Bhagavad Gita Verse 64, Chapter 18

sarvaguhyatam bhooyaha shrunu me paramam vachaha |
ishtosi me dridhamiti tato vakshyaami te hitam || 64 ||
 
Listen from me again, my supreme statement, most secret. You are my strong friend, that is why I will speak what is beneficial for you.
 
sarvaguhyatam : most secret
bhooyaha : again
shrunu : listen
me : from me
paramam : supreme
vachaha : statement
ishtaha : friend
asi : are
me : my
dridham : strong
iti : in this manner
tataha : that is why
vakshyaami : I will speak
te : you
hitam : beneficial
 
Every teacher has their own style, their own philosophy, for teaching complicated subjects. A good teacher is one who can not only impart the knowledge, but also, extract the big ideas out of the complexity and present it to the student in such a manner that it can be easily grasped. There is no point teaching a complex subject which students memorize for the sake of passing the exam, but forget it as soon as they submit their paper. Shri Krishna wanted to convey the essence of the Gita to Arjuna, so he addressed him again, after having concluded the teaching.
 
The Gita is a formidable text to understand thoroughly. It deals with karma yoga, bhakti yoga, jnyaana yoga and raaja yoga. The same word is used differently in different contexts. For example, the word "aatmaa" is used to mean body, mind, intellect and the self. The Gita makes references to individuals from Vedic and Puraanic literature which requires further effort on the part of the teacher and the student. Seekers who approach the end of the teaching will appreciate a teacher who will extract its essence.
 
Shri Krishna also expresses his motivation for summarizing the teaching. He does not want any reward from Arjuna in return for this teaching. Nor is he doing so out of fear of anyone or anything. He only has a lot of affection for Arjuna, he regards Arjuna as a staunch friend, and he also knows what is the right teaching for the situation Arjuna finds himself in. Therefore, he wants to impart the supreme statement, the param vachaha, the essence of the Gita, that will provide the most benefit to Arjuna.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 55, Chapter 18

bhaktyaa maamabhijaanaati yaavaanyashchaasmi tattvataha |
tato maam tattvato jnyaatvaa vishate tadanantaram || 55 ||
 
Through devotion he knows me in essence, what I am and who I am. Then, having known me in essence, he enters into me immediately.
 
bhaktyaa : through devotion
maam : me
abhijaanaati : knows
yaavaan : what I am
yaha : who
cha : and
asmi : I am
tattvataha : in essence
tataha : then
maam : me
tattvataha : in essence
jnyaatvaa : known
vishate : enters into me
tadanantaram : immediately
 
Shri Krishna describes the final stage, the ultimate goal, of the sanyaasi in the shloka. So far, the monk only had a conceptual understanding of Ishvara's true nature. But, when his devotion to Ishvara reached its peak, when his individuality has been destroyed, when he sees Ishvara as his own self and not someone standing outside of him, he understand what Ishvara is in his essence. When that happens, his identity merges with Ishvara’s identity. He enters, he merges into Ishvara. Knowing Ishvara in essence and merging into Ishvara are the same.
 
So then, this is true jnyaana, true knowledge. Shri Shankaraachaarya describes this pure understanding of Ishvara as one without a second, absolute, awareness, birthless, ageless, immortal, fearless and deathless. This is the meaning of the word yaha, meaning who I am, in the shloka. The word yaavaan, what I am, refers to the differences in Ishvara creates by his upaadhis, by his maaya. The ability to arrive at this distinction is the culmination of the seeker’s efforts towards chitta shuddi, towards purifying his mind.
 
Now, what is the connection here between devotion and knowledge, between bhakti and jnyaana? It is said that jnyaana is the fruit of bhakti. When bhakti ripes, jnyaana arises. Bhakti cleanses the mind of all its impurities, and consequently, removes the sense of separation or individuality between the seeker and the world. The seeker, having understood that his self and Ishvara's self are one and the same, having understood the "asi" in "tat tvam asi", "you are that", he merges into Ishvara. The highest teaching of the Gita has been concluded with this shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 22, Chapter 16

etairvimuktaha kaunteya tamodvaaraistribhirnaraha |
aacharatyaatmanaha shreyastato yaati paraam gatim || 22 ||
 
One who is free from these, the three gates of darkness, does good to himself, O Kaunteya, and with that, attains the supreme goal.
 
