diff --git "a/output/chapters/13.json" "b/output/chapters/13.json" --- "a/output/chapters/13.json" +++ "b/output/chapters/13.json" @@ -5,8 +5,15 @@ "sanskrit": "अर्जुन उवाच |प्रकृतिं पुरुषं चैव क्षेत्रं क्षेत्रज्ञमेव च |एतद्वेदितुमिच्छामि ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं च केशव || 1||*", "transliteration": "arjuna uvāchaprakṛitiṁ puruṣhaṁ chaiva kṣhetraṁ kṣhetra-jñam eva chaetad veditum ichchhāmi jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ cha keśhava", "word_by_word_meaning": "Question:What is Arjuna’s question?", - "translation": "Answer:He desires to know ‘Prakriti’ and ‘Purusha’, ‘Kshetra’ and ‘Kshetrajna’, ‘Jnana’ and ‘Jneya’.", - "commentary": "* In some editions of the Bhagavad Gita, this verse has been omitted, and the next verse figures as the first verse of the thirteenth chapter.", + "translation": [ + "Arjuna said: Prakriti and Purusha, the Field and the Knower of the Field, knowledge and that which is to be known— all this, Ο Keśava, I desire to learn." + ], + "commentary": [ + "Arjuna now questions the Lord about the attributeless Brahma. In the Gita, the first six chapters (1-6) are known as ‘Karmashtakam‘ dealing with karma yoga; the second six chapters (7-12) are known as ‘Bhaktishtakam‘ dealing with ‘Bhakti‘, and the last six chapters (13-18) are known as ‘Jnanashatakam‘ dealing with ‘Jnana‘. So in this Discourse, the subject of knowledge is taken up for detailed investigation. For the aspirant in the ‘Jnanamarga’, this Discourse is of great importance.", + "Question:What is Arjuna’s question?", + "Answer:He desires to know ‘Prakriti’ and ‘Purusha’, ‘Kshetra’ and ‘Kshetrajna’, ‘Jnana’ and ‘Jneya’.", + "* In some editions of the Bhagavad Gita, this verse has been omitted, and the next verse figures as the first verse of the thirteenth chapter." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Bhagavad-Gita-13.1.m4a", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v1/" }, @@ -16,8 +23,18 @@ "sanskrit": "श्रीभगवानुवाच |इदं शरीरं कौन्तेय क्षेत्रमित्यभिधीयते |एतद्यो वेत्ति तं प्राहु: क्षेत्रज्ञ इति तद्विद: || 2||", "transliteration": "śhrī-bhagavān uvāchaidaṁ śharīraṁ kaunteya kṣhetram ity abhidhīyateetad yo vetti taṁ prāhuḥ kṣhetra-jña iti tad-vidaḥ", "word_by_word_meaning": "śhrī-bhagavān uvācha—the Supreme Divine Lord said; idam—this; śharīram—body; kaunteya—Arjun, the son of Kunti; kṣhetram—the field of activities; iti—thus; abhidhīyate—is termed as; etat—this; yaḥ—one who; vetti—knows; tam—that person; prāhuḥ—is called; kṣhetra-jñaḥ—the knower of the field; iti—thus; tat-vidaḥ—those who discern the truth", - "translation": "The Lord said: This body, Ο son of Kunti, is called the Field, and he who knows it is called the Knower of the Field by those who describe them.", - "commentary": "‘Kshetram‘ means field. The field is necessary for growing corn and other things to sustain the beings of the world. So also the body is necessary for the growth of the seed of knowledge in the heart of man. All ‘sadhana’, ‘tapas’, thinking and meditation – all this is to be done with the body. So the body, the ‘kshetra’, is the field for the growth of the, seed of ‘Dharma’ as well as ‘Jnana’. Therefore it is called ‘kshetra’.", + "translation": [ + "The Lord said: This body, Ο son of Kunti, is called the Field, and he who knows it is called the Knower of the Field by those who describe them." + ], + "commentary": [ + "‘Kshetram‘ means field. The field is necessary for growing corn and other things to sustain the beings of the world. So also the body is necessary for the growth of the seed of knowledge in the heart of man. All ‘sadhana’, ‘tapas’, thinking and meditation – all this is to be done with the body. So the body, the ‘kshetra’, is the field for the growth of the, seed of ‘Dharma’ as well as ‘Jnana’. Therefore it is called ‘kshetra’.", + "The body being inert (Jada’) does not know itself; There is a consciousness within with power to cognise the body. This consciousness power is known as ‘kshetrajna.’ He is ‘Pratyagatma’. He is the witness of the combined elements of the body, senses and the mind. He is changeless, pure, intelligence, deathless, separate from the five sheaths (Panchakosas). What is inert cannot know itself. The wall does not know that it is a wall, nor does a pot know that it is a pot. It is intelligence that has the power of cognition. That Intelligence is the Knower of the body. He knows. He (‘kshetrajna‘) is pure Intelligence.", + "The knower of the field is certainly different from the field. So the knower of the body should certainly be distinct from the body. Though Intelligence is in the body, yet it remains free and perfect, witnessing the modifications of the body and mind during all the three states of wakefulness ‘Jagrat’, dream ‘Svapna’ and sleep ‘Sushupti’.", + "Question:What is Kshetra?", + "Answer:This body, this vehicle (Upadhi) is the Kshetra.", + "Question:Who is the kshetrajna?", + "Answer:Pure Intelligence (Pratyagatma) is the knower of the field." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-13-Verse-2.