : and
tava : your
aadim : beginning
pashyaami : I see
vishveshvara : O lord of the universe
vishvaroopa : O cosmic form
Arjuna, in his hasty speech, fleshes out the detailed imagery of Ishvara's cosmic form. He now sees an infinite number of forms, but his mind cannot in any way comprehend or point out what is being seen. It is only able to process parts of this image - hands, mouths, eyes and so on, but is not able to make sense of the whole picture. The fable of the blind men who could only touch parts of the elephant comes to mind here. One blind man thought that the trunk was a rope, the ear was a sieve and so on, but they did not realize that they were touching an elephant.
When Arjuna could not figure out how the various eyes, hands, bellies and mouth fit together, he tried to see whether the entire cosmic form had a shape or an outline to it. As a warrior, he was trained to look at a gigantic military formation and make sense of it based on its shapre. But his mind failed there as well. He was not able to locate where that cosmic form began, where its middle was, and where it ended. All our mental functions are useless when we cannot distinguish one thing from another.
We may be tempted to visualize the cosmic form based on some artistic rendition of this shloka that we would have seen in our childhood, especially when we were growing up in India. Most paintings of this shloka show Shri Krishna as a tall entity with many arms, legs and faces but we can still see the battlefield where he is standing on. However, Arjuna was completely engulfed and surrounded by this cosmic form in all three dimensions, “from all sides” as the shloka reads. It is impossible for a human to visualize and capture it accurately in a painting.
Through this shloka, Shri Krishna reveals the limitations of the mind with its tendency to chop up everything into fragments. It fails to understand Ishvara's mind which is operating at the cosmic level. Our thoughts are limited to what we consider "me" and "mine", but Ishvara's thoughts take the entire universe into account. Furthermore, it also indicates that all names and forms arise from Ishvara and merge back into Ishvara.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 15, Chapter 11
Arjuna uvaacha:
pashyaami devaamstava deva dehe sarvaanstathaa bhootavisheshasanghaan |
brahmaanameesham kamalaasanasthamrisheenshcha sarvaanuragaanshcha divyaan || 15 ||
Arjuna said:
O Lord, I see deities as well as special classes of beings in your body. Brahma, the lord, seated upon a lotus, and all the sages and divine serpents.
pashyaami : I see
devaam : deities
tava : your
deva : O Lord
dehe : in your body
sarvaan : all
tathaa : as well as
bhoota : beings
vishesha : special
sanghaan : classes
brahmaanam : Brahma
eesham : the lord
kamala : lotus
asanastham : seated upon
risheen : sages
cha : and
sarvaan : all
uragaan : serpents
cha : and
divyaan : divine
Whenever our emotions are running high, we either keep quiet or speak non-stop. Arjuna now comes out of his silence and speaks at a fast pace to describe what he sees in front of him. The meter of this shloka has changed to indicate the change in pace. Traditionally, these shlokas are also chanted at a slightly faster speed to get their full flavour. So what does Arjuna see?
Arjuna says that he sees all kinds of deities and other kinds of beings, which include Lord Brahma seated upon a lotus, as well as the divine sages and divine serpents. The sages include the sapta-rishis such as Vashishtha and the serpents include Vasuki. We had come across these and other beings in the prior chapter when Ishvara himself described his divine manifestations. But Arjuna does not see all of these in different places. He sees them all situated on Ishvara’s cosmic form.
What does this indicate? The sages live on earth, the deities live in a higher plane, and serpents live in yet another plane. Arjuna realizes that he is seeing worlds that beyond the earth and beyond the human capacity of vision. He also saw Lord Brahma who, according to Srimad Bhagavatam, arose out the navel of Lord Vishnu and created all the worlds.
So Arjuna, in the cosmic form, saw the creator and his creation. More importantly, he realized that Ishvara was beyond the process creation, which he had learned in the eighth chapter.
Footnotes
1. "Eesham" could also mean Lord Shiva. This indicates that Arjuna saw both creation and dissolution in the cosmic form.
pashyaami devaamstava deva dehe sarvaanstathaa bhootavisheshasanghaan |
brahmaanameesham kamalaasanasthamrisheenshcha sarvaanuragaanshcha divyaan || 15 ||
Arjuna said:
O Lord, I see deities as well as special classes of beings in your body. Brahma, the lord, seated upon a lotus, and all the sages and divine serpents.
pashyaami : I see
devaam : deities
tava : your
deva : O Lord
dehe : in your body
sarvaan : all
tathaa : as well as
bhoota : beings
vishesha : special
sanghaan : classes
brahmaanam : Brahma
eesham : the lord
kamala : lotus
asanastham : seated upon
risheen : sages
cha : and
sarvaan : all
uragaan : serpents
cha : and
divyaan : divine
Whenever our emotions are running high, we either keep quiet or speak non-stop. Arjuna now comes out of his silence and speaks at a fast pace to describe what he sees in front of him. The meter of this shloka has changed to indicate the change in pace. Traditionally, these shlokas are also chanted at a slightly faster speed to get their full flavour. So what does Arjuna see?
Arjuna says that he sees all kinds of deities and other kinds of beings, which include Lord Brahma seated upon a lotus, as well as the divine sages and divine serpents. The sages include the sapta-rishis such as Vashishtha and the serpents include Vasuki. We had come across these and other beings in the prior chapter when Ishvara himself described his divine manifestations. But Arjuna does not see all of these in different places. He sees them all situated on Ishvara’s cosmic form.
What does this indicate? The sages live on earth, the deities live in a higher plane, and serpents live in yet another plane. Arjuna realizes that he is seeing worlds that beyond the earth and beyond the human capacity of vision. He also saw Lord Brahma who, according to Srimad Bhagavatam, arose out the navel of Lord Vishnu and created all the worlds.
So Arjuna, in the cosmic form, saw the creator and his creation. More importantly, he realized that Ishvara was beyond the process creation, which he had learned in the eighth chapter.
Footnotes
1. "Eesham" could also mean Lord Shiva. This indicates that Arjuna saw both creation and dissolution in the cosmic form.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 14, Chapter 11
tataha sa vismayaavishto hrishtaromaa dhananjaya |
pranamya shirasaa devam kritaanjalirabhaashata || 14 ||
Thereafter, filled with bewilderment, his hair standing on end, Dhananjaya, with folded hands, bowed his head to the lord and began to speak.
tataha : thereafter
saha : he
vismaya : bewilderment
avishtaha : filled with
hrishtaromaaha : hair standing on end
dhananjaya : Dhananjaya
pranamya : bowed
shirasaa : his head
devam : to the lord
kritaanjalihi : with folded hands
abhaashata : said
So far, Arjuna was reeling under the shock of viewing the cosmic form of Ishvara. Sanjaya paints a wonderful picture of Arjuna’s reaction to this earth-shattering event. Filled with awe and astonishment, Arjuna’s body reacted with goose bumps. Once the extent of the shock receded to some extent, he gained back his faculties and mustered the energy to start speaking again.
Another aspect of this shloka is revealed by the phrase “bowed his head to the lord”. Arjuna, scion of the great Kuru dynasty was a proud warrior, one of the finest archers in the land. There were few instances in his life where he faced a situation that would have humbled him. Seeing the entire universe in one tiny corner of the cosmic form put his accomplishments in the right perspective, taking all his pride away. He realized that he was nothing, his greatness was nothing compared to the glory of that infinite Ishvara.
So whenever we feel we have accomplished something great, whenever our ego starts to puff up, or even when we feel our personal problems are weighing down upon us, we should do what Arjuna did: fold our hands and bow our head to Ishvara. Our feats and problems are tiny compared to the expanse and power of Ishvara’s universe.
Arjuna begins to describe Ishvara’s cosmic form in the next shloka.
pranamya shirasaa devam kritaanjalirabhaashata || 14 ||
Thereafter, filled with bewilderment, his hair standing on end, Dhananjaya, with folded hands, bowed his head to the lord and began to speak.
tataha : thereafter
saha : he
vismaya : bewilderment
avishtaha : filled with
hrishtaromaaha : hair standing on end
dhananjaya : Dhananjaya
pranamya : bowed
shirasaa : his head
devam : to the lord
kritaanjalihi : with folded hands
abhaashata : said
So far, Arjuna was reeling under the shock of viewing the cosmic form of Ishvara. Sanjaya paints a wonderful picture of Arjuna’s reaction to this earth-shattering event. Filled with awe and astonishment, Arjuna’s body reacted with goose bumps. Once the extent of the shock receded to some extent, he gained back his faculties and mustered the energy to start speaking again.
Another aspect of this shloka is revealed by the phrase “bowed his head to the lord”. Arjuna, scion of the great Kuru dynasty was a proud warrior, one of the finest archers in the land. There were few instances in his life where he faced a situation that would have humbled him. Seeing the entire universe in one tiny corner of the cosmic form put his accomplishments in the right perspective, taking all his pride away. He realized that he was nothing, his greatness was nothing compared to the glory of that infinite Ishvara.
So whenever we feel we have accomplished something great, whenever our ego starts to puff up, or even when we feel our personal problems are weighing down upon us, we should do what Arjuna did: fold our hands and bow our head to Ishvara. Our feats and problems are tiny compared to the expanse and power of Ishvara’s universe.
Arjuna begins to describe Ishvara’s cosmic form in the next shloka.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 13, Chapter 11
tatrakastham jagatkritsnam pravibhaktamanekadhaa |
apashyaddevedasya shareere paandavastadaa || 13 ||
Then, the Paandava saw the entire universe with many divisions located in one place in the body of that lord of lords.
tatra : that
ekastham : located in one place
jagat : universe
kritsnam : entire
pravibhaktam : with many divisions
anekadhaa : several
apashyat : saw
devedasya : lord of lords
shareere : in the body
paandavaha : the Paandava
tadaa : then
Previously, Arjuna was overwhelmed by the sheer vastness of Ishvara’s cosmic form. There was so much going on, so many shapes and forms, that he did not know where to look. He took some time to get accustomed to the radiance emitted from that form. Now that his vision became a little clearer, he saw the entire universe with the earth, the sky, the oceans, animals, plants, trees and humans in one tiny corner of that vast cosmic form.
Sant Jnyanadeva provides some illustrations to convey the how small the universe looked. It was like a few atoms on Mount Meru, a few bubbles in the vast ocean and an ant-hill on planet earth. Such was the vastness of the cosmic form that even our universe looked puny. In the Srimad Bhagavatam, we see a similar description. Yashoda saw herself and her village in a tiny corner of the universe that was situated in the yawning toddler Shri Krishna’s mouth.
In this shloka, Arjuna quite literally saw “the big picture”. Like us, he was concerned and preoccupied with his problems, his challenges and his worries. He now came face to face with “ananta koti brahmanda naayaka”, the lord of an infinite number of universes. When Arjuna saw Ishvara’s cosmic form, he realized that the universe is nothing but a small fraction of Ishvara’s creation. The tiny wave realized how huge the ocean really is.
apashyaddevedasya shareere paandavastadaa || 13 ||
Then, the Paandava saw the entire universe with many divisions located in one place in the body of that lord of lords.
tatra : that
ekastham : located in one place
jagat : universe
kritsnam : entire
pravibhaktam : with many divisions
anekadhaa : several
apashyat : saw
devedasya : lord of lords
shareere : in the body
paandavaha : the Paandava
tadaa : then
Previously, Arjuna was overwhelmed by the sheer vastness of Ishvara’s cosmic form. There was so much going on, so many shapes and forms, that he did not know where to look. He took some time to get accustomed to the radiance emitted from that form. Now that his vision became a little clearer, he saw the entire universe with the earth, the sky, the oceans, animals, plants, trees and humans in one tiny corner of that vast cosmic form.
Sant Jnyanadeva provides some illustrations to convey the how small the universe looked. It was like a few atoms on Mount Meru, a few bubbles in the vast ocean and an ant-hill on planet earth. Such was the vastness of the cosmic form that even our universe looked puny. In the Srimad Bhagavatam, we see a similar description. Yashoda saw herself and her village in a tiny corner of the universe that was situated in the yawning toddler Shri Krishna’s mouth.
In this shloka, Arjuna quite literally saw “the big picture”. Like us, he was concerned and preoccupied with his problems, his challenges and his worries. He now came face to face with “ananta koti brahmanda naayaka”, the lord of an infinite number of universes. When Arjuna saw Ishvara’s cosmic form, he realized that the universe is nothing but a small fraction of Ishvara’s creation. The tiny wave realized how huge the ocean really is.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 12, Chapter 11
divi sooryasahastrasya bhavedyugapadutthitaa |
yadi bhaahaa sadrishee saa syaadbhaasastasya mahaatmanaha || 12 ||
Should thousands of suns happen to rise in the sky simultaneously, their blaze would resemble the light of that magnificent one.
divi : in the sky
sooryasahastrasya : thousands of suns
bhavet : happen
yugapat : simultaneously
utthitaa : rise
yadi : should
bhaahaa : light
sadrishee : resemble
saa : those
syaat : happen
bhaasaha : blaze
tasya : of that
mahaatmanaha : magnificent one
To better give us an idea of the level of cosmic form’s brightness, Sanjaya compares to the radiance emitted by an infinite number of suns rising at the same time. Note that “sahasra” means infinite and not the literal meaning, which is thousand. Some scientists who have witnessed nuclear explosions have also used similar language to describe something that is bright beyond comparison.
