Presentation at Vision Center ,Chinmaya Mission , Richmond,VA U.S.A
Geeta discussion .date -30th August 2018.
CH,17 ; Shlok 13,14,15,16.
Thanks for giving me this opportunity.Before I start my presentation; I would like to tell something about this Vision Center.The name itself tells that we get vision of Geeta, with full understanding of each shlokas and each word of it .Not only reading and mugging up it. Here we learn how to read or recite the shlokas. Here we try to find out the inner meaning by discussion. And get vision how to live life and head towards the spiritual path. Mugging means to keep Geeta "KANTASTH" It stays in our KANTH =throat,;while here we try to keep it HRADYASTH =in our heart.And then only we can say Ï KNOW GEETA. BY HEART ."This the motto of this mission, I think. Anyways. Coming to my subject,The Geeta , as we know, is to show the path of going towards the last destination of life ;and get eternal joy of being one with Pramaatma having BRAHM NIRVAAN i.e. reaching last station of life journey. Geeta starts with "Vishaad yog " and then gradually Krishna makes us to understand about AATMA-PARAMAATMAA, KARM ,BHAKTI, TRIGUNAS,ETC..Here in these shlokaas, He explains,about Sacrifice=ygna;and Austirity=Tapa. He says, sacrifice-ygna, should be done according to Shaastras-i.e. scriptures, which, are written by predecessors, when they performed sacrifice and experienced difficulties and hurdles. From those experiences they wrote scriptures to guide us how to overcome by uttering "RICHAAS ' and doing proper "Rituals" which take us to our ultimate destination. At this Arjun asks ;-If a person does not know the shaastras and do ygna-sacifice ,what will happen ? Which type of that ygna will be ? On this Krishna explains, If Shrddha-faith is there , strong belief in God with noble mind & life "God will accept my this Ygna " then the ignorance of shaastra is not counted; it is acceptable. Here He says, again Shraddha-faith also depends on inheritance of TRIGUNAAS ; Which come with life at the time of birth ,According to Karma of last life. The thoughts and affiliation ,affection ,attachment of the mind at the last moment i.e. status of mine at last moment when soul leaves the body. These all attach to the SUKSHMA JEEV & come with it in new life or body-mind . We know the story of rishi Bharat. Who was attached with affection to deer ,and got birth as deer and then as manushy. As he remembered the past lives;because of his austerities, ;he was not speaking and living as a bafoon. So he was known as "JAD BHARAT " There is one shlok which says
यं यं वापि स्मरंभाव ,त्यजन्ति अन्ते कलेवरम
तम तमेवैति कौंतेय सदा तद भाव भावितः
Meas, A person who leaves body with whichever Bhaav -feelings\ thoughts, same comes in new life ,undoubtedly,and because of that person has faith likely. In short , a person who comes with nobleness--SAATVIK GUNA will worship God, The person with RAJSIK GUNA will worship DEMI GODS AND DEMON while TAAMSIK person will worship Ghosts etc. Further He says there are three types of ÿgna" --NISHKAAM YGN. NIHI means not and KAAM means desire .The sacrifice without any desire is called Saatvik Then comes; SKAAM YGN. S = with, Kaam == desire. with any desire or intention for YGN FAL is called RAAJSIK YGN Raja Dashrath had done for having sons.so that was Rajsik skaam ygn. Then the lowest is TAAMSIK YGN .The sacrifice done without faith. TAMAS=DARKNESS ,darkness of knowledge, ÄGNAAN" . The sacrifice done without faith and without any knowledge is Taamsik. OR done for just to show off ;of the wealth, power OR to do bad of some one ,to hurt some on ,to take revenge , is called Taamsik ygn Just had done by RAJA DRUPAD TO TAKE REVENGE on DURYODHAN. Sacrifice ,as I said earlier is considered right , if, it is done with direction of scriptures Scriptures say ,Ygn, should be done by VIDHI == Rituals, distributing Prasaad==offered food ,chanting rhymes==Richaas and at the end, giving Dakshinaa= gift to priest. As I understood, sacrifice is one word in English has two meanings. TYAAG and YGN. TYAAG means to leave something which is very near to your heart;while YGN means, you burn everything, all types of likes -dislikes, agony, jealousy,And with That we say to God,,pray to God, to give us purity accepting our respect and Vandan by giving AAHUTI. In Gujraati it is called HOM-HAVAN .I think it should be Sacrificial fire for Ygn as we do oblation and sacrifice for Tyaag. Anyways. After this Krishna turns towards TAP=Austerity.For Tap one must have,1-Respect for elder and worship them as God. 2--Self cleanliness. .I am not going in detail as it will take time. But it is not body only it suggests for heart and mind also. 3--Sanyam==self contrll. 