etaihi : these
vimuktaha : free
kaunteya : O Kaunteya
tamodvaaraihi : gates of darkness
tribhihi : three
naraha : one who
aacharati : does
aatmanaha : himself
shreyaha : good
tataha : with that
yaati : attains
paraam : supreme
gatim : goal
 
Shri Krishna describes the fate of one who has successfully conquered desire, anger and greed, the three gates of tamas or darkness. He says that such a person, from a practical standpoint, puts his life on the right track, he does good to himself. From an absolute standpoint, such a person attains the supreme goal of self realization, of oneness with Ishvara, instead of entrapment in the never ending cycle of birth and death.
 
With this shloka, the message of the entire sixteenth chapter is summarized and concluded. Most of us, given the materialistic nature of the world, are on the path of preyas, the pleasant, the path of continuous satisfaction of selfish desires. Shri Krishna urges us to slowly tune down the three devilish qualities of desire, anger and greed, so that we can start walking on the path of shreyas or the auspicious, the path of the divine qualities. Only then do we become qualified to attain the supreme goal of self realization.
 
Having heard this, we probably have a question that arises in our minds. Every second of our lives, we are bombarded with a ton of desires. If our awareness level is high, we can regulate them some of the time, but not all of the time. Furthermore, anger can erupt and take over our mind within a microsecond. How can we, on our own, control desire, anger and greed? It is not easy. Anticipating this question, Shri Krishna answers it in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 20, Chapter 16

aasureem yonimaapannaa moodhaa janmani janmani |
maamapraapyaiva kaunteya tato yaantyadhamaam gatim || 20 ||
 
Entering into devilish wombs, the deluded individuals, from birth after birth, do not attain me, O Kaunteya. They attain destinations even lower than that (state).
 
aasureem : devilish
yonim : wombs
aapannaahaa : entering
moodhaa : deluded individuals
janmani : birth
janmani : birth
maam : me
apraapyaiva : do not attain
kaunteya : O Kaunteya
tataha : than that
yaanti : go
adhamaam : even lower
gatim : destinations
 
Here, Shri Krishna expresses his regret about a lost opportunity. Anyone who has attained a human birth has a chance to achieve self realization and liberation. But those individuals who engage in destruction of others instead of improving their state give up this golden opportunity. Such people enter a never ending descent into lower and lower realms of existence. An example given in most commentaries is that of kumbhipaaka, where individuals spend their time in a pot of boiling oil.
 
Such is the rare and special nature of a human birth, that most spiritual masters have mentioned it in their texts. Shankaraachaarya begins the Vivekachoodamani text with this proclamation : "For beings a human birth is hard to win, then manhood and holiness, then excellence in the path of wise law; hardest of all to win is wisdom. Discernment between Self and not-Self, true judgment, nearness to the Self of the Eternal and Freedom are not gained without a myriad of right acts in a hundred births".
 
The practical implication of this shloka is the importance of free will. Only a human has the ability to shape his or her destiny. Plants, animals and birds cannot do so. All they can do is follow their instincts and their sense organs. If we also start ignoring our intellect and empowering our sense organs, there remains no difference between us and animals. We lose all traces of sattva, and only exist through rajas and tamas.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 4, Chapter 15

tataha padam tatparimaargatavyam yasmingataa na nivartanti bhooyaha |
tameva chaadyam purusham prapadye yataha pravrittihi prasritaa puraanee || 4 ||
 
Then that goal should be sought, having attained which, none return again. I seek refuge in that original Purusha from which has sprung this ancient sprout.
 
tataha : then
padam : goal
tat : that
parimaargatavyam : sought
yasmin : by which
gataaha : having attained
na : not
nivartanti : return
bhooyaha : again
tam : that
eva : only
cha : and
aadyam : original
purusham : Purusha
prapadye : seek refuge
yataha : from whom
pravrittihi : sprung
prasritaa : sprout
puraanee : ancient
 
A family of tourists is driving around in a new city without the help of a map or a GPS device. A left turn here, a right turn there, and they are utterly lost. The wife asks the husband to stop the car and ask a shopkeeper for directions. The husband says no, and continues driving in circles for an hour. The wife yells at the husband who finally agrees to ask a shopkeeper for directions. This is an all too common occurrence. Unless the ego is surrendered, even material knowledge is far from reach.
 