So where does this radiance come from? Let us investigate. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad is one of the primary texts that discusses topics regarding the eternal essence. In one instance, it uses the phrase “effulgent infinite being” to describe the eternal essence. This is the source of the radiance. We never get to experience it because it is covered up by the material world. In this case, Shri Krishna enabled Arjuna to see the infinite light and radiance of the eternal essence in its pristine form.
We also have to remember that the comparison made by Sanjaya is helpful, but compares two things that are difficult to compare. Even the brilliance of infinite suns is still a brilliance of the material world, whereas Ishvara’s brilliance is divine, far superior that any material brilliance.
yadi bhaahaa sadrishee saa syaadbhaasastasya mahaatmanaha || 12 ||
Should thousands of suns happen to rise in the sky simultaneously, their blaze would resemble the light of that magnificent one.
divi : in the sky
sooryasahastrasya : thousands of suns
bhavet : happen
yugapat : simultaneously
utthitaa : rise
yadi : should
bhaahaa : light
sadrishee : resemble
saa : those
syaat : happen
bhaasaha : blaze
tasya : of that
mahaatmanaha : magnificent one
To better give us an idea of the level of cosmic form’s brightness, Sanjaya compares to the radiance emitted by an infinite number of suns rising at the same time. Note that “sahasra” means infinite and not the literal meaning, which is thousand. Some scientists who have witnessed nuclear explosions have also used similar language to describe something that is bright beyond comparison.
So where does this radiance come from? Let us investigate. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad is one of the primary texts that discusses topics regarding the eternal essence. In one instance, it uses the phrase “effulgent infinite being” to describe the eternal essence. This is the source of the radiance. We never get to experience it because it is covered up by the material world. In this case, Shri Krishna enabled Arjuna to see the infinite light and radiance of the eternal essence in its pristine form.
We also have to remember that the comparison made by Sanjaya is helpful, but compares two things that are difficult to compare. Even the brilliance of infinite suns is still a brilliance of the material world, whereas Ishvara’s brilliance is divine, far superior that any material brilliance.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 11, Chapter 11
divyamaalyaambaradharam divyagandhaanulepanam |
sarvaashcharyamayam devamanantam vishvatomukham || 11 ||
Wearing divine garlands and clothes, anointed with divine fragrances, all of these wonderful (sights) were shining and infinite, with faces on all sides.
divyam : divine
aalyaa : garlands
ambara : clothes
dharam : wearing
gandhaan : anointed
anulepanam : anointed with
sarvaashcharyam : all wonderful
ayam : these
devam : shining
anantam : infinite
vishvatomukham : faces on all sides
Sanjaya continues the description of Ishvara’s cosmic form in this shloka. Shri Krishna, after giving a hint of Ishvara’s destructive power to Arjuna, showed his soumya roopa or his pleasing form. In other words, all the five senses and the mind enjoyed taking in this pleasant form. To that end, Arjuna saw Ishvara dressed up in fine clothes and garlands, as well as anointed with divine perfumes.
Another aspect of this form that it did not have a “centre”. Whenever we try to worship God, we always choose either an idol or an image so that we can focus our thoughts. However, many of us tend to get fixated on one deity, image or idol and consequently shun other deities. Sanjaya, in describing the cosmic form, noted that it had “infinite faces”. In other words, whenever Arjuna tried to pinpoint one face and say “this is Ishvara”, he would fail. Shri Krishna did this to remove any prior conceptions of Ishvara that Arjuna would have harboured.
Now, we always need to keep one thing in mind when we contemplate the cosmic form - there is oneness behind all the diversity. It is all one being, ultimately. Just like the millions of cells, tissues and organs in our body serve one person, all the diversity seen in the cosmic form serves one Ishvara. Our minds are used to dividing things, cutting up things. The cosmic form is meant to reverse that process and unify everything.
Sanjaya used the word “devam” which means shining to describe this form. He elaborates on this in the next shloka.
sarvaashcharyamayam devamanantam vishvatomukham || 11 ||
Wearing divine garlands and clothes, anointed with divine fragrances, all of these wonderful (sights) were shining and infinite, with faces on all sides.
divyam : divine
aalyaa : garlands
ambara : clothes
dharam : wearing
gandhaan : anointed
anulepanam : anointed with
sarvaashcharyam : all wonderful
ayam : these
devam : shining
anantam : infinite
vishvatomukham : faces on all sides
Sanjaya continues the description of Ishvara’s cosmic form in this shloka. Shri Krishna, after giving a hint of Ishvara’s destructive power to Arjuna, showed his soumya roopa or his pleasing form. In other words, all the five senses and the mind enjoyed taking in this pleasant form. To that end, Arjuna saw Ishvara dressed up in fine clothes and garlands, as well as anointed with divine perfumes.
Another aspect of this form that it did not have a “centre”. Whenever we try to worship God, we always choose either an idol or an image so that we can focus our thoughts. However, many of us tend to get fixated on one deity, image or idol and consequently shun other deities. Sanjaya, in describing the cosmic form, noted that it had “infinite faces”. In other words, whenever Arjuna tried to pinpoint one face and say “this is Ishvara”, he would fail. Shri Krishna did this to remove any prior conceptions of Ishvara that Arjuna would have harboured.
Now, we always need to keep one thing in mind when we contemplate the cosmic form - there is oneness behind all the diversity. It is all one being, ultimately. Just like the millions of cells, tissues and organs in our body serve one person, all the diversity seen in the cosmic form serves one Ishvara. Our minds are used to dividing things, cutting up things. The cosmic form is meant to reverse that process and unify everything.
Sanjaya used the word “devam” which means shining to describe this form. He elaborates on this in the next shloka.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 10, Chapter 11
anekavaktranayanamanekaadbhutadarshanam |
anekadivyaabharanam divyaanekodyataayudham || 10 ||
With several faces and eyes, showing several marvellous sights, wearing several divine ornaments, armed with several divine uplifted weapons.
aneka : several
vaktra : faces
nayanam : eyes
adbhutadarshanam : marvellous sights
divya : divine
aabharanam : ornaments
udyata : uplifted
aayudham : weapons
Shri Krishna has a unique style of communication. Like an artist, he first sketches out a broad outline of what he wants to cover, and then step by step fills in the colour to create a grand painting. We see this style in the way he reveals the Vishwa roopa, the cosmic form to Arjuna. First, he reveals the scale and the vastness of the cosmic form by repeatedly using the word "aneka". “Aneka” means several but it is used in the sense of “infinite” here. We can only imagine Arjuna’s state of mind when his friend transformed into this colossal being with infinite number of faces and eyes.
When someone is confronted with such a mighty spectacle, they want to take it all in. The Sistine chapel in the Vatican is an example of an artwork where most people are so overwhelmed with all the details and the complexity that they don’t know where to look. The cosmic form surrounded and engulfed Arjuna to such an extent, there were so many sights to see, that he did not know where should he look and where shouldn’t he look.
Now, as a hint of things to come, Shri Krishna displays both aspects of his personality. On one hand he is decked in fine jewellery and ornaments, creating a sight that is pleasing to the eye. But on the other hand his weapons show another aspect to his personality, that he has the potential to use destructive force if necessary.
anekadivyaabharanam divyaanekodyataayudham || 10 ||
With several faces and eyes, showing several marvellous sights, wearing several divine ornaments, armed with several divine uplifted weapons.
aneka : several
vaktra : faces
nayanam : eyes
adbhutadarshanam : marvellous sights
divya : divine
aabharanam : ornaments
udyata : uplifted
aayudham : weapons
Shri Krishna has a unique style of communication. Like an artist, he first sketches out a broad outline of what he wants to cover, and then step by step fills in the colour to create a grand painting. We see this style in the way he reveals the Vishwa roopa, the cosmic form to Arjuna. First, he reveals the scale and the vastness of the cosmic form by repeatedly using the word "aneka". “Aneka” means several but it is used in the sense of “infinite” here. We can only imagine Arjuna’s state of mind when his friend transformed into this colossal being with infinite number of faces and eyes.
When someone is confronted with such a mighty spectacle, they want to take it all in. The Sistine chapel in the Vatican is an example of an artwork where most people are so overwhelmed with all the details and the complexity that they don’t know where to look. The cosmic form surrounded and engulfed Arjuna to such an extent, there were so many sights to see, that he did not know where should he look and where shouldn’t he look.
Now, as a hint of things to come, Shri Krishna displays both aspects of his personality. On one hand he is decked in fine jewellery and ornaments, creating a sight that is pleasing to the eye. But on the other hand his weapons show another aspect to his personality, that he has the potential to use destructive force if necessary.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 9, Chapter 11
Sanjaya uvaacha:
evamuktvaa tato raajanmahaayogeshvaro harihi |
darshayaamaasa paarthaaya paramam roopamaishvaram || 9 ||
Sanjaya said:
O King, then having spoken this, Hari, the great Yogeshwara, showed the supreme form of Ishvara to Paartha.
evam : this
uktvaa : having spoken
tataha : then
raajan : O King
mahaayogeshvaraha : great Yogeshwara
harihi : Hari
darshayaamaasa : showed
paarthaaya : to Paartha
paramam : supreme
roopam : form
aishvaram : of Ishvara
At this point in the Gita, neither Shri Krishna nor Arjuna could continue narrating since Shri Krishna was showing the cosmic form, and Arjuna was taking it all in. The great sage Veda Vyaasa, the compiler of the Mahaabhaarata, chose to switch the narration over to Sanjaya, who was relaying the events to Dhritraashtra, the “King” that is mentioned in this shloka.
We notice a subtle shift in the language used by Sanjaya. His praise of Shri Krishna is one degree higher than that used by Arjuna. For instance, he refers to Shri Krishna as “Mahaa Yogeshwara” whereas Arjuna uses “Yogeshwara”. It is because Sanjaya knew Shri Krishna more thoroughly and deeply than Arjuna did. Moreover, he was already blessed with divine vision through Vyaasa, which enabled him to see exactly what Arjuna saw.
Sant Jnyaneshwara’s commentary of this shloka emphasizes Arjuna’s good fortune of being able to view this cosmic form. He lists Lakshmi, Shesha and Garuda as tireless servants of Lord Vishnu who have yet to see the cosmic form that Arjuna sees, underscoring the love Shri Krishna for his devotee Arjuna. He also enumerates others who were able to see a tiny glimpse of this cosmic form including Yashoda and Dhruva.
So what did this form look like? The description begins in the next shloka.
evamuktvaa tato raajanmahaayogeshvaro harihi |
darshayaamaasa paarthaaya paramam roopamaishvaram || 9 ||
Sanjaya said:
O King, then having spoken this, Hari, the great Yogeshwara, showed the supreme form of Ishvara to Paartha.
evam : this
uktvaa : having spoken
tataha : then
raajan : O King
mahaayogeshvaraha : great Yogeshwara
harihi : Hari
darshayaamaasa : showed
paarthaaya : to Paartha
paramam : supreme
roopam : form
aishvaram : of Ishvara
At this point in the Gita, neither Shri Krishna nor Arjuna could continue narrating since Shri Krishna was showing the cosmic form, and Arjuna was taking it all in. The great sage Veda Vyaasa, the compiler of the Mahaabhaarata, chose to switch the narration over to Sanjaya, who was relaying the events to Dhritraashtra, the “King” that is mentioned in this shloka.
We notice a subtle shift in the language used by Sanjaya. His praise of Shri Krishna is one degree higher than that used by Arjuna. For instance, he refers to Shri Krishna as “Mahaa Yogeshwara” whereas Arjuna uses “Yogeshwara”. It is because Sanjaya knew Shri Krishna more thoroughly and deeply than Arjuna did. Moreover, he was already blessed with divine vision through Vyaasa, which enabled him to see exactly what Arjuna saw.
Sant Jnyaneshwara’s commentary of this shloka emphasizes Arjuna’s good fortune of being able to view this cosmic form. He lists Lakshmi, Shesha and Garuda as tireless servants of Lord Vishnu who have yet to see the cosmic form that Arjuna sees, underscoring the love Shri Krishna for his devotee Arjuna. He also enumerates others who were able to see a tiny glimpse of this cosmic form including Yashoda and Dhruva.
So what did this form look like? The description begins in the next shloka.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 8, Chapter 11
na tu maam shakyase drishtumanenaiva svachakshushaa |
divyam dadaami te chakshuhu pashya me yogaishvaram || 8 ||
But, even this you cannot see with your own eye. I give you a divine eye, (so that you can) see the majesty of my yoga.
na : not
tu : but
maam : my
shakyase : can
drishtum : you see
anena : this
eva : even
svachakshushaa : with your own eye
divyam : divine
dadaami : I give
te : you
chakshuhu : eye
pashya : see
me : my
yoga : yoga
ishvaram : majesty
Even after Shri Krishna had begun displaying his Vishwa roopa, his cosmic form, there seemed to be no response from Arjuna at all. He realized that Arjuna’s mortal eyes did not have the capability needed to view the cosmic form. So he blessed Arjuna with the “divya drishti”, the divine vision with which the yoga, the power of creating this diversity in the universe, could be seen in all its majesty.
