Gita
essays – 20
While introducing
chapter 12 Swami Paramarthananda says that this chapter gives both Veda purva bhaga as well as Veda anta bhaga
condensed in 20 pithy verses and it is Veda
saraḥ. Lord Krishna also states in
the concluding verse of this chapter "dharmya
amṛtam idam” i.e. these words of immortal Dharma. I am giving the essence of such
an important chapter called Bhakthi Yoga as a dialogue between Lord Krishna and
Arjuna.
Arjuna – O
Lord! At the end of Viswarupa darsana yoga you declared that through
single-minded devotion to one’s Ishta devata, the Cosmic Form can be
known, seen and entered into by any devotee.
Earlier You have also emphasised the importance of the worship of Nirguna
Brahman, the formless and attributeless Brahman. Now a doubt arises in my mind as to which
of the two methods, worship with form and without form, is better to attain the
spiritual realisation. Will you please enlighten me?
Lord Krishna– O Arjuna! It is
difficult to give a straight answer to your question as it is like comparing
two steps in a stair case as to which is better to reach the top. One needs to start with Saguna Brahma upasana
to go to Nirguna Brahma upasana and one need to practice Nirguna
Brahma upasana to reach the final goal of Athma Jnanam. However let
me try to clear your doubt in a devious way.
“Those devotees endowed with
supreme faith who worship Me, ever steadfast fixing their minds on Me, these
are considered to be the best by Me” (12 - 2).
However you should also understand that Nirguna Brahma upasaka
attains Me because Nirguna Brahma upasana leads to Athma Jnanam,
which alone can give Moksha, and Saguna Brahma upasana
equips one with a pure mind and a single-mindedness necessary to pursue Athma
Jnanam through Nirguna Brahma upasana. So let Me add also that “ The
devotees who worship Me as the imperishable (Brahman) which is indefinable,
unmanifest, changeless, all-pervading, immovable, incomprehensible and
eternal; restraining all the sense
organs, being even-minded towards all, and being interested in the welfare of
all beings, also come to Me only.” (12 - 3&4)
As Nirguna Brahman is
formless and incomprehensible, it is inconceivable for the mind as well,
besides being not available for the senses to perceive. So it is difficult to
meditate upon unless the mind is properly prepared and so the devotee must have
these qualifications of sense-control,
equanimity and love of all. So for one with strong attachment to body-mind
complex i.e. deahabhimana, the practice of Nirguna Brahma upasana is
difficult.
Arjuna – O Lord! Then what will you suggest for those ardent devotees who cannot shed their individuality.
Lord – They can reach Me through Viswa rupa upasana or Virat upasana, which is Saguna Brahma upasana or Iswara upasana as Iswara is the other name for Saguna Brahman. Virat upasana is also called Ashtamurthy Iswara upasana, the eight murthys being panchabhuthas (space, air, fire, earth and water), sun (which stands for all the stars), moon (which stands for all the planets and satellites) and all the living beings. “ To those who worship Me (in that form), dedicating all actions to Me regarding Me as the supreme goal, meditating on Me with undivided attention with their mind totally set on Me, I shall soon become their saviour from the ocean of mortal samsara, O Arjuna!” (12 – 6&7). So don’t despair if you cannot worship me through Nirguna upasana. “If you fix your mind and intellect on Me (in Virat form) only, you shall doubtless live in Me alone” (12-8)”, I assure.
Arjuna – Lord, You know I am scared of Viswa rupam!
Lord – No problem. If one cannot fix his mind on Virat rupam, he can reach Me through Eka rupa Iswara upasana, which I will call “Abhyasa yoga”. The devotee can take up any form as Ishta devata and practice Ishta devata upasana with all the disciplines I have mentioned for the Virat upasana.
Arjuna – O Lord! Upasana is a manasa vyapara, mental exercise. For an extrovert, whose mind is difficult to be restrained, what is the way?
Lord - If all upasanas are a problem, One can try to attain me the Karma Yoga way, by performing all actions desirelessly, Nishkama, dedicating the actions to Me, i.e. with Iswararpana buddhi.