4--Noble and transparent and 5--Ahinsaa; nonviolence by, Mansaa, vaachaa and Karmanaa.;i.e. should not think bad ; do bad or say bad,In these shlokaas He says one should worship ;---Dev=God. Not only God, but a person who has divine wealth. -DAIVI SAMPATTI=ULTIMATE KNOWLEDGE.Week =who has born twice .DWEE=two &JA =to take birth. Generally, we call Brahmin as Dweej ,because,once he has born and 2ndly when he wears sacred thread with rituals. It is called ŸGNOPAVIT. sanskaar.ŸGN= SACRIFICE, --UPAVIT= SACRED THREAD SANSKAAR=RITUALS with special MANTRAS AND SHLOKAAS. One who wears sacred thread=JANEU doing ygn with rituals chanting special mantras and shlokaas. Brahmin ,It is not neccessary to be born in brahmin family. Person must understand the meaning of life before wearing Janeu and realise the duties with responsibilty. After wearing this person starts learnig more deeply .That is why before going to school YGNOPAVIT SANSKAAR takes place. Also, braahmin is a person who tries to find out meaning of life or who understands --realises the SELF--SWARUP-- AND WHO IS FOLLOWER AND SEEKER OF BRAHNMN. THIS WEEK SHOLD BE WORSHIPPED. Then the word comes, GURU who should be worshipped. Guru gives knowledge for aatma klyaan and wisdom . School teachers, sport coaches, music teacher, P.T. teachers ,all are gurus PRAGN=The person who has passions, intelligence and remembrance. SMRUT I Smruti of self. One who, wants to reach the DHYEY=GOAL, LKSHYA has to do saadhnaa and that time should remember ẅho I am? what is my SWA-DHARM ,what is real karm and what is my destination. that is Pragnaa. such PRAAGN person is to be worshipped. SHaouch = Purity .this word says-- that person should be worshippeded who has pure heart, without any cunningness ,jalousey,and enmity-dushmani AARJAVM=Sstraitforwardness,politeness,calmness.BRAHMCHRYA ==Now, this word requires some explanation. The word comes from Brahmchaari ."BRAMN CHRAT I ITI BRAHMCHAARI." Brahmn ,we know, cosmos, universe. CHAR means to walk .He who walks through Brahmn is Brahmchaari. Just as Nishaachar, Nishaa= night. char= walks. GO CHAR. Where cows walk . Brahmchaari walks in Brahmn for seeking the knowledge not just wandering. SO, the person who is seeker of knowledge AND follower of that is called observing brhamchrya. A brahmchaari puts in practice the knowledge is called observing brahmcharya .He should be worshipped. Generally ,people take it or think it in context of sex , but real brahmcharya is not only that . But with that observing eternal knowledge is important. Krishna says a person who is observing all these qualities is doing PHYSICAL austerity. ==SHAAReerik Tapa. There is no need to go to forest or standing on one leg, or dangle upside down,or sitting near the fire with smoke etc. One Gujarati bhajan says,--Nishchay kro raamnu naam , nathi jogi thaine jaavu.. Means just chant the Holly name of God with faith, no need of becoming sadhu NATHI KARVAA BHAGVAA KAAY, NATHI BHELU KRINE KHAAVU . Means no need to wear saffron clothes and no need to mix up the food in one bowl to eat. Saadhus take alms in one pot only--KAMANDAL from all houses and eat that. KAYAA JOGINE RAAM MALYAA ? EVO TO EK BATAAVO .Which saadhu met GOD? Then he gives names of GRUHASTHAS WHO MET GOD. Narsinh, M EERA, GORO KUMBHAAR ETC. While doing the showmenship of austerity as i said and if there no respect for learned, elder, no knowledge about aatma parmatma, or SWARUP it has no meaning. it is all in vain. It is an invitation to physical and mental abnormality. Now comes the austerity of speech. Speech, our words should be sweet. "SATYAM VAD ,PRIYAM VAD." One gujraati proverb says, " Kaanaane kaano nav kahiye , kadvaa laage ven, dhire rahine puchhiye shhne khoyaa nen? "Means a person has only one eye , we should not ask straight way ,how you lost your eye? it hurts but we should ask like this --Ï THINK YOU MUST HAVE MET WITH ACCCIDENT IN WHICH YOU ARE FACING THIS VISION TROUBLE " We must observe our speech or words. we should do SWADHYAAY OF OUR SPEECH. so next time we can be careful in speaking. Many a times Tapsvi has anger, hate, jealousy, etc. Their tap has no meaning . Rishi Durvaasaa is well known for hos anger. Why to go back ? Our ex p.m. late Shree Moraarji desai ,was welknown for his bitter tongue. But when in emergency days, he was in jail,he realised and he confessed that he was wrong speaking truth in bitter way. Anyways. Krshna now tells about mental austerity.