Shri Krishna says : All of you are thoroughly lost in the cycle of action and reaction, the tree of samsaara. So take refuge in me. I am the original Purusha, the root from which this tree of samsaara has sprung up. I have created this universe like a magician creates his illusion. Don’t get lost in the branches of the tree which are fueled by the three gunas of Prakriti. Come straight to the source, which is me. I am giving you a hand to save you from drowning in samsaara. Hold it tightly and do not let it go. This is the meaning of the word prapatti, which had also come up in the seventh chapter.
 
This prapatti, this seeking of refuge in Ishvara will help us cultivate dispassion towards samsaara. But this dispassion will not come overnight, it will come gradually. First, karma yoga has to be practised as prescribed by Shri Krishna. We should reduce selfish actions, increase selfless actions, then drop our attitude of doership. We cannot have it both ways - we cannot love Ishvara and love the material world at the same time. If we cannot control our mind and senses, we have yet to cultivate real devotion for Ishvara. Devotion, coupled with dispassion towards the world, will result in our liberation, the goal from which we will not have to return back to the material world.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 3, Chapter 14

mama yonirmahadbrahma tasmingarbham dadhaamyaham |
sambhavaha sarvabhootaanaam tato bhavati bhaarata || 3 ||
 
My womb is the great brahman. In it, I place the seed. From that, O Bharaata, is the birth of all beings.
 
mama : my
yonihi : womb
mahadbrahma : great brahman
tasmin : in it
garbham : seed
dadhaami : place
aham : I
sambhavaha : birth
sarvabhootaanaam : all beings
tataha : from that
bhavati : happens
bhaarata : O Bhaarata
 
According to the theory of karma, each jeeva or individual soul generates new unfulfilled desires or vaasanaas. These vaasanaas are created as a result of karma phala or fruits of action. Each action of eating a sweet creates a new desire to eat a sweet later, for instance. One lifetime is not enough to exhaust these vaasanaas, causing the jeeva to continuously take birth in the world to fulfill its desires. This is the explanation of birth and rebirth of jeevas. But how does the universe itself begin? Shri Krishna describes this topic in extremely poetic language in two shlokas.
 
Ishvara, at the beginning of creation, splits himself into his two aspects. One aspect is Prakriti, referred to here as the "great brahman", which comprises three gunaas or qualities. Prakriti has the power to generate an infinite variety of forms through innumerable permutations and combinations of its three gunaas. But it is inert. It cannot create the universe by itself. The awareness aspect of Ishvara, the kshetrajnya, is needed to infuse Prakriti with life. This happens when Ishvara places all of the jeevas into Prakriti, just like seeds are placed into soil.
 
Let’s examine this in more detail. How exactly does the jeeva come into contact with Prakriti? It is due to avidyaa or ignorance. Each jeeva’s vaasanaas or unfulfilled desires are caused by its ignorance of its true nature which is infinite. Instead, the jeeva, also known as the Purusha, thinks that it is incomplete, and mistakenly rushes out into Prakriti to make itself complete again. This illusory link between the Purusha and Prakriti becomes the source of its birth and rebirth in the cycle of samsaara.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 30, Chapter 13

yadaa bhootaprithagbhaavamekasthamanupashyati |
tata eva cha vistaaram brahma sampadyate tadaa || 30 ||
 
When he realizes that the variety of beings is established in the one, and it is only an evolution of that (one), he then attains brahman.
 
yadaa : when
bhootaprithagbhaavam : variety of beings
ekastham : established in the one
anupashyati : realizes
tataha : from that
eva : only
cha : and
vistaaram : evolution
brahma : brahman
sampadyate : attains
tadaa : then
 
We came across the toddler who was fascinated by the phone ringing in the previous shloka’s discussion. Imagine that the same toddler sees a traffic signal for the first time. The signal turns bright red, then green, then orange. Sometimes, the orange light flashes for a few seconds. Sometimes it shows a left arrow, sometimes a right arrow. While the toddler is bewildered by the diversity of colours and lights generated by the traffic signal, we as adults are no longer fascinated by it. We know that the basis of the diversity is 3 bulbs, and some electronic circuit that switches these bulbs on and off.
 
