19.12.2009
Janank Says :
Kaykriyasahah pooravam tato vagvistarasah I
Ath chintasahtasmadevamevaahamsothitah II (I)
First of all it was intolerance of work and then it was intolerance of speech and lately it was unlimited which hounded me but now reaching self, I am free from all phenomena.
Preetiabhaven shabdaderdrishtven chaatmanah I
Vikshepekahridey evamevahahamasithitah II (2)
Lacking any desire for seeking visible sense gratification and self being imperceptible, the disturbance appearing to be coming, doesn’t perturb me. (Since the instinct for senses gratification don’t rises on coming to know their transitory nature and desire less ness for them predominating. Apart from this, the Self Soul is not perceptible by senses, there is no instinct rising about that, so I remain unperturbed)
Samaadhyasadadivikshipto vyavharah samadhayey I
Evam vilokay nayamamevamahamasithitah II (3)
Concentration is required to control an illusion distracted mind, observing this I am sitting unmoved.
Heyoupadayevirahadevam harashvishadayoh I
Abhavadadya heybarhamanevevamasithitah II (4)
Indifferent to acceptable, inacceptable, happiness, distress, I am equipoise in all circumstances.
Ashramaanaashramam dhyanam chitsavikrit vivrajanam I
Vikalapam mam veeksheyetevamevahahamasithitah II (5)
Life with stages or without stages, meditation, renunciation, acceptable to mind or condemnable, all conditions pertain to mind. I am being apart from mind sitting here.
Karmanushthanamagyanadyathevoupramastatha I
Budhva samyagidam tatvamevamevahamasithitah II (6)
Ignorance is the cause of performing action and so is the reason for renouncing them, thinking these both futile exercises I am sitting here unmoved by any circimstances.
Achinyachintyamanoapi chintaroopam bhajatyiasso I
Tyaktva tadbhavanam tasmadevamevahamasithitah II (7)
While attempting to contemplate on unthinkable Self Soul, it becomes thinkable, knowing this element of Self being beyond any sensual activity, I am standing aloof.
Evamev kritam yen sa kritartho bhavedasso I
Evamev savbhavo yah sa kritatho bhavedasso II (8)
Who has attained this situation by dint of constant practice, he is stands obliged and who is so by nature, he also stands obliged.
This above state of steadied mind is presented in Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta by Lord Krishna in chapter two when Arjun asks Him the symptoms of such a soul. Lord Krishna says:
Parjahati yada kamansarvanparth manogatan I
Atmanyevatmana tushtah sithatpargyastadouchyateII (2.55)
Lord Krishna says: When an embodied self soul, gives up all mental desires for sense gratification, when he is satisfied in self by his self alone, then he is termed as steady.
Self soul is desire less. But when it identifies itself with material body, mind, intellect and senses, it starts thinking through the prism of mind, that it is the centre of existence.
This false and concocted identification acts as constricting weight of attachment on the otherwise free self soul. This is the cause of bondage.
This false ego of material body creates crave for sense gratification.
Action for sense satisfaction causes reaction in form of pleasure and pain. This all is only false mental exercise and is transitory. The false thought of pleasure and sorrow come and go like mirage.
One can safely assert that this entire universe is the creation of mind which is one in all but its strange relationship with three modes of material nature creates different models like a potter creating different forms of pottery from the same clay.
The body, while being a source of material pleasure, is also a source of physical discomfort, disease, ageing and eventually death.
The mind is victim of countless thoughts and is definitely conditioned by limited beliefs, emotions and behavior.
The false ego of identification with body manifests enemies in form of lust, greed, anger, madness, illusion, and envy.
Pure self soul, the real ‘I’ has none of these evolutes. But when it identifies with the cover/material body/khetra, kshar/parkriti, it adopts all the sins which the body has to undergo under the sway of reactions of previous deeds. Then it weeps and smiles as per the fruits in form of happiness and misery.
Again it identifies with them and puts himself in jail of cycle of transmigration.
Death of an embodiment is not the end, it is not final and it is an interval. Once one recognizes one self as servitor of Lord, an eternal self, this interval will end.
Life will never end; it may be in this embodiment or in another one.
When all mental desires vanish, the self soul is satiates in self alone, this self soul is free. This is steady state of detachment. Devotion to Lord is the best method of attaining this state.
Lord in 12 chapter, verse 8 Lord Krishna stresses:
Mayiev man adhatsav mayi budhim niveshay I
Nivashyasi mayiev at urdham na sanshyayh II (12.8)
You fix mind upon me, you thrust your intelligence in me, by so doing you will dwell in me.