=MAANSIK TAP .MANH PRASAAD =Man- mind, ,prasaad= joyfull. Keep mind always in joyful mood. Have satisfaction, serenity of mind. SAUMYA==Have gentleness,politeness,MRUDUTA.Do not have duplicity. Keep balance.No affections, no sentiments. MAUN= Keep mum. No un accessory conversation or speech which has no meaning. bakvaas. Maun also is connected with mind. Our mind keep thinking and thinking and talking to self non stop like weaves of ocean. AVIRAT. This should be controlled. That is called Maun of mind. Thoughts should be diverted towards looking, finding the ways for our path. " SHUDDH VICHAAR" SAYNM , control over the thoughts is maun of mind.Because I am Gujarati, I i can refer Gujarati examples. ha ha . In Gujaratii we all know bhajan ; VAAISHNV JAN TO TENE KAHIYE, JE PEED PARAAI JAANE RE. Vaishnv means who is near to Vishnu,or, who has no VISH=poison at heart. vish=poison, nav= not. Je peed.... who knows -understands other's pain , PAR DUKHE UPKAAR KARE, =WHO HELPS OTHER IN THEIR GRIEVANCES ,--MAN ABHIMAAN NA AANE RE. AND WHO DOES NOT KEEP PRIDE IN MIND FOR THAT. ----VAACH,=SPEECH, KAACHH=CONTROLL OVER INDRIYAAS AND MIND, NISHCHAL DO NOT LET THEM LOOSENED. SAM DRUSTI=ONE WHO LOOKS IN SAME MANNER IN ALL SITUATION AND TRUSHNAA TYAAGI=WHO HAS LEFT ALL DESIRES, --VANLOBHI =NONGREEDY --KAPAT RAHIT=WITH NO GENUINENESS ,--KAAM PASSION, KRODH, =ANGERWHO HAS LEFT .In this bhajan writer has shown all the qualities of tapsvi . Such person has not to go anywhere. I n Geeta there is no weightage on deh daman.-penance. Generally ,people notice such saadhus and adore them. If one saadhu observes fast for so many days,or stands on one leg ,which I have si before ,people stats worshopping them.But, sometimes in reality, such saadhus have desire -ZANKHANAA, KHEVNAA,for fame, and wish to be worshipped as God, with kaam, khodh and irshaa,taking proud of having numbers of disciples . Such tapsvi or sadhusloose the path of enlightenment ,true path to reach last destination. Geeta put weight on inner austerity..Who has control over all inclinations according to Geeta. In short we can say \ define like this :--The one, who , without any desire.-AAKAANSHAA-with full faith,observes these Gunaas-qualities- is a satvik tapsvi. Those who gain knowledge of self realisation-swa-rup And who overcome from kaam, krodh, etc, are always in endless-NIRVIKALP -ABSTRACT CONTEMPLATION. Grahsthi can be tapsvi if he \she follows these. For them whole life is YAGN AND TAPA . Here comes the answer of question asked. One who is doing seva of one's disabled child, in which catagory he should be put? In my opinion ,that person is real tapsvi doing his karm yagn also. ;because he has sacrificed all his desires,feelings after the seva-he has offered himself in that karmyagn. At this point I remember late shree Dongre maharaj,a wellknown BHAGVAT KATHAAKAAR. If time permits, I would like to mention his view of tap for ladies. He said -I am telling this in my words - why only males go for tap and not females?Reason is ; ladies are doing tap for her whole life. As soon as she leaves her father's abode, her tap starts. She leaves her maternal relatives and goes to another house, accepting all unknown in-laws ;as her own relatives. She does sevaa, gives honour and respect to elders, keeps house clean, does all house work ,entertains husband, and try keep all in-laws in happy mood,fulfilling their needs; that too with politeness and with smiling face. If she is mentally -sometimes physically also- hurt, will not show and does her work keeping smile on face. This is her tap and karm yagn. She does not need special space or time for it. Whatever we read in shlokas ,she lives.
astu.
Here I would stop with my understanding of these ahlokaas. Thank you.