Similarly, one who knows the workings of Prakriti knows that the whole universe is nothing but a play of the three gunaas or qualities of Prakriti. Inert substances have tamasic predominance. Movement is caused by rajasic predominance. Intelligence is caused by saatvic predominance. These three gunaas are the building blocks of the variety we see in the universe, and it is these three gunaas that have been evolving, changing, combining with each other throughout the timeline of the universe. This Prakriti, the three gunaas, is nothing but a power of Ishvara himself.
 
So then, how do we reduce our fascination for the three gunaas? Our attitude should be as follows. The variety of the universe, everything that I see, is a product of the three gunaas of Prakriti. This Prakriti is a machine, a mechanism that has been set in motion by Ishvara. But I also know that Ishvara in his purest form is infinite and all-pervading, and that he resides in everyone as the “I”, the self. Therefore, all of this variety and diversity is just an upaadhi, a conditioning of the self. When I see diversity, I am only seeing Ishvara, the self of all.
 
If we are able to develop this kind of attitude, this kind of knowledge, and stay rooted in it, we will shift our focus to Ishvara who is constant, and not the diversity of Prakriti that is ever changing. We will then attain unity with the eternal essence, with brahman, and achieve liberation.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 28, Chapter 13

samam pashyanhi sarvatra samavasthitameeshvaram |
na hinastyaatmanaatmaanam tato yaati paraam gatim || 28 ||
 
For, he who sees Ishvara established equally everywhere, does not kill his self by his own self. That is why he attains the supreme state.
 
samam : equal
pashyan : he who sees
hi :for
sarvatra : everywhere
samavasthitam : established equally
eeshvaram : Ishvara
na : not
hinasti : kill
aatmanaa : his self
aatmaanam : by his own self
tataha : that is why
yaati : attains
paraam : supreme
gatim : state
 
Shri Krishna explains the result of developing an equanimous vision in this shloka. He says that one who sees Ishvara residing equally in everything and everyone, including himself, does not harm or kill his self by his own self. He says that we commit a kind of suicide whenever we do not focus on the imperishable and give too much importance to the perishable. We would very rarely get the urge to commit suicide. So how does this happen?
 
Whenever our body’s weight increases or decreases, we say "I am fat, I am thin". Whenever our body falls ill and recovers, we say "I am sick, I am healthy". Whenever our body is injured and healed, we say "I am injured, I am healed". We have taken on changes that happen to a mass of flesh and bones as our own changes. By repeatedly taking on this identification to the body due to ignorance of our true nature, we get stuck in an endless cycle of desire, action, birth and death. This entry into the cycle of birth and death is referred to as "killing of one’s self by one’s own self".
 
Shri Krishna says that we need to develop samadarshanam, the vision of seeing the imperishable Ishvara in the perishable world. We need to stop identifying with the body, which is not ours to begin with. It belongs to the five elements that make up the universe, and will go back to them when it has run its course. We should identify with Ishvara who exists equally in us and in other beings. When we recognize that the Ishvara in us is the same Ishvara in everyone, we will attain the most supreme, the most pure state of Ishvara which is the state of brahman, the eternal essence. The instant we realize our identity with brahman, we attain liberation or moksha.
 
We have seen how to attach ourselves to Ishvara, how to identify ourselves with Ishvara in these shlokas. We also need to detach ourselves from Prakriti. We shall see how to do this in the next two shlokas.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 9, Chapter 12

atha chittam samaadhaatum na shaknoshi mayi sthiram |
abhyaasayogena tato maamicchaaptum dhananjaya || 9 ||
 
If you are unable to steadfastly establish your mind in me, then seek to attain me through the yoga of repeated practice, O Dhananjaya.
 
atha : if
chittam : mind
samaadhaatum : establish
na : not
shaknoshi : able
mayi : in me
sthiram : steadfastly
abhyaasayogena : yoga of repeated practice
tataha : then
maam : me
icchaa : seek
aaptum : attain
dhananjaya : O Dhananjaya
 
A student of music does not become a maestro overnight. While watching a concert, we may admire how easily he can handle complex passages on the piano, but we know that the prowess is a result of years, maybe even decades, of repeated practice. In his book “Outliers”, author Malcolm Gladwell emphasizes the “10,000 hour rule”. The key to success in any field is a matter of practising a task for 10,000 hours. Here, Shri Krishna says that if we are unable to constantly fix our mind in Ishvara, we should set aside some time daily and practice doing so.
 