Mind and intellect are part of inanimate material nature of Lord (verse 4 of 7th chapter) they are changeable and destructible.
Another superior nature of Lord is Eternal Soul. (Verse 5 of chapter 7)
Inactive mind and intellect coming into contact with superior nature soul, becomes alive like electricity passing in to working electric bulb, due to activation by the impact of eternal.
These two thieves striving for Lord, when start devoting to him cause cessation of mental concoction and desires for sense gratification. When these desires subside, the self realization is not far off.
Desire less mind has no craving for senses gratification nor they long for transitory happiness and disress too does not affect them.
Dukheshuanudviganmanah sukheshuvigatsprihah I
Veetragbhaykrodhah sithitdhirmuniruchayte II (2.56)
He who is neither perturbed by distress, nor attracted to happiness and one who is free from attachment, fear and anger is termed as steady.
In the suffering and happiness, when one is unaffected, he is neither confused in suffering nor he is genial in happiness, free from anger, attachment with body, mind etc., and fear, then he is said to have tranquil mind.
What is to be renounced?
The self has nothing in its possession, then what it can renounce?
One addresses others by naming one’s body, by which name he is generally called. It has never been said that a ‘self’ has born. But it is always said that a son or daughter to someone has born. It means it was an embodied soul having no identity, was born from the womb of a mother. This body has been called a field in chapter 13 verse one:
Idam srirum kontey! khetrum ityabhidheyate I
Etadyo veti tam prahuA khetragya it tadvidah II (13.1)
Lord Krishna says that this embodiment is termed as the field.
He who knows it, sages call him the ‘Knower of the field’.
Every embodiment, whatsoever is the shape, is actually a field through which the blissful self soul ‘jeeva’ enjoys the fruit of his pervious deeds.
These fruits are reactions in form of happiness and distress, desire and aversion, love and hate, life and death, an unending list of dualities. These appear to crop up during life time in an embodiment. But a realized soul has a capacity to find happiness in moments of distress.
(Self soul x three evolutes of material nature = action=fruits in form of joy and pain, happiness and sufferings x attachment and identification with actions coming naturally=birth, death and rebirth)
It is not a chemical formula stated in a chemistry book. It is play of spirit and material nature causing continuous flow of embodiments, coming into existence and departing like travelers on a railway station.
THE KNOWER OF THIS FIELD IS HE HIMSELF. INVISIBLE BUT SEATED IN THIS BODY AS CONSCIOUSNESS
As consciousness, the Lord is the illuminator of the embodiment. Sages discerning the truth about both, differentiate both in form of self and nature, spirit and matter, materialism and spirituality. Body which is field is actually resulting of attachment with material nature. Self is eternal but it identifies itself with that material nature in form of body which he is not.
Again in chapter 13 verse 21 Lord Krishna states:
purshah parkritstho hi bhunkte parikirtijan gurhan I
Karnam gurh sagoas sadasad yonijanamasu II
Actually this eternal fragment of Lord Krishna addressed as Kutastho/Ishwarah/ Mamevansho/ Jueevbhutah/ Sanatanah/ Khetragya in various references in Bhagwad Geeta, identifying with material nature, pretend to enjoy the fruit of happiness and distress, goes to different embodiments to purify itself but instead of achieving this attainable goal, identifies itself with those actions, happiness and pain and by this foolishness it also forms relations with co existing embodied self soul. With some of them he is very happy, to others he hates due to some aversion. An onlooker witnesses sees Lord Krishna in every happening. He sees some hidden kindness of Lord in every deed. This embodiment is not an end of life. This is eternal. It will go on till we recognize ourselves if Lord blesses us. In last of all incarnation a self soul when on attuning purification is about to go to his real abode, he is blessed with knowledge by the Lord by which he sees Lord in every incident and in every thing:
Bahunam janmanamante gyanvan mam parpadayate I
Vasudevah sarvamiti sa mahatma sudurlabhah II (7.19)
When everything is Lord, happiness and distress is his blessings then what is the cause of concern. it is the meditation of Lord which causes this disillusion of material attachment. a complete surrender to Lord Krishna is the only way to realize. There is a wonderful revelation in verse 27 and 28 of chapter nine to seek emancipation from the cycle of life and death
Yatkroshi yadashnasi yajjuhosh i dadasi yat I
Yattapsaysi kontey tatkurushav madarparham II
Shubhashubhamfalrevam mokshayse karambhandhane I
Sanyasyog yuktaatma vimukto mamupeshayasi II (9.27-28)
Arjun! Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer as oblation to the sacred fire, whatever you gift, whatever you do by way of penance, offer all to me.