Before we proceed with the rest of this chapter, let us pause to dig a little deeper into this shloka. Each chapter in the Gita is a “yoga”, a technique for lifting us higher from the material to the divine. Arjuna was bestowed this vision by Shri Krishna, and we will hear a description of that vision from Sanjaya and Arjuna later in the chapter. But if this chapter is meant to give us a practical technique, what are we supposed to do? What does “divine vision” mean for us?
Let us consider a person from India who is deeply attached to his state or territory. As we have seen repeatedly in the Gita, any sort of deep attachment is a recipe for creating never-ending sorrow. What technique, what yoga could be prescribed for someone in this situation? One could ask that person to get a map of India, look at his state’s border, then mentally erase that border as well as all the other state borders, and see what’s left.
What will he see? He will only see the border of India. There would be no other divisions or distinctions. All conflicts regarding one state versus another would seem meaningless. It does not mean that the sense of attachment has gone away. That is very difficult to achieve. It simply means that the sense of attachment has been raised one step from the relative to the absolute.
Similarly, Shri Krishna asks all of us to view the world with the vision that everything is in Ishvara. Our eyes, limited as they are, will always report divisions and distinctions. That is their nature. But we can always use our intelligence to look through those divisions and see that ultimately, Ishvara is in everything and everything is in Ishvara. If we learn to do this, our attachment to worldly concerns will drop, and shift towards Ishvara.
As we move to the next verse, we will find that the original narrator, Sanjaya, has taken over.
divyam dadaami te chakshuhu pashya me yogaishvaram || 8 ||
But, even this you cannot see with your own eye. I give you a divine eye, (so that you can) see the majesty of my yoga.
na : not
tu : but
maam : my
shakyase : can
drishtum : you see
anena : this
eva : even
svachakshushaa : with your own eye
divyam : divine
dadaami : I give
te : you
chakshuhu : eye
pashya : see
me : my
yoga : yoga
ishvaram : majesty
Even after Shri Krishna had begun displaying his Vishwa roopa, his cosmic form, there seemed to be no response from Arjuna at all. He realized that Arjuna’s mortal eyes did not have the capability needed to view the cosmic form. So he blessed Arjuna with the “divya drishti”, the divine vision with which the yoga, the power of creating this diversity in the universe, could be seen in all its majesty.
Before we proceed with the rest of this chapter, let us pause to dig a little deeper into this shloka. Each chapter in the Gita is a “yoga”, a technique for lifting us higher from the material to the divine. Arjuna was bestowed this vision by Shri Krishna, and we will hear a description of that vision from Sanjaya and Arjuna later in the chapter. But if this chapter is meant to give us a practical technique, what are we supposed to do? What does “divine vision” mean for us?
Let us consider a person from India who is deeply attached to his state or territory. As we have seen repeatedly in the Gita, any sort of deep attachment is a recipe for creating never-ending sorrow. What technique, what yoga could be prescribed for someone in this situation? One could ask that person to get a map of India, look at his state’s border, then mentally erase that border as well as all the other state borders, and see what’s left.
What will he see? He will only see the border of India. There would be no other divisions or distinctions. All conflicts regarding one state versus another would seem meaningless. It does not mean that the sense of attachment has gone away. That is very difficult to achieve. It simply means that the sense of attachment has been raised one step from the relative to the absolute.
Similarly, Shri Krishna asks all of us to view the world with the vision that everything is in Ishvara. Our eyes, limited as they are, will always report divisions and distinctions. That is their nature. But we can always use our intelligence to look through those divisions and see that ultimately, Ishvara is in everything and everything is in Ishvara. If we learn to do this, our attachment to worldly concerns will drop, and shift towards Ishvara.
As we move to the next verse, we will find that the original narrator, Sanjaya, has taken over.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 7, Chapter 11
ihaikastham jagatkritsnam pashyaadya sacharaacharam |
mama dehe gudaakesha yachchaanyaddrishtumicchasi || 7 ||
Behold this entire universe now, with moving and non-moving (entities), in one place. Also, besides this, O Gudaakesha, see whatever else you desire in my form.
iha : this
ekastham : in one place
jagat : universe
kritsnam : entire
pashya : behold
adya : now
sacharaacharam : with moving and non-moving
mama : my
dehe : form
gudaakesha : O Gudaakesha
yat : whatever else
cha : also
anyat : besides
drishtum : see
icchasi : you desire
Nowadays, it is common for families to capture a wedding with a video as well as with photographs. So when a guest drops by a family that has just concluded a wedding, he is hit with a barrage of photos and a DVD of the wedding that could last three to four hours. The guest cannot refuse this demand because the family wants him to experience the entire wedding “right here, right now”.
So by using the words “now” and “in one place”, Shri Krishna is pointing out the power of the Vishwa roopa or cosmic form. Arjuna is able to view the entire universe in one place, without leaving his chariot. Moreover, he is also able to view events that take millions of years in a split second. And what is he able to view? Everything including entities that move, and entities that are stable.
Now, if someone were to offer us the outcome of all the events that were to take place tomorrow, and if our favourite team was contesting a match tomorrow, we would be most interested in learning the outcome of the match. Knowing that Arjuna was most interested in the outcome of the Mahaabhaarata war, Shri Krishna suggested that even that would be visible in his cosmic form. He refers to Arjuna as “Gudaakesha”, one who has conquered sleep, so that Arjuna would remain alert while watching the cosmic form.
However, with all this going on, there seemed to be no response from Arjuna. What could be the reason? We shall see next.
mama dehe gudaakesha yachchaanyaddrishtumicchasi || 7 ||
Behold this entire universe now, with moving and non-moving (entities), in one place. Also, besides this, O Gudaakesha, see whatever else you desire in my form.
iha : this
ekastham : in one place
jagat : universe
kritsnam : entire
pashya : behold
adya : now
sacharaacharam : with moving and non-moving
mama : my
dehe : form
gudaakesha : O Gudaakesha
yat : whatever else
cha : also
anyat : besides
drishtum : see
icchasi : you desire
Nowadays, it is common for families to capture a wedding with a video as well as with photographs. So when a guest drops by a family that has just concluded a wedding, he is hit with a barrage of photos and a DVD of the wedding that could last three to four hours. The guest cannot refuse this demand because the family wants him to experience the entire wedding “right here, right now”.
So by using the words “now” and “in one place”, Shri Krishna is pointing out the power of the Vishwa roopa or cosmic form. Arjuna is able to view the entire universe in one place, without leaving his chariot. Moreover, he is also able to view events that take millions of years in a split second. And what is he able to view? Everything including entities that move, and entities that are stable.
Now, if someone were to offer us the outcome of all the events that were to take place tomorrow, and if our favourite team was contesting a match tomorrow, we would be most interested in learning the outcome of the match. Knowing that Arjuna was most interested in the outcome of the Mahaabhaarata war, Shri Krishna suggested that even that would be visible in his cosmic form. He refers to Arjuna as “Gudaakesha”, one who has conquered sleep, so that Arjuna would remain alert while watching the cosmic form.
However, with all this going on, there seemed to be no response from Arjuna. What could be the reason? We shall see next.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 6, Chapter 11
pashyaadityaanvasoonrudraanaashvinau marutastathaa |
bahoonyadrishtapoorvaani pashyaashcharyaani bhaarata || 6 ||
Behold the Aadityaas, the Vasus, the Rudraas, the Ashvinis as well as the Maruts, O Bhaarata. Behold the many astonishing (sights) that were invisible until now.
pashya : behold
adityaan : the Aadityaas
vasoon : the Vasus
rudraan : the Rudraas
ashvinau : the Ashvinis
marutaha : the Maruts
tathaa : as well as
bahooni : many
adrishta : invisible
poorvaani : until now
pashya : behold
aashcharyaani : astonishing
bhaarata : O Bhaarata
Shri Krishna continues to describe the Vishwa-roopa, the universal form of Ishvara. He now points to the deities and the demi-gods that are seen in his form, but were also mentioned as his divine expressions in the previous chapter. These were the twelve Aadityaas, the eight Vasus, the eleven Rudraas, the two Ashvinis and the forty-nine Maruts.
Arjuna would only have read about these deities in the scriptures. Now, he was fortunate enough to see those deities with those own eyes. Shri Krishna calls this fact to his attention by saying that these sights were invisible or inaccessible to everyone else but Arjuna. Also, Shri Krishna repeatedly says “pashya” or behold, to underscore this point.
If a teenager who is an ardent fan of Spiderman somehow manages to meet him in person, what would his reaction be? It is astonishment, “aascharya”, which is defined as “that which makes us go aah”, that which makes our mouth wide open for a very long time. Shri Krishna, further describing his form, says that these sights are nothing short of pure astonishment.
bahoonyadrishtapoorvaani pashyaashcharyaani bhaarata || 6 ||
Behold the Aadityaas, the Vasus, the Rudraas, the Ashvinis as well as the Maruts, O Bhaarata. Behold the many astonishing (sights) that were invisible until now.
pashya : behold
adityaan : the Aadityaas
vasoon : the Vasus
rudraan : the Rudraas
ashvinau : the Ashvinis
marutaha : the Maruts
tathaa : as well as
bahooni : many
adrishta : invisible
poorvaani : until now
pashya : behold
aashcharyaani : astonishing
bhaarata : O Bhaarata
Shri Krishna continues to describe the Vishwa-roopa, the universal form of Ishvara. He now points to the deities and the demi-gods that are seen in his form, but were also mentioned as his divine expressions in the previous chapter. These were the twelve Aadityaas, the eight Vasus, the eleven Rudraas, the two Ashvinis and the forty-nine Maruts.
Arjuna would only have read about these deities in the scriptures. Now, he was fortunate enough to see those deities with those own eyes. Shri Krishna calls this fact to his attention by saying that these sights were invisible or inaccessible to everyone else but Arjuna. Also, Shri Krishna repeatedly says “pashya” or behold, to underscore this point.
If a teenager who is an ardent fan of Spiderman somehow manages to meet him in person, what would his reaction be? It is astonishment, “aascharya”, which is defined as “that which makes us go aah”, that which makes our mouth wide open for a very long time. Shri Krishna, further describing his form, says that these sights are nothing short of pure astonishment.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 5, Chapter 11
Shree Bhagavaan uvaacha:
pashya me paartha roopaani shatashotha sahastrashaha |
naanaavidhaani divyaani naanaavarnaakriteeni cha || 5 ||
Shree Bhagavaan said:
Behold, O Paartha, my hundreds and thousands of divine forms, of myriad kinds, and of various colours and shapes.
pashya : behold
me : my
paartha : O Paartha
roopaani : forms
shatashotha : hundreds
sahastrashaha : thousands
naanavidhaani : myriad kinds
divyaani : divine
naana : various
varna : colours
akriteeni : shapes
cha : and
In response to Arjuna’s request, Shri Krishna immediately agreed to show Ishvara’s divine form. This entire chapter, written in a poetic style, elaborately describes this form and Arjuna’s reaction to it. It is said that the chanting of this chapter is one of the highest forms of meditation possible.
To get things started, Shri Krishna “turned on” the “screen” upon which this divine form could be shown to Arjuna. He began by revealing the amount of diversity in the sheer number of colours, shapes and forms that he was about to show to Arjuna. The literal words used are “hundreds” and “thousands”, but in essence they mean infinite and innumerable.
While demonstrating the features of the latest LCD TV, the salesman will try his best to show as many channels he possibly can so that the customer is convinced about the capabilities of the TV such as number of pixels, colours and so on. Or if it is a sari shop, the salesperson will try to show innumerable varieties of the very same red colour so that the customer is confident about the range and variety in that shop’s inventory.
Shri Krishna, however, was not concerned only with lining up the diversity of forms that he was ready to show. He also wanted to highlight that there was one thing common among that infinite diversity - Ishvara himself. He indicated this by saying “pashya me roopani” - behold my forms, not behold all these forms.
pashya me paartha roopaani shatashotha sahastrashaha |
naanaavidhaani divyaani naanaavarnaakriteeni cha || 5 ||
Shree Bhagavaan said:
Behold, O Paartha, my hundreds and thousands of divine forms, of myriad kinds, and of various colours and shapes.
pashya : behold
me : my
paartha : O Paartha
roopaani : forms
shatashotha : hundreds
sahastrashaha : thousands
naanavidhaani : myriad kinds
divyaani : divine
naana : various
varna : colours
akriteeni : shapes
cha : and
In response to Arjuna’s request, Shri Krishna immediately agreed to show Ishvara’s divine form. This entire chapter, written in a poetic style, elaborately describes this form and Arjuna’s reaction to it. It is said that the chanting of this chapter is one of the highest forms of meditation possible.