In the sixth chapter, Arjuna admits to Shri Krishna that it is very difficult for someone to keep their mind in Ishvara all the time, and asks for a solution to this problem. There as well, Shri Krishna recommends the technique of “abhyaasa” or repeated practice. In this technique, we first choose an object of worship such as the image of a deity, a spiritual text or a mantra. Then, following the instructions in the sixth chapter, we set aside a fixed time and place every day to meditate upon the object of worship. Whenever our thoughts stray away, we gently bring them back so that we are only thinking about the object of worship. This yoga is known as raaja yoga, ashtaanga yoga or dhyaana yoga.
 
Note that abhyaasa is not possible without its counterpart vairaagya or dispassion towards the material world. Without reducing our stock of material desires, it is virtually impossible to sit in meditation. Each vaasanaa, each unfulfilled desire has the potential to produce a series of thoughts in our mind. When we sit for meditation, these unfulfilled desires start competing with each other to produce thoughts that distract us from the object of worship. Therefore, Shri Krishna advises us to follow abhyaasa and vairaagya together.
 
Now, with the practice of dhyaana yoga, we only think of Ishvara for a brief period of time each day. How should we continue our spiritual practice throughout the rest of the day? Or, our stock of desires may not even let us sit in one place. Then how should we worship Ishvara? Shri Krishna addresses this next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 40, Chapter 11

namaha purastaadatha prishtataste namostu te sarvata eva sarva |
anantaveeryaamitavikramastvam sarvam samaapnoshi tatosi sarvaha || 40 ||
 
Salutations to you from before and behind. Indeed, let there be salutations to you everywhere, O one with infinite power, O one with infinite valour. You pervade all, therefore you are everything.
 
namaha : salutations
purastaat : before
atha : and
prishtataha : behind
te : you
namaha : salutations
astu : may there be
te : you
sarvataha : everywhere
eva : indeed
sarvaha : all
anantaveerya : infinite power
amitavikramaha : infinite valour
tvam : you
sarvam : all
samaapnoshi : pervade
tataha : therefore
asi : you are
sarvaha : everything
 
Arjuna, wielder of Lord Shiva’s Gaandiva bow, was universally regarded as one of the foremost archers of his time. So far, he thought that it was his might and power that was defeating the Kauravas. But now, after beholding the cosmic form, his pride had dropped completely. In this shloka, he acknowledged that his power and valour came from Ishvara, and that he was only the “nimitta”, the instrument for channeling that power.
 
Now, we have seen ten chapters of the Gita. Each chapter is called a “yoga”, because it takes us higher and higher in our spiritual journey if we can understand and implement its teaching. In the previous chapter, Shri Krishna wanted Arjuna to see the one Ishvara in all beings, to see unity in diversity. In this chapter, he wanted Arjuna to see all beings in that one Ishvara, to see diversity ultimately subsumed into unity. Shri Krishna’s goal was fulfilled when Arjuna realized the truth expounded in the Upanishads, declaring here that Ishvara pervades everything, and that he ultimately is everything.
 
So when he recognized Ishwara as the infinite source of all power and valour, and in fact, the ultimate source and cause of everything, Arjuna could not help but repeatedly offer salutations to that cosmic form. But as we saw earlier, he had lost all notions of space and direction. He did not know what was north or south, or what was up or down. So giddy was his state of mind that he wanted to offer salutations to Ishvara from the front, back and all directions.
 
Offering our salutations to Ishvara, also known as "vandanam", is considered one of nine methods of worship. Shree Ramdas Samartha has devoted an entire section of the Dasbodh to describe the glories of vandanam. He considers it one of the simplest and most effective tools to connect with Ishvara. By its very nature, offering salutations or bowing to someone automatically eliminates our ahankaara, our ego, the primary obstacle to connecting with Ishvara.
 
Having understood the purpose of the cosmic form, Arjuna began to ask for Shri Krishna's forgiveness next.
 
Footnotes
1. Vandanam is elaborated in the fifth section of the fourth chapter of the Dasbodh.

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.

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.

