II Let's discuss 'The Shrimad Bhagvad Geeta' II

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halfbloodprince

@Wistfulness

Achiever

+ 8

Posted: 11 years ago

#41

Dhyaayato vishayaanh pumsah
Sangaath samjaayate kaamah kaamaath
Krodho abhijaayate

- When a man dwells longingly on sense objects, a fondness towards them is formed. This fondness develops into desire and desire provides path to anger.

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varaali

@varaali

Dazzler

+ 2

Posted: 11 years ago

#42

Krishna is silent and does not respond.

By now Arjuna is aware that all his venting and his so called 'reasons' for not fighting

has not had any impact on Krishna . Krishna did not seem to be inclined to turn the chariot

around and drive away. In fact Krishna did not seem in anyway to be affected by Arjuna's

rant at all. The usual serene smile was still on in his lips as he casually flicked the

reins to keep the horses steady.

Arjuna realizes that something has terribly gone wrong with him and he needs help. Composing himself and wiping his tears, he beseeches Krishna:

(A very significant sloka (Chapter 2, Sloka 7)

karpanya-dosopahata-svabhavah

prcchami tvam dharma-sammudha-cetah

yac chreyah syan niscitam bruhi tan me

sisyas te aham sadhi mam tvam prapannam

Oh Krishna, I am confused about my duty, I have suddenly become faint hearted, I am bewildered. I don't know what has overtaken me. In such a condition, I am asking you to instruct me on what is best for me. I am your disciple (sishyas te aham), I surrender unto you (tvam prapannam)

Arjuna finally acknowledges that he indeed has a problem and to solve it seeks Krishna's help. In the past too, whether it was the burning down the Khandavaprastha forest or his exile in Dwaraka, Arjuna has sought and benefitted by Krishna's counsels. Even on the eve

of the Mahabharata War, it was on Krishna's suggestion that Arjuna prayed to Goddess Durga

and obtained the assurance of victory from her. But despite all that, the friendship of

Krishna and Arjuna was on equal terms. Arjuna would refer to Krishna as "Hey Krishna, Hey

Yadava or Hey Sakha..." Theirs was a frienship shorn of formalities or decorum.

But as Arjuna realized, the present situation was not one where he could treat Krishna as a sakha. If he truly wanted to be pulled out of the well he had fallen into he would have seek Krishna's help in a different manner.

As a shishya.

Fully surrendered.

And Arjuna does exactly that

Arjuna does not let his ego come in the way of his upliftment. All along, Arjuna must have realized that Krishna was way superior to him in both skill and knowledge, yet Krishna had always treated him as a comrade.

But when the moment of reckoning comes, Arjuna does not hesitate to fall on his knees and beseech Krishna to acccept him as his shishya adding that he, Arjuna had surrrendered completlely to Krishna.

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varaali

@varaali

Dazzler

+ 2

Posted: 11 years ago

#43

Observe also the visual picture drawn here. Usually in a battle, it is the Maharathi who stands tall in a chariot - while the sarathy is seated, ready to take instructions from his master.

Now, in this case, the scenario is reversed. The maharathi (Arjuna) is seated dejectedly, while the Sarathi (Krishna) has stood up. Now the sarathy will give instructions- which the maharathi will have to listen to. Because as Krishna knows, at this point in time, he not only has the reins of the chariot in his hand, but the reins of Arjuna's life / career / reputation also.

Also noteworthy are Arjuna's first and last words in the Bhagavat Gita. His first words are in the form of an order / request. "Please Krishna, would you be good enough to place the chariot somewhere in the middle?"

After all, he is the warrior and has every right to give instructions to his sarathy as to where he wants the vehicle to go.

Except that this is no ordinary Sarathy.

What Arjuna has still not realized is that the reason Krishna agreed to be his charioteer, was to be able to steer him in the right direction. And if Arjuna continued to give instructions, the consequences would be disastrous. It would be better if Arjuna listened to Krishna - not vice versa. And Arjuna had to be made aware of this fact.

Thus begins the long journey of 18 chapters, 700 verses, across samkhya, karma, dyana bhakti,and moksha sanyas yogas.

But what was it's purpose? What did Krishna achieve by it? The answer lies in Arjuna's last words in the Bhagavat Gita

arjuna uvaca
nasto mohah smrtir labdha tvat-prasadan mayacyuta
sthito 'smi gata-sandehah karisye vacanam tava

By your grace, O Achyuta, my delusion is dispelled and I am free from doubt. I will now do as YOU order.

When Arjuna agrees to do as per Krishna's bidding, his victory is assured.

Edited by varaali - 11 years ago

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varaali

@varaali

Dazzler

+ 2

Posted: 11 years ago

#44

Now back to the II chapter, where Arjuna has asked Krishna to be his guide and mentor and clear him of the confusion that is plaguing him.