To get things started, Shri Krishna “turned on” the “screen” upon which this divine form could be shown to Arjuna. He began by revealing the amount of diversity in the sheer number of colours, shapes and forms that he was about to show to Arjuna. The literal words used are “hundreds” and “thousands”, but in essence they mean infinite and innumerable.
While demonstrating the features of the latest LCD TV, the salesman will try his best to show as many channels he possibly can so that the customer is convinced about the capabilities of the TV such as number of pixels, colours and so on. Or if it is a sari shop, the salesperson will try to show innumerable varieties of the very same red colour so that the customer is confident about the range and variety in that shop’s inventory.
Shri Krishna, however, was not concerned only with lining up the diversity of forms that he was ready to show. He also wanted to highlight that there was one thing common among that infinite diversity - Ishvara himself. He indicated this by saying “pashya me roopani” - behold my forms, not behold all these forms.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 4, Chapter 11
manyase yadi tachchakayam mayaa drishtumiti prabho |
yogeshvara tato me tvam darshayaatmaanamavyayam || 4 ||
O Lord, if you think that it is possible for this to be seen by me, then O Yogeshvara, you show me your undivided form.
manyase : you think
yadi : if
tat : that
shakayam : possible
mayaa : by me
drishtum : seen
iti : this
prabho : O Lord
yogeshvara : O Yogeshvara
tataha : then
me : me
tvam : you
darshaya : show
aatmaanam : your
avyayam : undivided form
We come across another aspect of Arjuna’s request in this shloka. Imagine the plight of an movie actor who is absolutely devoted to his craft. He has worked day and nights for a whole year in a movie as a supporting actor. After the shooting ends, he is filled with a burning desire to see the entire movie. Why so? It is because he has only seen the bits and pieces of the movie that he was involved with, and he is not satisfied unless he sees it as a single story, end to end.
Likewise, Arjuna is no longer content with seeing bits and pieces of Ishvara’s expressions. He wants to see how it all comes together as one undivided entity. This is indicated by Arjuna’s use of the word “avyayam” which means undivided, without any discontinuity. And like the only person who can reveal the whole movie is the director, the only person that can reveal the undivided nature of the universe is the “prabhu”, the governor, master and controller.
Now, Arjuna knows that he has to approach Shri Krishna with humility. That’s why he politely says: “show me that form only if you think that I am qualified to see it”. Morever, Arjuna does not want to imagine it or dream it up, he wants to see it with his eyes, with his “drishti”. He also refers to Shri Krishna as “yogeshwara”, the teacher of several yogas in the Gita such as karma yoga, dhyana yoga, jnyana yoga and bhakti yoga. The yoga in “Vibhooti yoga” is the power that creates variety in the one undivided Ishvara.
So, does Shri Krishna agree to this request? We shall see next.
yogeshvara tato me tvam darshayaatmaanamavyayam || 4 ||
O Lord, if you think that it is possible for this to be seen by me, then O Yogeshvara, you show me your undivided form.
manyase : you think
yadi : if
tat : that
shakayam : possible
mayaa : by me
drishtum : seen
iti : this
prabho : O Lord
yogeshvara : O Yogeshvara
tataha : then
me : me
tvam : you
darshaya : show
aatmaanam : your
avyayam : undivided form
We come across another aspect of Arjuna’s request in this shloka. Imagine the plight of an movie actor who is absolutely devoted to his craft. He has worked day and nights for a whole year in a movie as a supporting actor. After the shooting ends, he is filled with a burning desire to see the entire movie. Why so? It is because he has only seen the bits and pieces of the movie that he was involved with, and he is not satisfied unless he sees it as a single story, end to end.
Likewise, Arjuna is no longer content with seeing bits and pieces of Ishvara’s expressions. He wants to see how it all comes together as one undivided entity. This is indicated by Arjuna’s use of the word “avyayam” which means undivided, without any discontinuity. And like the only person who can reveal the whole movie is the director, the only person that can reveal the undivided nature of the universe is the “prabhu”, the governor, master and controller.
Now, Arjuna knows that he has to approach Shri Krishna with humility. That’s why he politely says: “show me that form only if you think that I am qualified to see it”. Morever, Arjuna does not want to imagine it or dream it up, he wants to see it with his eyes, with his “drishti”. He also refers to Shri Krishna as “yogeshwara”, the teacher of several yogas in the Gita such as karma yoga, dhyana yoga, jnyana yoga and bhakti yoga. The yoga in “Vibhooti yoga” is the power that creates variety in the one undivided Ishvara.
So, does Shri Krishna agree to this request? We shall see next.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 3, Chapter 11
evametadyathaattha tvamaatmaanam parameshavara |
drishtumichchaami te roopamaishvaram purushottamam || 3 ||
As you have spoken about yourself, so is it, O supreme Ishvara. I wish to see your divine form, O supreme person.
evam : it is that
etat : this
yathaa : as
aattha : spoken
tvam : you
aatmaanam : yourself
parameshavara : supreme Ishvara
drishtum : to see
ichchaami : I wish
te : your
roopam : form
aishvaram : divine
purushottamam : O supreme person
When someone describes the plot and special effects of the latest Hollywood summer blockbuster to us, and our curiosity and interest for that movie increases, we reach a point when we say “I want to see that movie right now, and I want to see it on a large IMAX screen”. Why does that happen? Of the five sense organs, the organ of sight is the dearest to us. As they say, “a picture is worth a thousand words”.
Similarly, Arjuna’s curiosity towards Shri Krishna had reached its peak at this point. That is why he asked Shri Krishna, who was the “avatar” or incarnation of Ishvara, to reveal his divine form that was described in the last shloka of the previous chapter. How magnificent would that form be, if this entire universe was sustained by only a fraction of Ishvara, and if all of the divine expressions were contained in Ishvara. In addition to the might and grandeur of this form, Arjuna also wanted to see how everything originated, existed and dissolved within Ishvara, and finally, how everything was Ishvara in essence.
We call something divine when it is endowed with the attributes of knowledge, lordship, power, prowess and brilliance. Arjuna put in a request to Shri Krishna to see that that form, where it is possible to have this vision of many in one. However, the sincere Arjuna did not order to command Shri Krishna to show that form. He qualified his request with a great deal of humility, which we see in the upcoming shloka.
drishtumichchaami te roopamaishvaram purushottamam || 3 ||
As you have spoken about yourself, so is it, O supreme Ishvara. I wish to see your divine form, O supreme person.
evam : it is that
etat : this
yathaa : as
aattha : spoken
tvam : you
aatmaanam : yourself
parameshavara : supreme Ishvara
drishtum : to see
ichchaami : I wish
te : your
roopam : form
aishvaram : divine
purushottamam : O supreme person
When someone describes the plot and special effects of the latest Hollywood summer blockbuster to us, and our curiosity and interest for that movie increases, we reach a point when we say “I want to see that movie right now, and I want to see it on a large IMAX screen”. Why does that happen? Of the five sense organs, the organ of sight is the dearest to us. As they say, “a picture is worth a thousand words”.
Similarly, Arjuna’s curiosity towards Shri Krishna had reached its peak at this point. That is why he asked Shri Krishna, who was the “avatar” or incarnation of Ishvara, to reveal his divine form that was described in the last shloka of the previous chapter. How magnificent would that form be, if this entire universe was sustained by only a fraction of Ishvara, and if all of the divine expressions were contained in Ishvara. In addition to the might and grandeur of this form, Arjuna also wanted to see how everything originated, existed and dissolved within Ishvara, and finally, how everything was Ishvara in essence.
We call something divine when it is endowed with the attributes of knowledge, lordship, power, prowess and brilliance. Arjuna put in a request to Shri Krishna to see that that form, where it is possible to have this vision of many in one. However, the sincere Arjuna did not order to command Shri Krishna to show that form. He qualified his request with a great deal of humility, which we see in the upcoming shloka.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 2, Chapter 11
bhavaapyayau hi bhootaanaam shrutau vistarasho mayaa |
tvattaha kamalapatraaksha maahaatmyamapi chaavyayam || 2 ||
For, I have heard about the creation and dissolution of all beings, elaborately, from you O lotus-eyed one, and also about your imperishable glory.
bhavaapyayau : creation and dissolution
hi : for
bhootaanaam : all beings
shrutau : have heard
vistarashaha : elaborately
mayaa : I have
tvattaha : from you
kamalapatraaksha : O lotus-eyed
maahaatmyam : glory
api : also
cha : and
avyayam : imperishable
Arjuna, ever the good student, uses this shloka to summarize Shri Krishna’s teaching. He acknowledges that he has understood the essence of the teaching, which asserts Ishvara as the creator, maintainer and dissolution of the entire universe. In other words, there is no other cause of the universe besides Ishvara. He is both the raw material and the intelligence behind the universe. This “mahaatmyam” or glory was further reinforced in Arjuna’s mind by hearing the divine expressions of Ishvara from Shri Krishna.
However, by addressing Shri Krishna as “lotus-eyed”, Arjuna also reveals his understanding of another aspect of Ishvara. Like the lotus that does not get affected by the attributes of its pond, Ishvara does not get personally involved in the workings of the universe. He is impartial to everyone in the granting of results, liberation and bondage. He remains as the “avyayam” or imperishable foundation upon which the mechanical Prakriti projects the multitude of names and forms.
Now, there is a hint of dissatisfaction expressed by Arjuna in this shloka. Even though he has understood the teaching from Ishvara himself, resolved his doubts, and also learnt the techniques of karma yoga and dhyana yoga or meditation, he needs one more thing. What is that? He divulges it in the next shloka.
tvattaha kamalapatraaksha maahaatmyamapi chaavyayam || 2 ||
For, I have heard about the creation and dissolution of all beings, elaborately, from you O lotus-eyed one, and also about your imperishable glory.
bhavaapyayau : creation and dissolution
hi : for
bhootaanaam : all beings
shrutau : have heard
vistarashaha : elaborately
mayaa : I have
tvattaha : from you
kamalapatraaksha : O lotus-eyed
maahaatmyam : glory
api : also
cha : and
avyayam : imperishable
Arjuna, ever the good student, uses this shloka to summarize Shri Krishna’s teaching. He acknowledges that he has understood the essence of the teaching, which asserts Ishvara as the creator, maintainer and dissolution of the entire universe. In other words, there is no other cause of the universe besides Ishvara. He is both the raw material and the intelligence behind the universe. This “mahaatmyam” or glory was further reinforced in Arjuna’s mind by hearing the divine expressions of Ishvara from Shri Krishna.
However, by addressing Shri Krishna as “lotus-eyed”, Arjuna also reveals his understanding of another aspect of Ishvara. Like the lotus that does not get affected by the attributes of its pond, Ishvara does not get personally involved in the workings of the universe. He is impartial to everyone in the granting of results, liberation and bondage. He remains as the “avyayam” or imperishable foundation upon which the mechanical Prakriti projects the multitude of names and forms.
Now, there is a hint of dissatisfaction expressed by Arjuna in this shloka. Even though he has understood the teaching from Ishvara himself, resolved his doubts, and also learnt the techniques of karma yoga and dhyana yoga or meditation, he needs one more thing. What is that? He divulges it in the next shloka.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 1, Chapter 11
Arjuna uvaacha:
madanugrhaaya paramam guhyamadhyaatmasangitam |
yattvayoktam vachastena mohoyam vigato mama || 1 ||
Arjuna said:
Out of compassion for me, you have spoken about the supreme secret known as the knowledge of the self. By those statements, my delusion has been destroyed.
madanugrhaaya : out of compassion for me
paramam : supreme
guhyam : secret
adhyaatma : knowledge of the self
sangitam : known as
yat : that
tvayaa : you have
uktam : spoken
vachaha : statements
tena : by those
mohaha : delusion
ayam : this
vigataha : destroyed
mama : my
We begin the eleventh chapter with Arjuna’s words. He recalls the root cause of his panic attack from the first chapter which is moha or delusion which caused confusion between his duty as a warrior and as a family member. He now says that his delusion has been dispelled. How did that happen? It is only because Shri Krishna revealed the knowledge of the self, Adhyaatma vidyaa, to Arjuna, the answer to the question “who am I?”
When Arjuna understood his true nature as the self, the aatmaa, the eternal essence, he came to know that the self does not kill or be killed, it is neither the doer of action or the enjoyer of the results. He then realized that even if his body died, or his body killed another body, nothing would happen to the eternal essence in each of those bodies. Given the power of this knowledge to destroy the biggest delusion about who he was, he terms it “paramam” or supreme. And since it requires a sincere student and a rare teacher, he terms it “guhyam” or secret.
Now, we may think that there was something special in Arjuna that qualified him to receive this supreme knowledge. Arjuna was humble enough to acknowledge that it was purely out of compassion that Shri Krishna showered his grace upon him and gave him this knowledge. Only through the grace and compassion of Ishvara and a qualified guru can one receive this knowledge.
