Tuesday, June 12, 2007

15th Chapter of Gita-- 20th sloka

Hare Krishna,

This is the last sloka of 15th chapter. Lord Krishna explains the significance of this chapter and benefits of the knowledge. We have seen till now seen how lord Krishna has started explaining the world as a tree and how it this tree of the world is sustained. He also explained the earth and sustenance of life on it. He further moves to the microcosm level and explains human life, birth and death cycle. At every stage he emphasizes that he alone is the cause of existence and that he is the substratum of all. Thus he makes us understand the ultimate reality of Brahman.


15.20 – ithi guhyatamam sastram iti uktam maya anagha
Etat bhuddva budhhimaanasya krta-krityah cha bharata

Meaning of words:
Ithi –this
Guhyataam – most secretive/mystical
Sastram – scripture
Iti utkam maya – has thus been uttered by me
Anagha – ignorant person
Etat – this scripture
Bhuddva—understanding
Buddhiman – wise
Krta-krtiyah – reaching target
Bharata – son of bharata dynasty


Meaning of sloka
Arjuna , the son of bharata dynasty, this most secretive/mystical scripture I mentioned , if understood will make a person wise and he would feel that he has achieved what needs to be achieved in this world.

This chapter contains all the essence of Vedas, the import of the gita is mentioned in brief here. Hence even though Gita is a smrithi, Lord Krishna calls this chapter itself as a shastra. It is a very secrective and mystical scripture because, knowing that brahman alone exists is easy, but putting it into practice is very difficult. One should get the knowledge of ultimate reality, practice to accept everything in the world as brahman itself and be ever established in brahman. As it’s a difficult path to tread, as its difficult to understand such an abstract subject and contemplate on it, the lord calls it as mystical. Out of crores of people , only thousands come to know about brahman by the grace of GOD, out of the thousands of people only few people can realize it. Hence its considered to be mystical, not easy to be understood by all.
Ones a person realizes the true nature of the world, he knows that nothing but brahman alone exists in the world. Thus when one understands this he becomes wise, he develops a strong conviction that there is no duality in the world and that everything is an illusion. Like the water in the desert seems to exist so also this world seems to exist. As desert only is real and water is just an illusion, so also the ultimate reality of brahman alone exists as the substratum. When a person knows and understands this, he will have nothing else to achieve in this world. He is ever blissful, he is unaffected by the worldly activities, he is ever immersed in the self , which alone is real, thus he becomes wise. He develops a krita-kritya bhavam, meaning attaining which there is nothing else to achieve.

Thus Krishna concludes the chapter saying that, knowing brahman , understanding brahman as all pervading and being ever established in brahman a person would get moksha.


Hare Krishna

Thanks,
Aparna

2 comments:

vedanta said...

HARI AUM

Prostrations to all.

A small correction: Lord Krishna has explained the three purushas in detail The Lord doesn't speak about the purushas in detail :) - it is just a brief definition or explanation. If we consider the slokas as detailed explanation, then there would be no need of various bhashyas and tikas on the same.

Prostrations to all.

HARI AUM

Thanks
Hariram
Let a moment not pass by without remembering God

vedanta said...

HARI AUM

Prostrations to all.

Any work is incomplete without the phalasruthi or speaking about the
fruit achieved due to learning or implementation of the work. The 19th
and 20th slokas can be considered as the phala sruthi of this chapter of
Gita. Krishna being the perfect traditionist thus doesn't deviate from
the tradition in not maintaining the phala sruthi. This as well
portrays this chapter as an independent and important one for a seeker. For
eg: the 7th, 8th and 9th chapters are continuous (culminating in 9th).
But unlike this, the 15th chapter is an independent treatise which is
considered as an Upanishad by none other than Chinmayananda.

Around 10-15 years back, AMMA used to tell all her disciples to chant
and learn the 15th chapter. That was the time when we learnt the chapter
by-heart and with meaning. This again shows the importance of this
chapter.

Whatever it is, it is very important to rememeber that merely posting
contents on the web or discussing on spiritual topics or keeping books
doesn't make a person spiritual. Spirituality is not external
showing-off.

Mundaka Upanishad boldly says:

Nayam aatma pravachanena labhyah na medhayaa na bahoona sruthena
yam eva esha vrinuthe tena labhyah tasya esha aatma vivrunuthe tanoom
svaam

The Self is not known through giving discourses, through intellect or
through lot of listening. A person who really seeks the Self alone will
know the Self. For such a person, the Self will reveal its natural
form.

It is very important to remember this that we aren't spiritual by any
of these activities but by the earnest desire to know the Self. We are
all filled with pre-conceived notions that by learning or listening or
being part of the forum, we are spiritual. This is a completely wrong
notion. How can we ever try to compare ourselves with those who have
renounced everything and are in the sanyaasa marga seeking nothing but the
Lord alone.

Just by me telling that place doesn't matter and that we can realize
the Self by being in the world, it doesn't mean that all of us can do it.
:)Yes, this message is for all of us in the forum who think that we are
very spiritual and hence seek acknowledgement.

Without surrender or bhakthi attitude, we will only be nourishing the
ego through learning the scriptures. Hence we all need to have this
attitude of total surrender to the Lord if we our learning has to become
fruitful.

Thanks to Aparna for the explanation of this beautiful chapter of Gita.
Sincere request to everyone in the forum to come forward with postings
so that both ourselves and others will be benefitted from the same
(though always keeping in mind that mere discussing or preaching or
learning will not be fruitful without surrender).

Prostrations to all.

HARI AUM

Thanks
Hariram
Let a moment not pass by without remembering God