buddherbhedam dhrityeshchaiva gunatastrividham shrunu |
prochyamaanamasheshena prithaktvena dhananjaya || 29 ||
According to gunaas, intellect and fortitude are said to be of three types also. Listen to this, completely and with its distinctions, O Dhananjaya.
buddhehe : intellect
bhedam : types
dhritehe : fortitude
cha : and
eva : also
gunataha : according to gunaas
trividham : three
shrunu : listen
prochyamaanam : are said
asheshena : completely
prithaktvena : with their distinctions
dhananjaya : O Dhananjaya
To recap the teaching so far, Shri Krishna provided a three fold classification of knowledge, action and the doer. Jnyaanam or knowledge prompts an individual to perform an action. The kartaa or doer is the state of mind while performing the action. Now, although the knowledge or jnyaanam aspect supplies the doer with the target of action, it does not prescribe a plan of action as to how to get that object. Therefore, the buddhi, the intellect, gives the course of action.
Once the intellect has determined the course of action, the doer needs to hold on to that course of action, and not arbitrarily get distracted or change its tactics. The quality of holding on to something in spite of obstacles is known as dhriti or fortitude. Shri Krishna says that intellect and fortitude are part of Prakriti’s gunaas. So they also are divided into three types. He proceeds to describe them in the next six shlokas. He also emphasizes that he will give a complete description, without leaving anything out.
So then, jnyaanam is the goal, buddhi is the plan and dhriti is adherence to the plan. Even in our daily life we see that different people can get the same outcome through different plans. And some people fail in face of obstacles, while some people persevere. Some people see a roadblock as an opportunity to think outside the box, whereas some people are completely flummoxed. Understanding how to plan and how to stick to the plan has benefits in the material path as well as the spiritual.
Showing posts with label prithaktvena. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prithaktvena. Show all posts
Monday, June 17, 2013
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Bhagavad Gita Verse 21, Chapter 18
prithaktvena tu yajjnyaanam naanaabhaavaanprithagvidhaan |
vetti sarveshu bhooteshu tajjnyaanam viddhi raajasam || 21 ||
But, know that knowledge to be raajasic which, in all things, understands various kinds of different entities as distinct.
prithaktvena : distinct
tu : but
yat : which
jnyaanam : knowledge
naanaabhaavaan : different entities
prithagvidhaan : various kinds
vetti : understands
sarveshu : all
bhooteshu : things
tat : that
jnyaanam : knowledge
viddhi : know
raajasam : raajasic
Bollywood movies used to have a formulaic plot regarding two brothers separated at birth. Many times they would confront each other, and even try to kill each other, until the moment when someone told them that they were brothers. Within a second, the two brothers would reconcile their differences, join forces, and confront their common enemy. From an external and sensory standpoint, nothing changed. Only their knowledge became saattvic, since they now knew that they had their mother in common.
According to Shri Krishna, that knowledge which agrees with the report of the senses, which sees distinction between our self and the world, which sees divisions and separateness, that knowledge is raajasic. Everything is taken at face value. Saattvic knowledge, on the other hand, sees unity in diversity. Now raajasic vision is necessary from a vyavahaaric level, a transactional level, otherwise daily life would not be possible. If a businessman viewed everyone as his own self, he would not be able to survive. But if he maintained the attitude of business with his family, his knowledge would be confused and mixed up.
Most of us, it is safe to say, possess raajasic knowledge. We see our body as a unit separate and distinct from everyone else. Each person has a different aatmaa, a different self. Raajasic knowledge stays at the level of naama roopa, of name and form. It is easier, even enticing, to think at the level of name and form than to think at the level of what’s common between the names and forms. A slightly evolved version of raajasic knowledge takes the entire family unit as one entity. Whenever a good happens to our brother, it is as if that good has happened to us. When our parents suffer a loss, we suffer with them.
vetti sarveshu bhooteshu tajjnyaanam viddhi raajasam || 21 ||
But, know that knowledge to be raajasic which, in all things, understands various kinds of different entities as distinct.
prithaktvena : distinct
tu : but
yat : which
jnyaanam : knowledge
naanaabhaavaan : different entities
prithagvidhaan : various kinds
vetti : understands
sarveshu : all
bhooteshu : things
tat : that
jnyaanam : knowledge
viddhi : know
raajasam : raajasic
Bollywood movies used to have a formulaic plot regarding two brothers separated at birth. Many times they would confront each other, and even try to kill each other, until the moment when someone told them that they were brothers. Within a second, the two brothers would reconcile their differences, join forces, and confront their common enemy. From an external and sensory standpoint, nothing changed. Only their knowledge became saattvic, since they now knew that they had their mother in common.