Another aspect of the teaching was Ishvara’s involvement with the universe. Arjuna highlights it in the next shloka.
madanugrhaaya paramam guhyamadhyaatmasangitam |
yattvayoktam vachastena mohoyam vigato mama || 1 ||
Arjuna said:
Out of compassion for me, you have spoken about the supreme secret known as the knowledge of the self. By those statements, my delusion has been destroyed.
madanugrhaaya : out of compassion for me
paramam : supreme
guhyam : secret
adhyaatma : knowledge of the self
sangitam : known as
yat : that
tvayaa : you have
uktam : spoken
vachaha : statements
tena : by those
mohaha : delusion
ayam : this
vigataha : destroyed
mama : my
We begin the eleventh chapter with Arjuna’s words. He recalls the root cause of his panic attack from the first chapter which is moha or delusion which caused confusion between his duty as a warrior and as a family member. He now says that his delusion has been dispelled. How did that happen? It is only because Shri Krishna revealed the knowledge of the self, Adhyaatma vidyaa, to Arjuna, the answer to the question “who am I?”
When Arjuna understood his true nature as the self, the aatmaa, the eternal essence, he came to know that the self does not kill or be killed, it is neither the doer of action or the enjoyer of the results. He then realized that even if his body died, or his body killed another body, nothing would happen to the eternal essence in each of those bodies. Given the power of this knowledge to destroy the biggest delusion about who he was, he terms it “paramam” or supreme. And since it requires a sincere student and a rare teacher, he terms it “guhyam” or secret.
Now, we may think that there was something special in Arjuna that qualified him to receive this supreme knowledge. Arjuna was humble enough to acknowledge that it was purely out of compassion that Shri Krishna showered his grace upon him and gave him this knowledge. Only through the grace and compassion of Ishvara and a qualified guru can one receive this knowledge.
Another aspect of the teaching was Ishvara’s involvement with the universe. Arjuna highlights it in the next shloka.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Summary of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10
When India received independence, the founders wanted to ensure that the newly-created states within India did not disintegrate due to infighting. To that end, they created a two tier government system with a state government that was aligned to state interests, and a central government that put the interests of India before anything else.
Furthermore, in order to ensure that residents of a state did not forget that they are part of a bigger country, our founders instituted the national flag, the national anthem, independence day, republic day, the national emblem and so on. These symbols are expressions, or “vibhootis” of India. They are highly important because they remind us of the existence of the nation of India no matter where we are. They make the abstract concept of the nation of India tangible and visible.
Shri Krishna ended the previous chapter by urging Arjuna, and all devotees, to always keep their minds within Ishvara. In this chapter, Arjuna asked Shri Krishna, “how can I know Ishvara when my eyes cannot see him?” The answer to Arjuna’s question is the main teaching of this chapter, in the form of natural, historic, Puraanic and other awe-inspiring people and objects that serve as Ishvara's expressions or manifestations.
How do these expressions benefit us? Just like we use symbols of India to constantly invoke the notion of India, we should use one or some or all of these expressions to constantly remember and think of Ishvara. This chapter is not meant to be a lesson in the Puraanas. It is meant to be practiced as a daily meditation, by employing one expression, whichever we like, as the object of our meditation.
So for example, if we have an affinity for the sun, we should bring the shloka “aadityaanaamaham vishnuhu” to attention and keep it in our minds as much as possible, whenever we see the sun. This will transform our vision to look beyond the visible aspect of the sun, connect the sun to Ishvara and see the Ishvara inside.
Furthermore, in order to ensure that residents of a state did not forget that they are part of a bigger country, our founders instituted the national flag, the national anthem, independence day, republic day, the national emblem and so on. These symbols are expressions, or “vibhootis” of India. They are highly important because they remind us of the existence of the nation of India no matter where we are. They make the abstract concept of the nation of India tangible and visible.
Shri Krishna ended the previous chapter by urging Arjuna, and all devotees, to always keep their minds within Ishvara. In this chapter, Arjuna asked Shri Krishna, “how can I know Ishvara when my eyes cannot see him?” The answer to Arjuna’s question is the main teaching of this chapter, in the form of natural, historic, Puraanic and other awe-inspiring people and objects that serve as Ishvara's expressions or manifestations.
How do these expressions benefit us? Just like we use symbols of India to constantly invoke the notion of India, we should use one or some or all of these expressions to constantly remember and think of Ishvara. This chapter is not meant to be a lesson in the Puraanas. It is meant to be practiced as a daily meditation, by employing one expression, whichever we like, as the object of our meditation.
So for example, if we have an affinity for the sun, we should bring the shloka “aadityaanaamaham vishnuhu” to attention and keep it in our minds as much as possible, whenever we see the sun. This will transform our vision to look beyond the visible aspect of the sun, connect the sun to Ishvara and see the Ishvara inside.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 42, Chapter 10
athavaa bahunaitena kim jnyaatena tavaarjuna |
vishtabhyaahamidam kritsnamekaanshena sthito jagata || 42 ||
Now, what is the need for you to know these details, O Arjuna? With a fraction of myself, sustaining this entire universe, I am established.
athavaa : now
bahunaa : details
etena : these
kim : what
jnyaatena : to know
tava : for you
arjuna : O Arjuna
vishtabhya : sustaining
aham : I
idam : this
kritsnam : entire
ekaanshena : with a fraction
sthitaha : established
jagata : universe
In the days when we would stay employed with the same firm for a majority of their career, we would start with an entry level job as a junior accountant, let us say, and work our way up the corporate ladder. Over a period of fifteen or twenty years, that junior accountant could end up being promoted to chief financial officer. At that point, he would no longer be concerned with trivial details such as checking receipts against journal entries and so on. He would focus on bigger issues such as the financial health of the entire company.
Similarly, when Shri Krishna provided a long list of Ishvara’s expressions, he wanted to ensure that Arjuna did not get stuck at the level of knowing more and more expressions. He wanted Arjuna to stop asking more questions, take a step back and ask himself a very basic question.
If Ishvara is present in everything in the universe, and Ishvara is also present in me, is there anything else in the universe besides Ishvara? In other words, if Ishvara is in everything, isn’t everything in Ishvara ultimately? It is like asking: If there is space in everything including me and including every atom, isn’t everything in space?
With this intriguing thought, Shri Krishna concludes the tenth chapter and sets the stage for the eleventh chapter. While the tenth chapter was about how the one Ishvara was in all, the eleventh chapter is about how all is in the one Ishvara.
om tatsatiti shreematbhagavatgitasupanishadsu brahmavidyaayaam yogashaastre shreekrishnaarjunsamvade vibhootiyogo naama dashamodhyaayaha || 10 ||
vishtabhyaahamidam kritsnamekaanshena sthito jagata || 42 ||
Now, what is the need for you to know these details, O Arjuna? With a fraction of myself, sustaining this entire universe, I am established.
athavaa : now
bahunaa : details
etena : these
kim : what
jnyaatena : to know
tava : for you
arjuna : O Arjuna
vishtabhya : sustaining
aham : I
idam : this
kritsnam : entire
ekaanshena : with a fraction
sthitaha : established
jagata : universe
In the days when we would stay employed with the same firm for a majority of their career, we would start with an entry level job as a junior accountant, let us say, and work our way up the corporate ladder. Over a period of fifteen or twenty years, that junior accountant could end up being promoted to chief financial officer. At that point, he would no longer be concerned with trivial details such as checking receipts against journal entries and so on. He would focus on bigger issues such as the financial health of the entire company.
Similarly, when Shri Krishna provided a long list of Ishvara’s expressions, he wanted to ensure that Arjuna did not get stuck at the level of knowing more and more expressions. He wanted Arjuna to stop asking more questions, take a step back and ask himself a very basic question.
If Ishvara is present in everything in the universe, and Ishvara is also present in me, is there anything else in the universe besides Ishvara? In other words, if Ishvara is in everything, isn’t everything in Ishvara ultimately? It is like asking: If there is space in everything including me and including every atom, isn’t everything in space?
With this intriguing thought, Shri Krishna concludes the tenth chapter and sets the stage for the eleventh chapter. While the tenth chapter was about how the one Ishvara was in all, the eleventh chapter is about how all is in the one Ishvara.
om tatsatiti shreematbhagavatgitasupanishadsu brahmavidyaayaam yogashaastre shreekrishnaarjunsamvade vibhootiyogo naama dashamodhyaayaha || 10 ||
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 41, Chapter 10
yadyadvibhootimatsatvam shreemadoorjitameva vaa |
tattadevaavagaccha tvam mama tejonshasambhavam || 41 ||
Whichever entity is endowed with majesty, prosperity and also energy, you should understand that all those as born out of a fraction of my power.
yat : whichever
vibhootimat : endowed with majesty
satvam : entity
shreemat : prosperity
oorjitam : energy
eva : also
vaa : and
tat : all those
eva : and
avagaccha : understand
tvam : you
mama : my
tejaha : power
ansha : fraction
sambhavam : born out of
Since it is difficult for someone in our time to identify with Puraanic expressions of Ishvara, Shri Krishna gives us a simple suggestion. He says that anything that appeals to our mind and senses, any object or person that is endowed with grandeur, perfection, knowledge and power, anything that inspire awe and wonder is Ishvara’s expression. So we are free to choose anything that meets this criteria.
So if we live in India, the Taj Mahal becomes Ishvara’s expression and in USA, the Grand Canyon. If we like western classical music, the Mahler Symphony No. 9 in D Major becomes Ishvara’s vibhooti and if we like Indian classical music, a rendition by Bhimsen Joshi. An engineer can admire marvels such as the tallest building in the world or the space shuttle. And all of us can admire the thousands of nameless people who are working in NGOs to better the world as yet another expression of Ishvara.
Now, Shri Krishna makes another important point here. If we add up all the glories in the universe, that glory is but a fraction of Ishvara’s glory. Just like we always think of a country’s government whenever we see a police officer, we should always think of Ishvara whenever we see or think of any of his expressions. Arjuna had asked the question as to how he could know Ishvara. With this shloka, Shri Krishna has provided the answer. We use the visible expression to remind us of the invisible Ishvara.
What should we do? Whenever we see something wonderful and glorious, we should remember that the glory is coming from Ishvara, not from that object or person. Next, we should remember that Ishvara is infinitely more powerful and glorious than the object or person. In this manner, we will be able to maintain a constant awareness of Ishvara.
tattadevaavagaccha tvam mama tejonshasambhavam || 41 ||
Whichever entity is endowed with majesty, prosperity and also energy, you should understand that all those as born out of a fraction of my power.
yat : whichever
vibhootimat : endowed with majesty
satvam : entity
shreemat : prosperity
oorjitam : energy
eva : also
vaa : and
tat : all those
eva : and
avagaccha : understand
tvam : you
mama : my
tejaha : power
ansha : fraction
sambhavam : born out of
Since it is difficult for someone in our time to identify with Puraanic expressions of Ishvara, Shri Krishna gives us a simple suggestion. He says that anything that appeals to our mind and senses, any object or person that is endowed with grandeur, perfection, knowledge and power, anything that inspire awe and wonder is Ishvara’s expression. So we are free to choose anything that meets this criteria.
So if we live in India, the Taj Mahal becomes Ishvara’s expression and in USA, the Grand Canyon. If we like western classical music, the Mahler Symphony No. 9 in D Major becomes Ishvara’s vibhooti and if we like Indian classical music, a rendition by Bhimsen Joshi. An engineer can admire marvels such as the tallest building in the world or the space shuttle. And all of us can admire the thousands of nameless people who are working in NGOs to better the world as yet another expression of Ishvara.
Now, Shri Krishna makes another important point here. If we add up all the glories in the universe, that glory is but a fraction of Ishvara’s glory. Just like we always think of a country’s government whenever we see a police officer, we should always think of Ishvara whenever we see or think of any of his expressions. Arjuna had asked the question as to how he could know Ishvara. With this shloka, Shri Krishna has provided the answer. We use the visible expression to remind us of the invisible Ishvara.
What should we do? Whenever we see something wonderful and glorious, we should remember that the glory is coming from Ishvara, not from that object or person. Next, we should remember that Ishvara is infinitely more powerful and glorious than the object or person. In this manner, we will be able to maintain a constant awareness of Ishvara.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 40, Chapter 10
aantosti mama divyaanaam vibhooteenaam parantapa |
esha toodyeshataha prokto vibhootervistaro mayaa || 40 ||
There is no end to my divine expressions, O scorcher of foes. For, what has been spoken of my expressions is (just) an indicator.
na : no
antaha : end
asti : there is
mama : my
divyaanaam : of divine
vibhooteenaam : expressions
parantapa : O scorcher of foes
eshaha : this
tu : for
udyeshataha : indicator
proktaha : has been spoken
vibhootehe : of the expressions
vistaraha : explanations
mayaa : my
Shri Krishna, speaking as Ishvara, began enumerating his divine expressions in the beginning of this chapter. As we have seen so far, he has highlighted the most glorious, powerful and awe-inspiring aspects of his creation. In this shloka, he admits that it is next to impossible to list every single aspect of creation. But he also asserts that every single aspect of creation is divine, since it has sprung out of Ishvara himself.