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.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 22, Chapter 7

sa tayaa shraddhayaa yuktastasyaaraadhanameehate |
labhate cha tataha kaamaanmayaiva vihitaanhi taan || 22 ||
 
Engaged with faith, that person worships that deity and his desire is fulfilled, but that fulfillment is delivered only through me.
 
saha : that person
tayaa : that
shraddhayaa : with faith
yuktaha : engaged
tasya : that deity
araadhanam : worship
eehate : performs
labhate : fulfilled
cha : and
tataha : his
kaamaan : desire
mayaa : through me
eva : only
vihitaan : delivered
hi : but
taan : that fulfillment
 
When someone chooses to pursue a finite or a worldly goal, they run towards a finite deity instead of going towards Ishvara. We saw this in the previous shlokas. Shri Krishna continues that point here by saying that Ishvara does not object when devotee seeks a finite goal from a finite deity. In fact, he strengthens that devotee’s faith by delivering what the devotee asks of the deity.
 
Faith is a process that most of us do not fully comprehend. But it is a reality. Even in the medical profession, placebos or pills made of inactive ingredients such as sugar are known to cure patients by sheer power of faith.
 
So Shri Krishna says that even if a devotee approaches a deity with a finite goal, Ishvara is ready to deliver that goal as long as the devotee’s faith in the deity is strong. By fulfilling finite desires through the lower deities, Ishvara hopes that the devotee will learn to further subdue his ego. One cannot have an increase in faith without a decrease in ego.
 
As desires are sought with greater and greater faith, and the corresponding desires are fulfilled, the devotee’s faith increases. This process has the potential to result in the spiritual evolution of that devotee. He will evolve from seeking finite goals to seeking the infinite - Ishvara himself.
 
This is the ideal state, but it is totally up to the devotee to make that transition. Unfortunately, most devotees get stuck in the pursuit of finite goals, as we shall see in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 45, Chapter 6

prayatnaadyatamaanastu yogee samshuddhakilbishaha |
anekajanmasamsiddhastato yaati paraam gatim || 45 ||
 
For, that yogi who strives diligently, whose sins have been purified, perfected through many births, he then attains the supreme state.
 
prayatnaat : diligently
yatamaanaha : who strives
tu : for
yogi : yogi
samshuddha : have been purified
kilbishaha : sins
anekajanma : over many births
samsiddhaaha : perfected
tataha : then
yaati : attains
paraam : supreme
gatim : state
 
Shri Krishna spoke earlier about the unfulfilled meditator who, having born into a prosperous family, finds himself pushed towards the spiritual path. Here, Shri Krishna talks about what happens to that person if he strives diligently. Such a person, if he puts in diligent effort, acquires spiritual prowess over many lives, purifies his sins, and ultimately attains the ultimate state of liberation.
 
Now, the plight of someone born into a prosperous family, yet is being pulled towards spirituality, is extremely interesting. On one hand, his family wealth has the potential for generating further selfish desires. One the other hand, the push towards the spiritual path has the potential of taking him towards liberation. What will decide his fate in regards to which side he ends up on? It is nothing but his effort and his diligence.
 
Therefore, Shri Krishna encourages Arjuna to relentlessly pursue this path. Arjuna is born into one of the most illustrious families of his time. But through the knowledge that he is receiving from Shri Krishna, he has the option of pursuing the spiritual path, but only if he incorporates this teaching into his life.
 
How exactly should he incorporate it into his life? That is taken up next.
 

Bhagavad Gita Verse 26, Chapter 6

yato yato nishcharati manashchanchalamasthiram |
tatastato niyamyaitadaatmanyeva vasham nayet || 26 ||
 
Wherever the fickle and unstable mind strays, remove it from there and constantly focus it only on the self.
 
yataha : wherever
nishcharati : strays
manaha : mind
chanchalam : fickle
asthiram : unstable
tataha : from there
niyamya : remove
etat : it
aatmani : self
eva : only
vasham : focus
nayet : constantly
 
Having asked the meditator to slowly but surely practice meditation, Shri Krishna elaborates on what exactly is the aspect of meditation that needs constant practice and repetition. He urges the meditator to check the mind as soon as it strays into another thought, and bring it back to the thought of the self. The meditator has to do this again and again, each time the mind strays. It is one of the most practical shlokas about meditation.
 
As we practice meditation, we begin to appreciate the speed at which the mind moves from thought to thought. For example, let’s say that the thought of taking a one week vacation enters the mind. It then leads to a chain of thoughts. First the mind makes a list of all our favourite vacations spots. Then it calculates how much each place will cost. Then it visualizes what each of those places looks like. It might also bring up memories of past vacations. The mind has thought all of this within seconds. By the time we are aware that the mind is thinking like this, it has strayed far away from the object of meditation.
 