According to Shri Krishna, that knowledge which agrees with the report of the senses, which sees distinction between our self and the world, which sees divisions and separateness, that knowledge is raajasic. Everything is taken at face value. Saattvic knowledge, on the other hand, sees unity in diversity. Now raajasic vision is necessary from a vyavahaaric level, a transactional level, otherwise daily life would not be possible. If a businessman viewed everyone as his own self, he would not be able to survive. But if he maintained the attitude of business with his family, his knowledge would be confused and mixed up.
Most of us, it is safe to say, possess raajasic knowledge. We see our body as a unit separate and distinct from everyone else. Each person has a different aatmaa, a different self. Raajasic knowledge stays at the level of naama roopa, of name and form. It is easier, even enticing, to think at the level of name and form than to think at the level of what’s common between the names and forms. A slightly evolved version of raajasic knowledge takes the entire family unit as one entity. Whenever a good happens to our brother, it is as if that good has happened to us. When our parents suffer a loss, we suffer with them.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Bhagavad Gita Verse 15, Chapter 9
jnyaanayagnena chaapyanye yajanto maamupaasate |
ekatvena prithaktvena bahudhaa vishvatomukham || 15 ||
Others, offering the sacrifice of knowledge, worship me with oneness, separateness and also multifaceted diversity.
jnyaanayagnena : sacrifice of knowledge
cha : and
api : also
anye : others
yajantaha : offer
maam : me
upaasate : worship
ekatvena : oneness
prithaktvena : separateness
bahudhaa : diversity
vishvatomukham : multifaceted
Shri Krishna radically defines our notion of Ishvara worship in this shloka. He says that recalling and remembering the infinite nature of Ishvara throughout our lives is a form of worship called jnyaana yaganya or the sacrifice of knowledge. Unlike most forms of worship, we can perform it without any effort anytime, anywhere. All we have to do is to learn to see Ishvara in everything.
There are several spiritual traditions that have somewhat differing notions of Ishvara’s nature. The tradition of Adi Shankaracharya, which this book tries to follow closely, views the jeeva and Ishvara as one. Acharya Ramanuja’s tradition views jeeva as a part of Ishvara. Acharya Madhva’s tradition views the jeeva and Ishvara as separate entities. Shri Krishna enumerates all of these viewpoints in this shloka, then reconciles all three by saying that all are equally valid as sacrifices of knowledge.
Regardless of the tradition followed, Shri Krishna urges us to continuously perform the sacrifice of knowledge so that we weaken our individuality while strengthening our faith in Ishvara. When we see more Ishvara in everything and everyone, our likes and dislikes start thinning down as well. We also begin to realize that all our joys and sorrows are tied to our actions, and so we begin to treat everything as a “prasaada” or Ishvara’s gift.
Shri Krishna now begins to give us pointers on where and how to see Ishvara.
ekatvena prithaktvena bahudhaa vishvatomukham || 15 ||
Others, offering the sacrifice of knowledge, worship me with oneness, separateness and also multifaceted diversity.
jnyaanayagnena : sacrifice of knowledge
cha : and
api : also
anye : others
yajantaha : offer
maam : me
upaasate : worship
ekatvena : oneness
prithaktvena : separateness
bahudhaa : diversity
vishvatomukham : multifaceted
Shri Krishna radically defines our notion of Ishvara worship in this shloka. He says that recalling and remembering the infinite nature of Ishvara throughout our lives is a form of worship called jnyaana yaganya or the sacrifice of knowledge. Unlike most forms of worship, we can perform it without any effort anytime, anywhere. All we have to do is to learn to see Ishvara in everything.
There are several spiritual traditions that have somewhat differing notions of Ishvara’s nature. The tradition of Adi Shankaracharya, which this book tries to follow closely, views the jeeva and Ishvara as one. Acharya Ramanuja’s tradition views jeeva as a part of Ishvara. Acharya Madhva’s tradition views the jeeva and Ishvara as separate entities. Shri Krishna enumerates all of these viewpoints in this shloka, then reconciles all three by saying that all are equally valid as sacrifices of knowledge.
Regardless of the tradition followed, Shri Krishna urges us to continuously perform the sacrifice of knowledge so that we weaken our individuality while strengthening our faith in Ishvara. When we see more Ishvara in everything and everyone, our likes and dislikes start thinning down as well. We also begin to realize that all our joys and sorrows are tied to our actions, and so we begin to treat everything as a “prasaada” or Ishvara’s gift.
Shri Krishna now begins to give us pointers on where and how to see Ishvara.
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