So if everything is divine, why should we seek only a subset of Ishvara’s creations? It is to help us move towards liberation. We tend to be drawn towards people or objects in that universe that naturally attract our senses. If we look at them as mere people or objects, we get bound to them through attachment, which will eventually result in sorrow when we get separated from them. But if we look at them as manifestations of Ishvara, we are automatically protected from further entangling ourselves in samsaara, in the desire-oriented world.
Let us go back to the example of Mr. X and his shiny new car. The seed of sorrow was planted the minute he started considering that “the car is mine”. Instead, if Mr. X thinks that the car is Ishvara’s creation, he will immediately drop his sense of “mine-ness” from it. Furthermore, he realizes that the car is a temporary object and will eventually cease to exist. He also comes to know that the sense of joy he derives from buying a new car is not from the car, but it is from the presence of Ishvara inside it. So if something happens to the car, he remains unaffected and unperturbed.
Now having gone through the list, we find that a 21st century person like us has difficulty identifying with Puraanic glories that would have been familiar to Arjuna. How should we deal with this issue? Shri Krishna gives the answer in the next shloka.
esha toodyeshataha prokto vibhootervistaro mayaa || 40 ||
There is no end to my divine expressions, O scorcher of foes. For, what has been spoken of my expressions is (just) an indicator.
na : no
antaha : end
asti : there is
mama : my
divyaanaam : of divine
vibhooteenaam : expressions
parantapa : O scorcher of foes
eshaha : this
tu : for
udyeshataha : indicator
proktaha : has been spoken
vibhootehe : of the expressions
vistaraha : explanations
mayaa : my
Shri Krishna, speaking as Ishvara, began enumerating his divine expressions in the beginning of this chapter. As we have seen so far, he has highlighted the most glorious, powerful and awe-inspiring aspects of his creation. In this shloka, he admits that it is next to impossible to list every single aspect of creation. But he also asserts that every single aspect of creation is divine, since it has sprung out of Ishvara himself.
So if everything is divine, why should we seek only a subset of Ishvara’s creations? It is to help us move towards liberation. We tend to be drawn towards people or objects in that universe that naturally attract our senses. If we look at them as mere people or objects, we get bound to them through attachment, which will eventually result in sorrow when we get separated from them. But if we look at them as manifestations of Ishvara, we are automatically protected from further entangling ourselves in samsaara, in the desire-oriented world.
Let us go back to the example of Mr. X and his shiny new car. The seed of sorrow was planted the minute he started considering that “the car is mine”. Instead, if Mr. X thinks that the car is Ishvara’s creation, he will immediately drop his sense of “mine-ness” from it. Furthermore, he realizes that the car is a temporary object and will eventually cease to exist. He also comes to know that the sense of joy he derives from buying a new car is not from the car, but it is from the presence of Ishvara inside it. So if something happens to the car, he remains unaffected and unperturbed.
Now having gone through the list, we find that a 21st century person like us has difficulty identifying with Puraanic glories that would have been familiar to Arjuna. How should we deal with this issue? Shri Krishna gives the answer in the next shloka.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 39, Chapter 10
yatchaapi sarvabhootaanaam beejam tadahamarjuna |
na tadasti vinaa yatsyaanmayaa bhootam charaacharam || 39 ||
And O Arjuna, whatsoever is the seed of all beings, I am that. No moving or non-moving being can exist without me.
yat : whatsoever
cha : and
api : also
sarvabhootaanaam : all beings
beejam : seed
tat : that
aham : I am
arjuna : Arjuna
na : it is not
tat : that
asti : there is
vinaa : without
yat: which
syaat : can exist
mayaa : me
bhootam : being
chara : moving
acharam : non-moving
Now Shri Krishna begins to conclude the teaching of this chapter. Having provided a long list of Ishvara's divine expressions, he now gives us a simple formula to recognize him. He says that whatever we come across in the world, whether it is a living or a non-living entity, or whether it is moving or stationary, it has arisen from the seed that is Ishvara. In other words, Ishvara is the cause or the seed of everything in this universe.
One way of understanding this is as follows. When we refer to an object, let’s say it’s a book, we say : “This is a book”. There are two aspects pointed out here. First is the book, which is quite obvious. But we also use the word “is” to indicate that the book exists, that the book is visible, and it will be visible to someone else. Shri Krishna says that the very existence of the book, the “is-ness” of the book, is nothing but Ishvara.
In other words, this entire universe will not exist without Ishvara. All of the names and forms in the universe use Ishvara are their basis. If we comprehend this, and develop our vision based on this knowledge, we will automatically see Ishvara everywhere, just like we automatically “see” electricity in every electrical gadget.
na tadasti vinaa yatsyaanmayaa bhootam charaacharam || 39 ||
And O Arjuna, whatsoever is the seed of all beings, I am that. No moving or non-moving being can exist without me.
yat : whatsoever
cha : and
api : also
sarvabhootaanaam : all beings
beejam : seed
tat : that
aham : I am
arjuna : Arjuna
na : it is not
tat : that
asti : there is
vinaa : without
yat: which
syaat : can exist
mayaa : me
bhootam : being
chara : moving
acharam : non-moving
Now Shri Krishna begins to conclude the teaching of this chapter. Having provided a long list of Ishvara's divine expressions, he now gives us a simple formula to recognize him. He says that whatever we come across in the world, whether it is a living or a non-living entity, or whether it is moving or stationary, it has arisen from the seed that is Ishvara. In other words, Ishvara is the cause or the seed of everything in this universe.
One way of understanding this is as follows. When we refer to an object, let’s say it’s a book, we say : “This is a book”. There are two aspects pointed out here. First is the book, which is quite obvious. But we also use the word “is” to indicate that the book exists, that the book is visible, and it will be visible to someone else. Shri Krishna says that the very existence of the book, the “is-ness” of the book, is nothing but Ishvara.
In other words, this entire universe will not exist without Ishvara. All of the names and forms in the universe use Ishvara are their basis. If we comprehend this, and develop our vision based on this knowledge, we will automatically see Ishvara everywhere, just like we automatically “see” electricity in every electrical gadget.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 38, Chapter 10
dando damayataamasmi neetirasmi jigeeshataam |
maunam chaivaasmi guhyaanaam jnyaanam jnyaanavataamaham || 38 ||
Among means of subjugation, I am punishment and among seekers of victory, I am strategy. Also, among the secrets I am silence and among the wise, I am knowledge.
dandaha : punishment
damayataam : among means of subjugation
asmi : I am
neetihi : strategy
asmi : I am
jigeeshataam : among seekers of victory
maunam : silence
cha : and
eva : also
asmi : I am
guhyaanaam : among the secrets
jnyaanam : knowledge
jnyaanavataam : among the wise
aham : I am
In this shloka, Shri Krishna declares punishment as foremost among Ishvara’s expressions that restrain or subdue others. As we have seen in the second chapter, dwelling on sense objects can very easily lead to loss of even a wise person’s wisdom and discrimination, which may result in unlawful behaviour. A society without methods to punish criminals is impractical, and will result in anarchy and chaos. From our standpoint, we need to watch our mind and our sense organs constantly, lest they lead us astray.
Next, we look at neeti or strategy. In the Mahabhaarata, Arjuna needed to finish Jayadratha in order to move closer to a victory. But the powerful Jayadratha had obtained a boon from his father. Whoever caused Jayadratha’s head to fall to the ground, their head would split into a hundred pieces. This was a tough situation and needed a smart solution.
Upon Shri Krishna’s advice, Arjuna dispatched an arrow that would sever Jayadratha’s head and deposited it into the lap of his father. When Jayadratha’s father got up, he dropped the head and became the target of his own curse. Shri Krishna, the ultimate strategist, declares strategy as Ishvara’s foremost expression among seekers of victory. Strategy enables us to deal with different people and circumstances, and to devise a plan to win every time.
“Silence is golden” is a proverb that has stood the test of time. In a business negotiation, we may be put in situations where others try to insult us in some way. We face a choice in such situations: we can either snap back at that person or we can stay silent. If we respond, we may say something that may come back to haunt us later. Worse still, we could reveal a secret that puts us in jeopardy.
To that end, Shri Krishna advises us to follow the “silence is golden” proverb by declaring silence as Ishvara’s foremost manifestation among secrets. And those wise people who follow Ishvara’s recommendations also receive their wisdom through Ishvara’s as his divine manifestation.
maunam chaivaasmi guhyaanaam jnyaanam jnyaanavataamaham || 38 ||
Among means of subjugation, I am punishment and among seekers of victory, I am strategy. Also, among the secrets I am silence and among the wise, I am knowledge.
dandaha : punishment
damayataam : among means of subjugation
asmi : I am
neetihi : strategy
asmi : I am
jigeeshataam : among seekers of victory
maunam : silence
cha : and
eva : also
asmi : I am
guhyaanaam : among the secrets
jnyaanam : knowledge
jnyaanavataam : among the wise
aham : I am
In this shloka, Shri Krishna declares punishment as foremost among Ishvara’s expressions that restrain or subdue others. As we have seen in the second chapter, dwelling on sense objects can very easily lead to loss of even a wise person’s wisdom and discrimination, which may result in unlawful behaviour. A society without methods to punish criminals is impractical, and will result in anarchy and chaos. From our standpoint, we need to watch our mind and our sense organs constantly, lest they lead us astray.
Next, we look at neeti or strategy. In the Mahabhaarata, Arjuna needed to finish Jayadratha in order to move closer to a victory. But the powerful Jayadratha had obtained a boon from his father. Whoever caused Jayadratha’s head to fall to the ground, their head would split into a hundred pieces. This was a tough situation and needed a smart solution.
Upon Shri Krishna’s advice, Arjuna dispatched an arrow that would sever Jayadratha’s head and deposited it into the lap of his father. When Jayadratha’s father got up, he dropped the head and became the target of his own curse. Shri Krishna, the ultimate strategist, declares strategy as Ishvara’s foremost expression among seekers of victory. Strategy enables us to deal with different people and circumstances, and to devise a plan to win every time.
“Silence is golden” is a proverb that has stood the test of time. In a business negotiation, we may be put in situations where others try to insult us in some way. We face a choice in such situations: we can either snap back at that person or we can stay silent. If we respond, we may say something that may come back to haunt us later. Worse still, we could reveal a secret that puts us in jeopardy.
To that end, Shri Krishna advises us to follow the “silence is golden” proverb by declaring silence as Ishvara’s foremost manifestation among secrets. And those wise people who follow Ishvara’s recommendations also receive their wisdom through Ishvara’s as his divine manifestation.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 37, Chapter 10
vrishneenaam vaasudevosmi paandavaanaam dhananjaya |
muneenaamapyaham vyaasaha kaveenaamushanaa kavihi || 37 ||
Among the Vrishnis, I am Vaasudeva and among the Paandavas, I am Dhananjaya. Also, among the sages I am Vyaasa and among the seers I am Ushanaa the seer.
vrishneenaam : among the Vrishnis
vaasudevaha : Vaasudeva
asmi : I am
paandavaanaam : among the Paandavas
dhananjaya : I am Dhananjaya
muneenaam : among the sages
api : also
aham : I am
vyaasaha : Vyaasa
kaveenaam : among the seers
ushanaa : Ushanaa
kavihi : the seer
One of the many names of Shri Krishna is Vaarshaneya, which means one who is born in the clan of Vrishni. The Vrishnis are said to have descended from king Yadu who started the major branch of the Chandravanshis, the lunar dynasty. Being the most prominent of the Vrishni clan, Shri Krishna declares himself as Ishvara’s manifestation.
The Bhagavad Gita could never have been possible without Arjuna asking the questions, and without Sage Vyaasa writing the Mahaabhaarata epic. In that regard, Shri Krishna declares both of them as Ishvara’s divine manifestations. Furthermore, both Arjuna and Vyaasa were prominent in their own right. Arjuna was the only undefeated warrior in the Mahaabhaarata war, and also the greatest archer of his time. Sage Vyaasa is credited with having divided the Vedas into four branches, and also with writing the major Puraanaas and the Brahma Sutra.
The word “Kavi” means one who is a visionary, one who can foresee what is coming due to the mastery of his academic prowess. Ushana, also known as Shukraachaarya, is revered in the Indian tradition as one of the foremost gurus or teachers. He learnt the technique of reviving the dead from Lord Shiva, also known as Sanjeevani vidya. He later became the guru of the asuraas or demons, but never inherited any of their traits. Shukra-vaar, the day of his birth, is the name used for Friday in India. Shri Krishna declares Shukraachaarya as Ishvara’s expression.
muneenaamapyaham vyaasaha kaveenaamushanaa kavihi || 37 ||
Among the Vrishnis, I am Vaasudeva and among the Paandavas, I am Dhananjaya. Also, among the sages I am Vyaasa and among the seers I am Ushanaa the seer.
vrishneenaam : among the Vrishnis
vaasudevaha : Vaasudeva
asmi : I am
paandavaanaam : among the Paandavas
dhananjaya : I am Dhananjaya
muneenaam : among the sages
api : also
aham : I am
vyaasaha : Vyaasa
kaveenaam : among the seers
ushanaa : Ushanaa
kavihi : the seer
One of the many names of Shri Krishna is Vaarshaneya, which means one who is born in the clan of Vrishni. The Vrishnis are said to have descended from king Yadu who started the major branch of the Chandravanshis, the lunar dynasty. Being the most prominent of the Vrishni clan, Shri Krishna declares himself as Ishvara’s manifestation.