Mind thus established in renunciation of all actions , you will be freed from the bonds of karma in the shape of good and evil effects and freed from them you shall attain me.
All work is subject to change. soul in a particular embodiment having been attached with it does acts of, eats to attain satisfaction and health, with satvica leaning it makes sacrifices with a purpose to attain liberation and if has some interested motive, it may do that with a purpose to go to heaven, and some time he gives alms, and also takes a recourse to penance to get rid of worldly misfortunes,
Lord says whatever good or bad is done it should be surrendered to me. By doing so embodied soul shall be free from the bondage of fruits of actions of embodiment, which are essentially result of past deeds and are done by embodiment to undergo them.
Attachment with actions, desires of fruit, pushes soul self in association with qualities of nature, into worldly pit and bitten by the non- stop time snake, it again indulges in same action and desires, their satisfaction all again resulting in transmigration.
If one surrenders all deeds to Lord and keeps itself unattached, it slowly and slowly develops infatuation towards Lord. Giving up riches, enjoyment and happiness for the sake of Lord, making sacrifices, gifts, and penance to Lord ascertains detachment of self soul with them which ultimately releasing soul from bondage. One can attain one’s own self by detachment of body, mind, intellect, senses and their objects
It is very easy to renounce what is not ours’. Every thing of which we claim belongs to that material world and is its proprietorship vests in Lord Krishna and if we surrender this to real owner, we free ourselves from the sin of committing theft:
tavdeeyam vastu Govind tubhayam ev samarpaye
WHATEVER YOU HAVE GIVEN US LORD KRISHNA, IT IS SURRENDERED TO YOU
As embodied soul surrendering all deeds good or bad to Lord attains yoga of renunciation, transcending pleasure and pain, misery in hankering after sense pleasures stands liberated from cycle of birth and death.
Yah sarvatraanabhisanehatattatprapya shubhashubhamI
Naabhnandati na dueshti tasya prgya pratishthitahII(2.57)
He, who is, in this material world, remains unaffected by on attaining good and bad circumstances, on attaining evil circumspect, he is not perturbed, nor on attaining favorable results he is not overjoyed.
This is the consciousness fixed on the Lord, seeing Lord in every where and in every object.
Let us try to understand what we do practically. when we refer to a healthy person we call him health conscious and this list goes on increasing with different prospects like god conscious and many more like these. This word implies awareness of surroundings. Consciousness is itself not awareness, the awareness come to another material entity that is mind. a peculiar circumstance for one may bring happiness and sorrow to other. the person whose mind is controlled does not see any difference between circumstances of happiness and sorrow. For him it is all pervading Lord dominating every moment. In material world sorrow and happiness are bound to come and go. Lord in verse 14 and 15 has explained this aspect by advising Arjun to tolerate these dualities. Lord in this chapter has unfolded the real way of self realization. When a man is able to see the dualities of happiness and distress, iron and gold representing same graceful Lord, he reaches the stage of Lord himself.
In chapter 14 too Lord has devolved on the qualities of a person transgressing the three evolutes of material nature:
Parkasham ch parvirti ch mohamev ch pandav I
Na duveshti sampritani nivritani na kankshayati II
Samdukh such swastha samloshthaashmkanchna I
Tulyapriyaapriyo dhirastulyanindaatamstuti II
Manapmanyostulyastulyo mitraaripakshyo I
Sarvaarambhprityagi gurhanatitah sa uchayte II
Mam ch yo ayaybhcharerhbhaktiyogen sewate I
Sa gurhansamteetyaetan barahambhuyae kalpate II
Barhamano hi partithaahamamritasyaavavysya ch I
shashwat ch dharmasya sukhasyaekantikasya ch II (14.23-27 )
He is neither disturbed when the effect of three qualities viz. knowledge, work/action or sleep laziness prevails nor he desires them to come when they are off.
He who sitting like a witness is not disturbed by gunas (three qualities of material nature) and who knowing that gunas (three qualities of material nature) are moving among gunas (three qualities of material nature), remains established in identity with god/self and never falls from this position
He, who is once established in self, for him there is no difference between sorrow and joy, he takes the clod of earth, a stone, a piece of gold as equal value, for him pleasure and displeasure are alike and same he treats censure and praise.
He who is indifferent to honor and dishonor, sees sameness for him friend and enemy, he has lost the feeling of doer ship in all actions is stated to be above three modes of nature.
He who constantly worship me through yoga of exclusive devotion, transcending these three qualities of nature, he is eligible to attain Brahman. Asr I am the ground of imperishable Brahman, of eternal nectar, of immortality, of the eternal virtue and unending immutable bliss.