Arjuna – Here also I see a problem. Being very much involved in the world, it is difficult to perform nishkama karma
Lord – Here also I can help you, but no more ifs and buts. He can keep his desires and perform sakama karma but the results of all his actions he must accept with prasada buddhi, avoiding any reaction, which I shall call “ sarva karma phala tyaga” which means he is renouncing all the fruits of his actions to Me. Because it was said as last, it does not mean it is in any way inferior to other stages. “Better indeed is knowledge than practice; than knowledge meditation is better; than meditation the renunciation of the fruits of actions (as) peace immediately follows renunciation (sarva karma phala thyaga)” (12-12). { What Lord has said in 12-12 is more for the glorification of sarva kama phala thyaga}
Arjuna – O Lord! I am grateful to hear from You of the various ways of devotion that can lead a devotee to You. How can we know a devotee who has attained You?
Lord – O Arjuna you can know through his qualities which I am listing for your benefit. Such a devotee is a jivan muktha, as he has attained Liberation before death and is dear to Me as a parabhaktha. His qualities are:
1) adveshta sarva bhuthanam maitrah karuna eva cha– Parabhaktha bears no hatred, ill-will or malice towards all other creatures, humans included, and he is friendly and compassionate towards one and all.
2) nirmamo nirahamkaraha – He is free from the feeling of ‘I’ and ‘mine’. He is always conscious of his real identity as sakshi ‘I”, and the ego ‘I’ he uses for transactions with the world as slave ’I’. He has no attachment either to his meagre possessions, or to any relationships.
3) sama-dukha-sukha kshami – He views with equanimity, pleasure and pain, and he is of forgiving nature. In fact, in his vision, there is nothing for him to forgive as he lives in the present, carrying no memory of past wrongs or insults, and in the present, as he does not identify himself with the name and form, any offence or insult, does not touch him.
4) santhushtah satatam yogi – He is always happy and contented and is firmly established in meditation.
5) yatatma drdha-nischayaha – His body, mind and senses are under his control and he is a man of firm conviction
6) mayyarpitha mano buddhihi – His mind and intellect is ever dedicated to Me as Paramatma
7) yasmanno dvijate loko lokanno dvijate cha yaha - He feels oneness with the world and his heart is full of love for all other living beings, and his calm, peaceful, compassionate composure is one that is not affected by the happenings in the external world, nor does it cause agitations in the external world.
8) harshamarsha bhayodvegair mukthaha – As regards inward agitations, he is also free of them for excesses of joy, fear, intolerance, and anxiety do not touch him. Whatever feelings or emotions that come to his mind, they have no force, and are short-lived.
9) anapekshah suchirdaksha udhasino gathavyathaha – His mind has no dependence on external things, is pure, alert, unconcerned and untroubled.
10) sarvaarambaparityagi – He has renounced all ego-centric selfish undertakings. Whatever he does is for universal welfare and social good and without any selfish motive.
11) yo na hrishyathi na dweshti na sochathi na kankshathi – He does not become elated when something agreeable happens nor does he suffer pangs of regret if something disagreeable happens. He does not grieve over a loss or long for a gain.
12) subhasubhaparityagi bhakthiman – He is ever devoted to Me as Paramatma. As he is beyond dharma and adharma, right and wrong, he is not concerned about the punya or papa attached to his action. Any punya arising out of his action will accrue to those who praise, adore and worship him, while papa, if any, will go to those who insult or abuse him.
13) samah satrau cha mitre cha tatha manapamanayoh – He is the same to all whether they are his well-wishers or ill-wishers as he has love for all. He treats alike honour and dishonour, i.e. with total nonchalance.
14) sithoshna sukha dukheshu samah sangavivarjitaha – He is free from all attachments, including his body-mind-complex. So he is immune to bodily and mental discomforts and disturbances, and his placidity suffers no change in all circumstances affecting the body-mind, like climate changes from one extreme to other or swings in experiences like pleasure and pain.
15) tulyanindasthuthrmouni – His equanimity is undisturbed by praise or blame. He does not indulge in loose talk or gossip and enjoys silence as a means of communion with his Self. This state of silence arises out of intoxication with the supreme love for the Supreme Lord. He becomes intoxicated with devotion, and enjoys silently that state of ecstacy, united in the Self, that is Paramathma.
16) santhushto yena kenachit anikethah sthiramathihi bhakthiman – In all places he feels at home, while calling no place as his home. He is happy and contented with whatever he has or gets and has no demands from anybody and no expectations in life. He has a steady mind, fixed in devotion to Me as Paramatma.
This parabhaktha, is a Brahmabhutha, one who has attained Brahman and is also a Parama Jnani and is very dear to Me.
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