Arjuna's distress is three fold-

He fears that the persons he loves and reveres so much (i.e Bhishma, Drona, even Members on his side) will die / be killed. He will see them no more; he will be bereft of their company.
He may have to do the killing and the sin he will incur due to such killing
The shock and the grief which a War of this magnitude will inevitably cause.

Lord Krishna stands up- and - thus begins the flow of nectar called Bhagavat Gita- the Song of God.

Many commentators have said that the real Gita starts only from here.

Chapter II, verse 11

sri-bhagavan uvaca

asochyan anvashochas tvam

prajna-vadams cha bhasase

gatasun agatasums cha
nanushochanti panditah

The Lord said: Though you speak learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those, who are wise, lament neither for the living nor the dead.

In the first chapter, Arjuna had given his reasons (in 15 verses) on why he should not fight such a war.

Now, in this one sloka, Krishna dismisses all his arguments and in fact mocks him lightly. "Oh Arjuna", Krishna says, "you speak like a learned person but don't you know that one who is truly wise, i.e one who knows the difference between Body and Soul - does not grieve for any stage of the body, neither in the living condition nor in the dead condition."

This is the begining of the Sankhya Yoga- the yoga of knowledge through which Lord Krishna hopes Arjuna will overcome his despair.

In the next 18 slokas (verses 12 to 30), Sri Krishna explains the true nature of Soul and how it is different from the body.

Edited by varaali - 11 years ago

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varaali

@varaali

Dazzler

+ 2

Posted: 11 years ago

#45

Sri Krishna's attempt to yoke Arjuna back into battle harness begins with the highest truth known to Man- the distilled essence of Upanishadic wisdom- that Body and Soul are as different from each other as chalk and cheese.

What is Arjuna grieving about? That , if his side were to emerge victorious, Bhishma , Drona et all would have to die, i.e their existence on earth would have come to an end and he, their student and favourite would have to bring about that end.

Sri Krishna's first point is to clarify this misconception of Arjuna. He says that there was never such a time when he (Krishna) or Arjuna or any of the kings assembled there did not exist. They may have been in different forms, known by different names, acted differently, but exist they did.Destruction of the body does not signal the end of existence on Earth because in each body resides an everlasting spirit. (II, 12)

Arjuna talks as if Death were a finality, a closure. But one who is wise knows that birth, sufferings and death are merely incidents in the history of Soul.There is no such thing as Death, since it is the body which dies and the body is not the ultimate.

All the people for whose deaths Arjuna is mourning have lived before and will live again because just as the body passes through childhood, youth and old age, the soul too passes from body to body.

A realized person - does not allow himself to be affected by the feelings of his senses, by the impulses of his mind and by the rush of his emotions. To such a person, - Dhira- both pleasure and pain are alike, and he becomes eligible for immortality.

If the soul is supposed to be constant and ever existent, then what is this state of immortality which Krishna is talking about? We shall come to it shortly.

In the next few verses, (16 - 21) Krishna tries to allay Arjuna's grief by explaining to him that he will not be guilty of killing Bhishma or Drona, since the souls which reside in their bodies cannot be killled anyway. That which is ever existent cannot just vanish and that which is non existent cannot come into being. The soul is permanent and cannot cease to be though it may change the forms through which it appears.

While the body may be perishable, the soul that resides in the body is eternal, immutable and infinite. It pervades the universe, for nothing can ever destroy it .

It is unborn (Na Jayate), eternal (Nitya) everlasting (Shashvata) and ancient (Purana).Nor does it come into existence only with the appearance of a body. ( Na va Bhoothva Bhooyaha Bhavita) [II, 20]

The body is finite, the soul infinite; the body is limited, the soul limitless; the body is transient, the soul eternal. The body perishes but the soul lives on.

And looking at Arjuna directly, Krishna asks, A person who has realized the true nature of the Soul, whom will he kill and how can he cause anyone to be killed? [ II, 21]

Just as a man casts away his old clothes and wears new ones, similarly, the soul sheds worn out bodies and enters newer ones. [II, 22]

The soul is not slayed with the slaying of the body. Who can slay the infinite spirit? Weapons cannot cleave it, nor the fire burn, neither can waters drench it, nor the wind dry. [II, 23]

It is formless, and beyond comprehension. It is constant and immutable.

What is there to fear in Death? For a soul to manifest itself, it takes a body - a birth - and once birth takes place, death is an inescapable certainity and after death, once again a rebirth is inevitable. So Arjuna, why grieve over what is destined?