The mind is swayed by the past deeds and accumulations in form of tendencies. Body is the result of karmic reaction of attachment with three modes of material nature. In a new incarnation the self soul gets the senses, intellect and mind as per the requirement to undergo the karmic reaction in the body. so when knowing that these karmic reactions are to be definitely undergone one sees these acts coming naturally through act of senses. when it is not of one’s choice, then there is an happy state to see these dualities as blessings of Lord. Mind dwells on sense objects experienced or heard of in many bodies it has obtained till now, when it goes to new body, sleeps over the past and identifies itself with new one.
Though the self soul is free from all bondage but when it follows the mind like lover following his fiancée, it subjects itself to bondage.
This bondage does not exist but the identification with subtle body binds the eternal self with action/sorrow-joy, hatred –desire and unending pairs like this.
When one is able to renounce the attachment with body and its relations in this distressful material world, he recognizes his own self. With this recognition, reality dawns upon him that the body he has occasionally got is not his ‘self’ rather it is the outcome the past works of the previous body or bodies. his identification with it is nothing but fake and unreal. Body is transitory. It is fake cover of material nature.
Being enlightened of fact that self being eternal part of ‘supreme self’ one now does not identify itself with any deed of this body.
For him now there is no difference in pairs of sorrow or joy, hot or cold and like pairs.
Inscrutable power of supreme self, ‘Maya’ consisting of three gunas (three qualities of material nature), creates through them, innumerable modifications. all pairs of these modifications consisting of not only animate but inanimate too and the feelings and their likes are also because of these qualities. one with realization does not differentiate between them.
Even scolded by wicked or insulted, ridiculed ,calumniated, beaten, bound, robbed of living, or spat upon or otherwise badly treated by the ignorant- being thus variously shaken and placed in dire circumstances and extremities, the one shunning attachment and desires remains unaffected.
Lord Krishna is the supreme self, Braham - existence-knowledge- bliss absolute. As he is the originator of all this and many other galaxies, he holds the key to peace, eternal and material prosperity.
In the case of dualities, a realized self soul remains serene and unperturbed.
Yada sanharte chayamj kurmoanganiv sarvashah I
Indriyarhiindriyarthebhaystasy pragya partishithitah II(58)
When a realized one withdraws all his senses from their sense objects like tortoise withdrawing senses in his shell, then the intellect of this person is steady.
Mind swayed by past works goes from one sphere to another .accompanied by the five senses. The spirit which is distinct from mind follows it. Identification of conditioned embodied soul with mind causes all this invincible trouble of bondage. Insatiable senses are like fire which, if not controlled, may cause havoc, so are the senses uncontrolled. All sins are committed to satisfy theses senses. A realized person withdraws senses from their objects like a tortoise.
A tortoise resides in a shell. Seeing any coming onslaught, the tortoise withdraws his feet, mouth, eyes and other senses within shell.
Ear, nose, palate, eyes and skin are five organs of knowledge, tongue, hands and legs are organs of action and mind is both. Sound, touch, taste, smell and cooler are five sense objects. Motion, speech, exertion and manual art are effects of organs of action. All these require regulation so that one is able to liberate one self from the clutched of bondage and go to one’ own self
Lord Krishna in chapter 16 exhorts all the embodied self souls to act as per the regulation laid down in Holy Scriptures.
Tasmachchhastram parmarham te karyakaryvayavasittou I
Gyatva shastravidhanoktam karam kartumiharahsiII (16.24)
The Scriptures are proof of what duty is and what not, duty is and knowing this from scriptures, you are entitled to act.
Scriptures are proof for what to do and what not to do. Certain principles of material prosperity have been given in Holy Scriptures. Sense control is foremost for spiritual progress. Altogether sense prohibition has not been prescribed. The tongue has been given to recite: Lord’s name and his supreme tales, not for eating and enjoying specie food. One eats foods for sustenance but 99% person don’t posses this perception. All the senses have a way out to serve the Lord. a realized man controls his senses within a parameter.
When this liberated self soul is able to control his senses like a tortoise, his intellect stands established.
If a human being is deprived of sense objects by force or denial, he goes on thinking about the way to satiate his urge.
Verse 6 and 7 of chapter three put these phenomena as:
Karmendrarham sanyam ya aste mansa samran I
Indrayarthanvimarhatmah miyhyacharah sa uchayate II
Yastuindrarhi mansa niyamyarbharatearjun I
Karmendriyeah karamyogasaktah sa vishishayte II (3.6-7)
One who outwardly restrains his organs of senses and action but mentally dwells upon the sense objects, that man of deluded intellect is hypocrite.