The Bhagavad Gita could never have been possible without Arjuna asking the questions, and without Sage Vyaasa writing the Mahaabhaarata epic. In that regard, Shri Krishna declares both of them as Ishvara’s divine manifestations. Furthermore, both Arjuna and Vyaasa were prominent in their own right. Arjuna was the only undefeated warrior in the Mahaabhaarata war, and also the greatest archer of his time. Sage Vyaasa is credited with having divided the Vedas into four branches, and also with writing the major Puraanaas and the Brahma Sutra.
The word “Kavi” means one who is a visionary, one who can foresee what is coming due to the mastery of his academic prowess. Ushana, also known as Shukraachaarya, is revered in the Indian tradition as one of the foremost gurus or teachers. He learnt the technique of reviving the dead from Lord Shiva, also known as Sanjeevani vidya. He later became the guru of the asuraas or demons, but never inherited any of their traits. Shukra-vaar, the day of his birth, is the name used for Friday in India. Shri Krishna declares Shukraachaarya as Ishvara’s expression.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 36, Chapter 10
dyootam chalayataamasmi tejastejasvinaamaham |
jayosmi vyavasaayosmi sattvam sattvavataamaham || 36 ||
Among deceitful pursuits, I am gambling. I am the splendour in the brilliant and I am victory and determination. I am the Sattva of Saatvic individuals.
dyootam : gambling
chalayataam : among the deceitful
asmi : I am
tejaha : splendour
tejasvinaam : brilliant
aham : I am
jayaha : victory
asmi : I am
vyavasaayaha : determination
asmi : I am
sattvam : Sattva
sattvavataamaham : Saatvic individuals
As we have seen throughout the Gita, Ishvara uses the power of his maaya to create this universe of duality. So if everything that we consider “good” is Ishvara, its polar opposite is also Ishvara. To underscore this point, Shri Krishna brings forward gambling as Ishvara’s manifestation.
Most of us are under the sway of maaya. If we let maaya have her way, she can steal our faculty of discrimination, our intellect that can distinguish right from wrong. Of all the possible ways of deluding and deceiving us, gambling is the strongest form of maaya. Like any addiction, it can cause great attachment and ultimately result in great sorrow. In the Srimad Bhaagavatam, the demon Kali was asked to reside wherever there is gambling.
Conversely, there are those among us who are endowed with a sharp intellect, one that never loses its power of discrimination. Nobel prize winners, freedom fighters, scientists, the list goes on. Shri Krishna says that it is Ishvara who is shining as the brilliance of such luminaries. Whenever we come across such individuals, we may feel inferior against their prowess. But there is no need to do so, because it is Ishvara that is giving them their brilliance.
Even if most of us are not endowed with such intellectual faculties, we can accomplish great things if we are hardworking, industrious and focused. People with very little mental and financial resources, through blood, sweat and tears, have shown that it is possible to succeed in spite of their limitations. Shri Krishna says that Ishvara manifests as their hard work, and also as the victory that comes as a result of this effort.
Sattva, along with rajas and tamas, comprise the three basic building blocks of maaya or prakriti. When any system is working in perfect harmony, without any fluctuations or disturbances, we can say that the Sattva quality has manifested. So when our intellect is functioning without any agitations, when we see things clearly, it indicates that sattva has dominated over rajas and tamas. Ishvara manifests as this sattva in people who demonstrate virtues such as modesty, calmness, sobriety and goodness.
jayosmi vyavasaayosmi sattvam sattvavataamaham || 36 ||
Among deceitful pursuits, I am gambling. I am the splendour in the brilliant and I am victory and determination. I am the Sattva of Saatvic individuals.
dyootam : gambling
chalayataam : among the deceitful
asmi : I am
tejaha : splendour
tejasvinaam : brilliant
aham : I am
jayaha : victory
asmi : I am
vyavasaayaha : determination
asmi : I am
sattvam : Sattva
sattvavataamaham : Saatvic individuals
As we have seen throughout the Gita, Ishvara uses the power of his maaya to create this universe of duality. So if everything that we consider “good” is Ishvara, its polar opposite is also Ishvara. To underscore this point, Shri Krishna brings forward gambling as Ishvara’s manifestation.
Most of us are under the sway of maaya. If we let maaya have her way, she can steal our faculty of discrimination, our intellect that can distinguish right from wrong. Of all the possible ways of deluding and deceiving us, gambling is the strongest form of maaya. Like any addiction, it can cause great attachment and ultimately result in great sorrow. In the Srimad Bhaagavatam, the demon Kali was asked to reside wherever there is gambling.
Conversely, there are those among us who are endowed with a sharp intellect, one that never loses its power of discrimination. Nobel prize winners, freedom fighters, scientists, the list goes on. Shri Krishna says that it is Ishvara who is shining as the brilliance of such luminaries. Whenever we come across such individuals, we may feel inferior against their prowess. But there is no need to do so, because it is Ishvara that is giving them their brilliance.
Even if most of us are not endowed with such intellectual faculties, we can accomplish great things if we are hardworking, industrious and focused. People with very little mental and financial resources, through blood, sweat and tears, have shown that it is possible to succeed in spite of their limitations. Shri Krishna says that Ishvara manifests as their hard work, and also as the victory that comes as a result of this effort.
Sattva, along with rajas and tamas, comprise the three basic building blocks of maaya or prakriti. When any system is working in perfect harmony, without any fluctuations or disturbances, we can say that the Sattva quality has manifested. So when our intellect is functioning without any agitations, when we see things clearly, it indicates that sattva has dominated over rajas and tamas. Ishvara manifests as this sattva in people who demonstrate virtues such as modesty, calmness, sobriety and goodness.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 35, Chapter 10
brihatsaama tathaa saamnaa gaayatraa chandasaamaham |
maasaanaam margasheershohamritoonaam kusumaakaraha || 35 ||
Among the Saamas I am Brihat-saama, also, among the poetic metres I am Gaayatri. Among the months I am Maargasheersha, and among the seasons I am spring.
brihatsaama : Brihat-saama
tathaa : also
saamnaa : among the Saamas
gaayatraa : Gaayatri
chandasaam : among the lyrical metres
aham : I am
maasaanaam : among the months
margasheershaha : Maargasheersha
aham : I am
ritoonaam : among the seasons
kusumaakaraha : spring
Previously, we came across the Saama Veda as one of Ishvara’s manifestations. Within the Saama Veda, there is a chant called the Brihat-Saama mantra, an invocation that is sung for praising Lord Indra. Since it is Brihat, the most potent and powerful among the Saama Veda mantras, Shri Krishna terms it as a foremost expression of Ishvara.
In prior chapters of the, we have seen the use of the poetic metre as a tool to emphasize the change in topic. Let us delve deeper into this. The Gita is composed in the “Anushtup chandas” . Chandas means metre. It is made up of 4 lines or padas, each comprising 8 syllables. For example, let us see a famous shloka: “ya-da-ya-da-hi-dharm-as-ya”. It contains 8 syllables. There are 3 more lines like this. So we get 8 times 4 equals 32 syllables.
The Gaayatri mantra is considered to be the root and essence of all Vedic mantras. It is composed in a metre of the same name. The Gaayatri metre is made up of 4 lines each comprising 6 syllables. The first line is “tat-sa-vi-tur-vareni-yam”. Therefore the Gaayatri mantra as well as the associated metre, foremost among all the mantras, are Ishvara’s expression.
Next, Shri Krishna elaborates upon weather and seasons. He says that among all the months, Ishvara is the month of Maargasheersha of the Indian calendar. It corresponds to the November-December time period and culminates in the festival of Makara Sankranti. He then goes on to say that among the seasons, Ishvara is Kusumaakara, which refers to spring, the flower-bearing season. Both Margasheersha and Kusumaakara are not too hot and not too cold. They are conducive to generating serenity in the mind, and that is why they are considered foremost expressions of Ishvara.
maasaanaam margasheershohamritoonaam kusumaakaraha || 35 ||
Among the Saamas I am Brihat-saama, also, among the poetic metres I am Gaayatri. Among the months I am Maargasheersha, and among the seasons I am spring.
brihatsaama : Brihat-saama
tathaa : also
saamnaa : among the Saamas
gaayatraa : Gaayatri
chandasaam : among the lyrical metres
aham : I am
maasaanaam : among the months
margasheershaha : Maargasheersha
aham : I am
ritoonaam : among the seasons
kusumaakaraha : spring
Previously, we came across the Saama Veda as one of Ishvara’s manifestations. Within the Saama Veda, there is a chant called the Brihat-Saama mantra, an invocation that is sung for praising Lord Indra. Since it is Brihat, the most potent and powerful among the Saama Veda mantras, Shri Krishna terms it as a foremost expression of Ishvara.
In prior chapters of the, we have seen the use of the poetic metre as a tool to emphasize the change in topic. Let us delve deeper into this. The Gita is composed in the “Anushtup chandas” . Chandas means metre. It is made up of 4 lines or padas, each comprising 8 syllables. For example, let us see a famous shloka: “ya-da-ya-da-hi-dharm-as-ya”. It contains 8 syllables. There are 3 more lines like this. So we get 8 times 4 equals 32 syllables.
The Gaayatri mantra is considered to be the root and essence of all Vedic mantras. It is composed in a metre of the same name. The Gaayatri metre is made up of 4 lines each comprising 6 syllables. The first line is “tat-sa-vi-tur-vareni-yam”. Therefore the Gaayatri mantra as well as the associated metre, foremost among all the mantras, are Ishvara’s expression.
Next, Shri Krishna elaborates upon weather and seasons. He says that among all the months, Ishvara is the month of Maargasheersha of the Indian calendar. It corresponds to the November-December time period and culminates in the festival of Makara Sankranti. He then goes on to say that among the seasons, Ishvara is Kusumaakara, which refers to spring, the flower-bearing season. Both Margasheersha and Kusumaakara are not too hot and not too cold. They are conducive to generating serenity in the mind, and that is why they are considered foremost expressions of Ishvara.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 34, Chapter 10
mrityuhu sarvaharashchaahamudbhavashcha bhavishyataam |
keertihi shreervaakcha naareenaam smritirmedhaa dhritihi kshamaa || 34 ||
I am death, destroyer of all. I am what emerges in the future. Among women I am fame, wealth, speech, memory, retention, fortitude and forgiveness.
mrityuhu : death
sarvaharaha : destroyer of all
cha : and
aham : I am
udbhavaha : emerges
cha : and
bhavishyataam : future
keertihi : fame
shreehi : wealth
vaak : speech
cha : and
naareenaam : among women
smritihi : memory
medhaa : retention
dhritihi : fortitude
kshamaa : forgiveness
We continue our journey through the manifestations of Ishvara. In order to remind us of the ephemeral nature of life, Shri Krishna says that among those forces that destroy things, Ishvara is death, the ultimate destroyer. Death is closely intertwined with time since everything is destroyed in the course of time.
In the Puranaas, Lord Shiva commences the act of dissolution by performing a dance called “taandava nritya”, his drum called “damru” in hand. After dissolution is complete, Ishvara then emerges as the creative principle to begin the next round of creation. Ishvara is the “stuff” of the universe, as well as the energy pervading it.
So far, we have come across several manifestations of Ishvara. At times, we may find hard to connect some of these manifestations because we are not familiar with them. Shri Krishna is careful to not alienate us. He now provides a list of qualities that we see in ourselves and in others every day.
These qualities are : keerti (name and fame on account of performing virtuous deeds), shree (beauty and wealth), vaak (refined speech), smiriti (memory of events), medhaa (ability to retain information that was read), dhriti (fortitude in the face of exhaustion) and kshama (forgiveness in the face of sorrow). In Sanskrit grammar these words are feminine nouns. Shri Krishna says that Ishvara manifests himself as one or all of these qualities in people.
keertihi shreervaakcha naareenaam smritirmedhaa dhritihi kshamaa || 34 ||
I am death, destroyer of all. I am what emerges in the future. Among women I am fame, wealth, speech, memory, retention, fortitude and forgiveness.
mrityuhu : death
sarvaharaha : destroyer of all
cha : and
aham : I am
udbhavaha : emerges
cha : and
bhavishyataam : future
keertihi : fame
shreehi : wealth
vaak : speech
cha : and
naareenaam : among women
smritihi : memory
medhaa : retention
dhritihi : fortitude
kshamaa : forgiveness
We continue our journey through the manifestations of Ishvara. In order to remind us of the ephemeral nature of life, Shri Krishna says that among those forces that destroy things, Ishvara is death, the ultimate destroyer. Death is closely intertwined with time since everything is destroyed in the course of time.
In the Puranaas, Lord Shiva commences the act of dissolution by performing a dance called “taandava nritya”, his drum called “damru” in hand. After dissolution is complete, Ishvara then emerges as the creative principle to begin the next round of creation. Ishvara is the “stuff” of the universe, as well as the energy pervading it.