So therefore, Shri Krishna urges us to be extremely vigilant and alert with regards to our thoughts during meditation. We have to cultivate this vigilance as a habit. We have vigilant habits in other parts of our life. Men, for example, check their face daily for any stray hairs just after shaving. Similarly, we should be vigilant about stray thoughts during meditation. The constant practice of removing stray thoughts is called “abhyaasa”.
 
The mind loves to stray towards thoughts about objects, people and situations that we have given importance to. Abhyaasa helps us diminish our importance towards stray thoughts. Shri Shankaraachaarya in his commentary gives us a wonderful tip with regards to abhyaasa. Each time we encounter a stray thought, we should instantly analyze it like a scientist. We should inspect each thought and say: it is nothing but name and form on top of the eternal essence. If the thought is about name and form only, then it is not real, it is does not have “satyatva”. And if it is not real, it is not important, so I should not go after it.
 
Furthermore, if the very same thought occurs the next time, we should inspect it and say : I have already determined that this thought is not important to me. If we do so each time that same thought comes, we develop dispassion or vairagya towards it. Only then will meditation work properly.
 
If we follow this technique, the mind will eventually become quiet - “prashaanta”.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 22, Chapter 6

yam labdhvaa chaaparam laabham manyate naadhikam tataha |
yasminsthitho na duhkhena gurunaapi vichaalyate || 22 ||
 
Having obtained this gain, he does consider anything superior than that, established in which he cannot be agitated by the heaviest of sorrows.
 
yam : that
labdhvaa : having obtained
cha : and
aparam : no other
laabham : gain
manyate : consider
na : does not
adhikam : superior
tataha : than that
yasmin : in which
sthithaha : established
na : cannot be
duhkhena : from sorrow
gurunaa : heaviest
api : even
vichaalyate : agitated by
 
Elaborating further on the joy attained by the perfected meditator, Shri Krishna says that once the meditator gets this joy, he does not ascribe any importance to any other joy in the world. The joy of meditation becomes paramount. Also, this joy protects the meditator from the shocks of worldly life. Having gained the joy of meditation, he does not get agitated by any sorrow whatsoever.
 
As we saw earlier, any joy obtained in the material world is temporary. If someone becomes a manager, he aspires to become a senior manager. Once he becomes a senior manager, he experiences joy for some time, but then he aims for a so-called larger joy: he wants to become a director. And so the cycle continues.
 
We continually aim for greater and greater joys. In other words, we are always planning for future enjoyment. There will never come a point in life when we can say “yes, now my life is fulfilled”. Shri Krishna says that only meditation will give sense of true fulfillment and everlasting joy, incomparable to any worldly joy that we have experienced. Any worldly joy will pale in comparison to this joy. When one wins a lottery that pays millions, one does not go seeking pennies.
 
Next, Shri Krishna says that the person who becomes established in this joy of meditation is shielded from the impact of the most troublesome sorrows. Now, attainment of the joy in meditation does not mean that magically, all our sorrows will vanish. Till our human body exists, joy and sorrow will exist as well. But meditation will give us an armour that will protect us from all worldly sorrows. The inner strength provided by meditation will make us “shock proof”.
 
Let us imagine that we hear extremely disturbing news. What is our reaction typically? Our mind generates thoughts at a breakneck speed. If the sorrow is about a loss of a person, the storehouse of the mind (chitta) generates anxiety-ridden thoughts about the future (what will I do now, how will I survive, how will I adapt etc), memories of the past (it was so nice back in the day when I knew this person), and regrets (I should have done this). These are just a sample of the thousands of thoughts that the mind generates when learning of a disturbing event. For most of us, these thoughts destabilize us. But the meditator’s mind has become “set” in the eternal essence, it never loses its stability.
 
However, we have to be careful before we give so much credit to the practice of meditation. Plain meditation without understanding, in other words, meditation without learning the content of the Gita thus far, does not give us this result. But if our intellect has diligently studied about the eternal essence - that it is beyond birth and death, that it is changeless, that it cannot be destroyed and so on - and our mind has become established in the eternal essence through meditation, the multitude of thoughts that hit our mind fail to destabilize us. We become like a rock that remains steady in a storm, not the tree that gets uprooted.
 