Arjun! On the other hand, he who controls the organs of senses and action by his will power and remaining unattached, is able to undertake yoga of action through those organs, he excels.
The real factor for causing bondage is the attachment and mind is the root cause of attachment. One verily does not reflect that thing, persons or objects which one has never come across by seeing, hearing, tasting, experimenting or by any other means but reflection of those things which have been experienced goes deep in memory and comes up in mind time and again. This causes a sort of repetition contours on the mind set. One remembers his past pleasure and pain because of this memory and attachment to it. The memory is to analyze own self, Lord and attaining self realization.
Outwardly restraining the organs of senses and action, sitting aloof from them but always craving for them in mind, is nothing but hypocrisy and does not dilute the process of bondage.
It is the control of senses organs and action by will power and remaining unattached to them, that one undertakes yoga of action through those organs. One cannot restrain the nature from doing its act but if the doer(who is actually not doer) does not identify itself with body it can avoid attachment to the act of body. Reality is that only a witness of action involves itself with the fruits and deeds of nature consisting of mind, senses, body, and instincts and so on. This identification is bondage.
As soon as reality of Material nature, Eternal nature of Supreme Self dawns upon the seeker, taste for sense gratification subsides. Due to development of higher taste of devotion to Lord Krishna increases day by day.
To him this is not an ordinary happiness; rather it is transcendental happiness well beyond the reach of sense objects, it is realization of self.
The inclination to enjoy a sense objects is contacted with one’s being conditioned to certain acts out of ego. This urge remains in mind in form of ego, which further involves mind set followed by the self soul to act in the material world full of distress and misery. As long this ego and desire for material enjoyment subsists, the transcendental progress does not take off. But the mercy of Lord Krishna takes the devotee to that point from where he becomes averse to sense enjoyment.
Yatato hiapi kontey purushach vipashchitah I
Indraiyani parmathini haranti parasabham manah II (2.60)
The agitating senses forcibly over power the mind of yogi having complete knowledge of discrimination.
Lord Krishna is stressing the importance of regulation of relation of senses with sense objects. While in material world embodied self soul can not remain without action. To maintain body one has to eat, but eating the vegetarian food only to nourish body is a necessity. Such is a case for all other senses.
Vedic scriptures have made regulations for the senses and sense objects. One can follow these but devotion to Lord, complete surrender to his lotus feet build up distaste for sense objects and material world. Where there is devotion to eternity, there is a certain aversion to materialism. Senses even overtake great yogis who try to reach the peak of attainment. In Ramayana there is a story of Devarshi Narada having developed ego of winning the sex urge, gone to Lord Vishnu even though he was advised against it by Lord Shiva. Narrating his feat to Lord Vishnu he made for his routine of visiting different planets. While returning from Vikunth he found a beautiful kingdom put up by Lord’ power, where he was so attracted to the princess that he wanted to marry her and went to Lord to make him beautiful like himself so that he may marry that princess. Though he was made to look like monkey, yet he could not understand mystery. The princess shunned him and put the marriage garland on the neck of Lord who took away the princess. Sage Narada was so upset that he inflicted a curse on Lord to bemoan for a woman in next incarnation and the shape which he gave Narada, those species will help him. Lord accepted this curse and was found crying for his beloved Seeta like a human being. One cannot claim complete subjugation of senses unless one attains Lord’s mercy.
Tani sarvarhi sanyamya yuktaeet matparah I
Vashe hi yasyeindriyarhi tasy prgya partishithitah II (2.61)
Lord tells to Arjun to control all his senses and stay devoted to Him. Whose senses are controlled, he is of steady intellect.
All senses automatically abstaining from their objects and serving the Lord, mind fixed on his lotus feet, ear hearing tales about the pass time of Lord, eyes having spectrum of Lord’s figures, feet traveling to his temple and abode of Lord, nostrils smelling the flowers, leaves surrendered to Lord, his desire to attain the perception of Lord, hand making offerings to Lord, head bowing before Lord in obeisance.
These activities of devotion when become a routine, then the devotee has no moment left to think of senses. But for mere maintenance of one’s body that to serve the Lord and to meditate him, a devotee is blessed with complete control of his senses. Surrender to Lord is of utmost importance as it leads to liberation. Liberation does not mean to going to some other sphere. It is freedom from attachment of body, mind, intellect, senses and their evolutes. Lord Krishna has used word ‘matparha’ at many places in his eternal message, which means complete surrender of all the above conditioning of self soul.
(Thus ends chapter twelve)
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