So far, we have come across several manifestations of Ishvara. At times, we may find hard to connect some of these manifestations because we are not familiar with them. Shri Krishna is careful to not alienate us. He now provides a list of qualities that we see in ourselves and in others every day.
These qualities are : keerti (name and fame on account of performing virtuous deeds), shree (beauty and wealth), vaak (refined speech), smiriti (memory of events), medhaa (ability to retain information that was read), dhriti (fortitude in the face of exhaustion) and kshama (forgiveness in the face of sorrow). In Sanskrit grammar these words are feminine nouns. Shri Krishna says that Ishvara manifests himself as one or all of these qualities in people.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 33, Chapter 10
aksharaanaamakaarosmi dvandvaha saamasikasya cha |
ahamevaakshyaha kaalo dhaataaham vishvatomukham || 33 ||
Among the alphabets I am “A” and among grammatical compounds I am Dvandva. I only am the inexhaustible time. I am the provider facing all directions.
aksharaanaam : among the alphabets
akaaraha : “a”
asmi : I am
dvandvaha : Dvandva
saamasikasya : among grammatical compounds
cha : and
aham : I am
eva : only
akshyaha : inexhaustible
kaalaha : time
dhaataaham : provider
vishvatomukhaha : facing all directions
The word “akshara” means letter, but also means imperishable. Shri Krishna says that among the aksharas, the imperishable letters, Ishvara is manifested foremost in the letter “a”. No letter can be pronounced without the support of “a”. For example, the consonant “k” cannot be pronounced without adding an “a” to make it “ka”. It is said that each letter has a presiding deity, and Lord Brahma is the presiding deity of “a”. Given its importance, it is Ishvara’s manifestation.
Next, we delve into Sanskrit grammar. It has four types of compounds called avyavi, tatpurusha, bahuvreehee and dvandva. A compound joins two words. The dvandva compound gives equal importance to both words that are joined. For example: Raamalakshmanau is a dvandva compound. The other three compounds assign different levels of importance to the words that are joined. Since Dvandva, like Ishvara, maintains sameness between two objects, it is the foremost expression of Ishvara.
Previously, time was mentioned as the ultimate counter. Here, time is taken up in its infinite nature. It is that infinite time, “kaala”, which is prevalent before, during and after the creation of the universe. Ishvara, as the manifestation of infinite time, is the controller of Prakriti who is the provider of fruits of everyone’s action. His omnipresence and omniscience, indicated by the phrase “facing all directions”, ensures that everyone gets exactly what they deserve.
So whenever we read literature in both prose and poetry form, or when we contemplate the results of our actions, we should always realize that it is Ishvara working through all of them.
ahamevaakshyaha kaalo dhaataaham vishvatomukham || 33 ||
Among the alphabets I am “A” and among grammatical compounds I am Dvandva. I only am the inexhaustible time. I am the provider facing all directions.
aksharaanaam : among the alphabets
akaaraha : “a”
asmi : I am
dvandvaha : Dvandva
saamasikasya : among grammatical compounds
cha : and
aham : I am
eva : only
akshyaha : inexhaustible
kaalaha : time
dhaataaham : provider
vishvatomukhaha : facing all directions
The word “akshara” means letter, but also means imperishable. Shri Krishna says that among the aksharas, the imperishable letters, Ishvara is manifested foremost in the letter “a”. No letter can be pronounced without the support of “a”. For example, the consonant “k” cannot be pronounced without adding an “a” to make it “ka”. It is said that each letter has a presiding deity, and Lord Brahma is the presiding deity of “a”. Given its importance, it is Ishvara’s manifestation.
Next, we delve into Sanskrit grammar. It has four types of compounds called avyavi, tatpurusha, bahuvreehee and dvandva. A compound joins two words. The dvandva compound gives equal importance to both words that are joined. For example: Raamalakshmanau is a dvandva compound. The other three compounds assign different levels of importance to the words that are joined. Since Dvandva, like Ishvara, maintains sameness between two objects, it is the foremost expression of Ishvara.
Previously, time was mentioned as the ultimate counter. Here, time is taken up in its infinite nature. It is that infinite time, “kaala”, which is prevalent before, during and after the creation of the universe. Ishvara, as the manifestation of infinite time, is the controller of Prakriti who is the provider of fruits of everyone’s action. His omnipresence and omniscience, indicated by the phrase “facing all directions”, ensures that everyone gets exactly what they deserve.
So whenever we read literature in both prose and poetry form, or when we contemplate the results of our actions, we should always realize that it is Ishvara working through all of them.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 32, Chapter 10
sargaanaamaadirantashcha madhyam chaivaahamarjuna |
adhyaatmavidyaa vidyaanaam vaadaha pravadataamaham || 32 ||
Among the creations, I only am the beginning, end and middle, O Arjuna. Among the sciences I am spiritual science and among the debates I am Vaada.
sargaanaam : among the creations
aadihi : beginning
antaha : end
cha : and
madhyam : middle
cha : and
eva : only
aham : I am
arjuna : O Arjuna
adhyaatmavidyaa : spiritual science
vidyaanaam : among the sciences
vaadaha : Vaada
pravadataam : among the debates
aham : I am
To ensure that we do not get carried away by getting stuck in specific manifestations of Ishvara, Shri Krishna addresses Arjuna and reiterates that Ishvara is in everything and at all times. As Brahma, he creates the universe, as Vishnu he sustains the universe and as Shiva, he dissolves the universe. But Ishvara is ever present, he does not go away during any of these activities.
Next, Shri Krishna takes up the subject of knowledge. For most of us, knowledge refers either to academic knowledge, career-enhancing knowledge or knowledge about something we enjoy doing such as arts or literature. Although such knowledge has its place in our life, it is secondary or lower knowledge. It is “aparaa vidyaa”.
Why is it secondary? Such knowledge keeps us engaged in the material world, in Prakriti or in Maaya. We tend to correct, change and rearrange our life situations, but none of these yield lasting happiness. We do not look to correcting the real problem, which is our understanding of our own self. Only spiritual knowledge, knowledge of our own self, has the power to take us out of the material world and towards Ishvara. This is why Shri Krishna praises “adhyaatma vidyaa”, spiritual knowledge among all types of knowledge.
We now come to the topic of debates. In all spheres of life, a conversation between two people where one is trying to influence other is extremely important. In the US, debates between two presidential candidates can make or break their chances of winning. In general, there are three kinds of debates.
In “Jalpa”, the speaker wants to prove his point and bring down his opponent, no matter how sound or logical the opponent’s argument. In “Vitanda”, the speaker does not have any point to make, he just wants to bring down his opponent. Only in “Vaada” do both speakers listen to each other and push each other to ensure that the most logical argument prevails, not that one or the other speaker wins. Shri Krishna says that such a debate that places logic above ego is Ishvara’s foremost expression.
adhyaatmavidyaa vidyaanaam vaadaha pravadataamaham || 32 ||
Among the creations, I only am the beginning, end and middle, O Arjuna. Among the sciences I am spiritual science and among the debates I am Vaada.
sargaanaam : among the creations
aadihi : beginning
antaha : end
cha : and
madhyam : middle
cha : and
eva : only
aham : I am
arjuna : O Arjuna
adhyaatmavidyaa : spiritual science
vidyaanaam : among the sciences
vaadaha : Vaada
pravadataam : among the debates
aham : I am
To ensure that we do not get carried away by getting stuck in specific manifestations of Ishvara, Shri Krishna addresses Arjuna and reiterates that Ishvara is in everything and at all times. As Brahma, he creates the universe, as Vishnu he sustains the universe and as Shiva, he dissolves the universe. But Ishvara is ever present, he does not go away during any of these activities.
Next, Shri Krishna takes up the subject of knowledge. For most of us, knowledge refers either to academic knowledge, career-enhancing knowledge or knowledge about something we enjoy doing such as arts or literature. Although such knowledge has its place in our life, it is secondary or lower knowledge. It is “aparaa vidyaa”.
Why is it secondary? Such knowledge keeps us engaged in the material world, in Prakriti or in Maaya. We tend to correct, change and rearrange our life situations, but none of these yield lasting happiness. We do not look to correcting the real problem, which is our understanding of our own self. Only spiritual knowledge, knowledge of our own self, has the power to take us out of the material world and towards Ishvara. This is why Shri Krishna praises “adhyaatma vidyaa”, spiritual knowledge among all types of knowledge.
We now come to the topic of debates. In all spheres of life, a conversation between two people where one is trying to influence other is extremely important. In the US, debates between two presidential candidates can make or break their chances of winning. In general, there are three kinds of debates.
In “Jalpa”, the speaker wants to prove his point and bring down his opponent, no matter how sound or logical the opponent’s argument. In “Vitanda”, the speaker does not have any point to make, he just wants to bring down his opponent. Only in “Vaada” do both speakers listen to each other and push each other to ensure that the most logical argument prevails, not that one or the other speaker wins. Shri Krishna says that such a debate that places logic above ego is Ishvara’s foremost expression.
Monday, October 1, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 31, Chapter 10
pavanaha pavataamasmi raamaha shashtrabhritaamaham |
jhashaanaam makarashachaasmi strotasaamasmi jaahnavee || 31 ||
Among the purifiers I am the wind and among the weapon wielders I am Raama. Among the sea creatures I am the crocodile and among the rivers I am Gangaa.
pavanaha : wind
pavataam : among the purifiers
asmi : I am
raamaha : Raama
shashtrabhritaam : among the weapon wielders
aham : I am
jhashaanaam : sea creatures
makaraha : crocodile
cha : and
asmi : I am
strotasaam : among the rivers
asmi : I am
jaahnavee : Gangaa
Shri Krishna begins this shloka with the topic of purification. He says that wind is the foremost expression of Ishvara among all of the purifiers in the world. We know this from experience. Deep inhalation and exhalation removes several toxins from the body. If a room has been locked for a long time, the first thing we do is to open the window.
Lord Raama is also known as “Kodanda Paani”, the wielder of weapons. Among all of the weapon wielders in the world, Lord Raama is the foremost. This is because although he was adept at wielding several types of weapons, he only used them as a last resort when no other methods of diplomacy worked. In the Raamayana, we can see numerous instances when he killed Rakshasaas after they did not heed his warning.
Now, just like we saw power and majesty in the Lion, we see power and majesty in the giant whale and the crocodile. “Makara” refers either to crocodile or the giant whale. Both of these are powerful sea creatures. Shri Krishna says that among the sea creatures, Ishvara’s foremost expression is the Makara.
Among the rivers, Ishvara is Jaahnavi or Gangaa. Jaahnavi refers to the daughter of sage Jahnu. It is said that the Gangaa’s turbulent waters disturbed the meditation of sage Jahnu. Angered, he drank her, and only released her when the gods prayed to him. Furthermore, knowledge, just like the river Gangaa, flows from a higher plane to a lower plane, and is perennial. Also, knowledge purifies, just like a river purifies.
So whenever we feel the wind, when we see weapons used justly, when we behold the giant whale or the mighty river, we should know that all these are Ishvara’s manifestations.
jhashaanaam makarashachaasmi strotasaamasmi jaahnavee || 31 ||
Among the purifiers I am the wind and among the weapon wielders I am Raama. Among the sea creatures I am the crocodile and among the rivers I am Gangaa.
pavanaha : wind
pavataam : among the purifiers
asmi : I am
raamaha : Raama
shashtrabhritaam : among the weapon wielders
aham : I am
jhashaanaam : sea creatures
makaraha : crocodile
cha : and
asmi : I am
strotasaam : among the rivers
asmi : I am
jaahnavee : Gangaa
Shri Krishna begins this shloka with the topic of purification. He says that wind is the foremost expression of Ishvara among all of the purifiers in the world. We know this from experience. Deep inhalation and exhalation removes several toxins from the body. If a room has been locked for a long time, the first thing we do is to open the window.
Lord Raama is also known as “Kodanda Paani”, the wielder of weapons. Among all of the weapon wielders in the world, Lord Raama is the foremost. This is because although he was adept at wielding several types of weapons, he only used them as a last resort when no other methods of diplomacy worked. In the Raamayana, we can see numerous instances when he killed Rakshasaas after they did not heed his warning.
Now, just like we saw power and majesty in the Lion, we see power and majesty in the giant whale and the crocodile. “Makara” refers either to crocodile or the giant whale. Both of these are powerful sea creatures. Shri Krishna says that among the sea creatures, Ishvara’s foremost expression is the Makara.
Among the rivers, Ishvara is Jaahnavi or Gangaa. Jaahnavi refers to the daughter of sage Jahnu. It is said that the Gangaa’s turbulent waters disturbed the meditation of sage Jahnu. Angered, he drank her, and only released her when the gods prayed to him. Furthermore, knowledge, just like the river Gangaa, flows from a higher plane to a lower plane, and is perennial. Also, knowledge purifies, just like a river purifies.
So whenever we feel the wind, when we see weapons used justly, when we behold the giant whale or the mighty river, we should know that all these are Ishvara’s manifestations.
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