Edited by varaali - 11 years ago

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ElMystique

@ElMystique

Rocker

+ 2

Posted: 11 years ago

#46

Thanks for the enlightening posts Vaarali.I had a doubt i would be more than greatful if you could clarify.I am not sure if the following shloka is from bhagwatgeetha but it says...Arjuna uvacha: kimekam daivatam loke kimvapyekam parayanam stuvantah kam kamarchantah prapnuyur manavah shubham ko dharmah sarva dharmanam bhavatah parmomatah kimjapam muchyate jantur janmasamsarabandhanaat could you please explain the meaning...

Edited by frappie - 11 years ago

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varaali

@varaali

Dazzler

+ 2

Posted: 11 years ago

#47

Originally posted by: frappie
Thanks for the enlightening posts Vaarali.I had a doubt i would be more than greatful if you could clarify.
I am not sure if the following shloka is from bhagwatgeetha but it says...Arjuna uvacha: kimekam daivatam like kimvapyekam parayanam stuvantah kam kamarchantah prapnuyur manavah shubham ko dharmah sarva dharmanam bhavatah parmomatah kimjapam muchyate jantur janmasamsarabandhanaat could you please explain the meaning...

No it is not from BG.

It is from the Anushasana parva and marks the beginning of the Vishnu Sahasranam as recited by Bhishma.

In fact, it is not Arjuna uvacha, but Yudhishthira Uvacha.

To asnwer your question:

After the War when Bhishma lying on the bed of arrows, Yudhishtira comes to him for Rajya-anushasana deeksha.

After a long discussion stretching over nearly 150 adhyayas, covering diverse topics, Yudhishthira asks "Kim ekam devtam loke kim vapyekam parayanam?"

In this universe Who is the one (ekam) refuge (paryaam) for all?

Who (kim) is the greatest (ekam) Lord (daivatam) in the world (loke)?

By eulogising (sthuvanta) whom (kam) can a person (mnav) reach auspiciousness (ubham) (peace and prosperity)?

By worshipping (archanta) whom can a person reach auspiciousness (peace and prosperity)?

What (kah) is, in thy opinion, the Greatest Dharma of all Dharmas? By (kim) chanting whose name, can a "creature" (jantuh) proceed beyond (muchyate) the bonds (bandhant) of samsra?

Bhishma closes his eyes for a minute. In his mind's eye he sees a glorious figure- clad in Pitamabara... with a mace, conch, discus and padma in his four hands, lying on his Bhujaga Shayana , a padma emerging from his navel...the sustainer of the World ...Without a beginning and without an end...Achuyta...Ananta...

He open his eyes and sees Krishna in front of him. Trying to bring his arrow pierced hands together in salutation, Bhishma answers Yudhishthira's question:

"He who is dark as a rain cloud, clad in pitamabara and upaveeta... with the srivatsa and the kaustubha on his chest...makara kundala in his ears...He who is flanked by Rukmini and Satyabhama... O Yudhishthira... Krishna alone is your refuge."

Chandrananam Chaturrbahum

Srivatsangita Vakshasam

Rukmini Satyabhamapyam Sahitam

Krishna- aham- Ashraye

Thus begins the second most often quoted piece from MB- The Vishnu Sahasranama- (the first, obviously, being BG) Om Vishwam Vishnu Vashatkaro...

Spanning over 100 verses, Bhishma recites the 1000 names of Vishnu. Names that are recited religiously even today, Names that are said to contain the power and essence of the entire Srimad Bhagavtaham, Names that are said to provide moksha.

Edited by varaali - 11 years ago

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mnx12

@mnx12

Channel Moderator

+ 15

Posted: 11 years ago

#48

Note:

2nd post on pg 1 is updated. Please have a look.

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Nripendra

@Abhisheking

Rocker

+ 2

Posted: 11 years ago

#49

Originally posted by: debasree04

No Krishna never say that the war is just an avenge rather he always mention its 'dharma yudh' where they have to kill all adharmis...

Oh😳!

But if we go with this Starbharat,the motive will be the one I talked about.😆😆

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Nripendra

@Abhisheking

Rocker

+ 2

Posted: 11 years ago

#50

Originally posted by: bheegi

I'll try to explain it the way I've understood this shloka and tried to apply it to my daily life

We all work towards a goal when we start a project but when the anxiety about the results become more overpowering, then we lose focus on our actions. That's why putting all our energies in the action rather than the result of the action is more likely to bring the desired result. Even if the end result is undesirable, we can get satisfaction that we tried our best.

eg: while playing cricket or tennis, if one gets too worried about the score then the player loses focus and is more likely to make errors out of worrying. Instead, focussing on each shot or point helps the player put all his energies in that shot rather than worrying about the ultimate score. It's like meditating over each point/each task

Hope that makes sense