So therefore, meditation gives us the best of both worlds. It gives us joy independent of any future sorrow, and also protects us from the impact of heavy sorrows. In the next shloka, Shri Krishna concludes the sub-topic of the joy of meditation.
 

Bhagavad Gita Verse 33, Chapter 2

atha chetvamimam dharmyam samgraamam na karshyasi |
tataha svadharmam keertim cha hitvaa paapamavaapsyasi || 33 ||
 
On the other hand, if you do not undertake this righteous war, then by forsaking your duty and valour, you will incur sin.
 
atha : on the other hand
chet : if
tvam : you
imam : this
dharmyam : righteous
samgraamam : war
na : don't
karshyasi : undertake
tataha : then
svadharmam : your duty
keertim : valour
cha : and
hitvaa : forsaking
paapam : sin
avaapsyasi : incur
 
The word "sin" could mean several things to several people. Let us understand the meaning used here. If you live in society anywhere, in a city, town, village etc. you are always bound by certain laws. If you conduct an act that goes against the law, then it is called a crime. Stealing a car, for example, is a crime.
 
Similarly, if someone does not perform their svadharma or duty, or does something counter to their svadharma, it is equivalent to a crime under a cosmic or universal law. That crime is termed as a sin.
 
Therefore, Shri Krishna urges Arjuna and us to consider the repercussions of not conducting our svadharma. Like a good teacher, he had explained the benefits of the teaching earlier, and now he elaborates on the downside of not following the teaching in this and the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 14, Chapter 1

tataha shvetair hayair yukte mahati syandane sthitau |
maadhavaha paandavaschaiva divyau shankau pradadhmatau || 14 ||
 
And then, seated on a magnificent chariot harnessed to white horses, Shri Krishna and Arjuna blew their divine conches.
 
tataha : thereafter
cha eva: both
maadhavaha : Shri Krishna
paandavaha : Arjun
sthitau : situated
mahati syandane: on a magnificent chariot
yukte: harnessed
shvetaiha : by white
hayaiha: horses
pradadhmatuha: resounded
saha: their
divyau: divine
shankhau: conches
 
With this verse, we are introduced to the key figures in the Bhagavad Gita, as we leave behind Duryodhana and the Kaurava army. Lord Krishna was a divine incarnation or an avatara, and Arjuna was one of the five Pandava princes. Arjuna was considered the most skillful archer and warrior of his time. Shri Krishna was a close friend of Arjuna, and offered to be his charioteer for the Mahabharata war.
 
Many commentaries offer a lot of background from the Mahabharata in order to describe the grandeur of Arjuna's chariot. It was a robust chariot, endowed with several divine powers. A key feature of the chariot was a flag in which Lord Hanumaan had entered in the form of an emblem. Therefore it is said that Lord Hanumaan was one of the few individuals to hear the Gita firsthand.
 
The prior verses served to paint a picture of the Kaurava army, that was ready to engage in conflict with the Pandavas. As we move further into the text, the perspective shifts from Duryodhana's viewpoint to Arjuna's.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 13, Chapter 1

tataha shankashcha bheryascha panavaanakagomukhaahaa |
sahasaivaabhyahanyanta sa shabda tumulobhavat ||13 ||
 
Immediately thereafter, several conches, bugles, trumpets, kettle-horns and cow-horns resounded simultaneously, growing into a tumultuous sound.
 
tataha: thereafter
shankha: conches
cha: and
bherya: bugles
panamaanaka: trumpets and kettedrums
gomukhaha: cow-horns
sahasaa eva abhyahanyanta: resounded suddenly and simultaneously
shabdaha: sound
abhavat: became
tumulaha: tumultuous
 
This is another verse in the sequence of verses that brings us closer to the start of the war. It also suggests that the Kaurava army was happy that their commander Bheeshma was eager to begin the war.
 
As we progress through this verse into some of the later verses, we cannot help but paint a picture of that battlefield, since the words used in these verses are so evocative. For some of us that grew up in India, we probably tend to dig up memories of watching the Mahabharata on Sunday morning, and maybe those memories are recalled. With this verse, we now have another dimension that adds depth to the picture - that of sound.
 
The author of these verses clearly intends to paint a rich picture of the battlefield, and the Kaurava army in particular. We shall see why shortly.