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v2/" }, @@ -27,8 +44,25 @@ "sanskrit": "क्षेत्रज्ञं चापि मां विद्धि सर्वक्षेत्रेषु भारत |क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोर्ज्ञानं यत्तज्ज्ञानं मतं मम || 3||", "transliteration": "kṣhetra-jñaṁ chāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣhetreṣhu bhāratakṣhetra-kṣhetrajñayor jñānaṁ yat taj jñānaṁ mataṁ mama", "word_by_word_meaning": "kṣhetra-jñam—the knower of the field; cha—also; api—only; mām—me; viddhi—know; sarva—all; kṣhetreṣhu—in individual fields of activities; bhārata—scion of Bharat; kṣhetra—the field of activities; kṣhetra-jñayoḥ—of the knower of the field; jñānam—understanding of; yat—which; tat—that; jñānam—knowledge; matam—opinion; mama—my", - "translation": "O Arjuna! Know Me as the kshetrajna (Knower) in all the kshetras (bodies); Knowledge of the kshetra and kshetrajna is real Knowledge, according to My opinion.", - "commentary": "In this verse, the Lord teaches the Mahavakya ‘tat tvam asi’ (Thou art That). In theSecond Discoursein the verse‘Na tvevaham jatu nasam’(2.12), the Lord has already taught the Mahavakya, the highest truth. The Jiva is no other than Siva. The Jiva (really Pratyagatman) is the Knower of the field, the witness to the modifications of the body and mind, and this Jiva is not distinct from Paramatma, is actually one with Him. “Know Me as the Knower of the body in all the bodies”. So the Jiva who is the Knower in a particular body is Paramatma Himself, who is also the knower in everybody. There is therefore only one Knower and He is functioning in everybody as the witness. The Lord Himself is the Knower in all the bodies. The ‘Jiva’ is only a fictitious entity and has no real existence at all apart from the Lord. To know this Truth fully and finally is the highest achievement of man.", + "translation": [ + "O Arjuna! Know Me as the kshetrajna (Knower) in all the kshetras (bodies); Knowledge of the kshetra and kshetrajna is real Knowledge, according to My opinion." + ], + "commentary": [ + "In this verse, the Lord teaches the Mahavakya ‘tat tvam asi’ (Thou art That). In theSecond Discoursein the verse‘Na tvevaham jatu nasam’(2.12), the Lord has already taught the Mahavakya, the highest truth. The Jiva is no other than Siva. The Jiva (really Pratyagatman) is the Knower of the field, the witness to the modifications of the body and mind, and this Jiva is not distinct from Paramatma, is actually one with Him. “Know Me as the Knower of the body in all the bodies”. So the Jiva who is the Knower in a particular body is Paramatma Himself, who is also the knower in everybody. There is therefore only one Knower and He is functioning in everybody as the witness. The Lord Himself is the Knower in all the bodies. The ‘Jiva’ is only a fictitious entity and has no real existence at all apart from the Lord. To know this Truth fully and finally is the highest achievement of man.", + "This knowledge gives to every man the greatest strength and courage. Why should one weep and wail? Why should he suffer the miseries of life? Let him remember that the Lord is actually, directly present in him. This is the truth. No other kind of knowledge except this can give man supreme joy and blissfulness. Knowledge of the sciences, arts and politics, is incomplete and one-sided. There is no perfection in them. There is no finality in them. They keep man where he is. This knowledge of the kshetrajna transforms man into a Divine Being. He understands the tremendous mystery of the human personality.", + "Sarvakshetreshu:Lord Krishna declares Himself to be Paramatma present in every being. He is the basis, the foundation of all. In all human beings irrespective of caste, creed, race, sex and nationality, and in all animals, reptiles and worms, in every body the Lord is present as the One Cognising Power. All the rest is ‘Jada’, except the Lord.", + "The splendid declaration of the Lord should be thought of, meditated upon, and realised by every seeker.", + "Question:Who is it that functions as the Cognising Intelligence in all bodies?", + "Answer:He is Lord Himself, Paramatma.", + "Question:Where does then Paramatma exist?", + "Answer:He exists in the heart of every being, as the eternal witness.", + "Question:Does He exist in certain bodies only?", + "Answer:No. In all kshetras,- man, animal, bird, reptile etc., he exists.", + "Question:What is the nature of the Lord?", + "Answer:He is not a ‘jada’, or nothingness. He is pure intelligence. So He is the one kshetrajna in all beings.", + "Question:What is true Knowledge in the world?", + "Answer:That knowledge which enables man to distinguish the body from the knower of the body, the ‘Drik’ from the ‘Drishya’ is true knowledge – That is the Lord’s declaration." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-13-Verse-3.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v3/" }, @@ -38,8 +72,13 @@ "sanskrit": "तत्क्षेत्रं यच्च यादृक्च यद्विकारि यतश्च यत् |स च यो यत्प्रभावश्च तत्समासेन मे शृणु || 4||", "transliteration": "tat kṣhetraṁ yach cha yādṛik cha yad-vikāri yataśh cha yatsa cha yo yat-prabhāvaśh cha tat samāsena me śhṛiṇu", "word_by_word_meaning": "tat—that; kṣhetram—field of activities; yat—what; cha—and; yādṛik—its nature; cha—and; yat-vikāri—how change takes place in it; yataḥ—from what; cha—also; yat—what; saḥ—he; cha—also; yaḥ—who; yat-prabhāvaḥ—what his powers are; cha—and; tat—that; samāsena—in summary; me—from me; śhṛiṇu—listen", - "translation": "Hear briefly from Me what the Field is, what its nature is, what its modifications are, whence it comes, who its Knower is, and what His powers are.", - "commentary": "The essence of what the Lord has to say is already stated here. The kshetra is (Vikari) changing, and thekshetrajna, the Lord is of great power (Prabhavah). The body is subject to innumerable changes every minute, whereas Paramatma is unchanging, eternal and all-powerful.", + "translation": [ + "Hear briefly from Me what the Field is, what its nature is, what its modifications are, whence it comes, who its Knower is, and what His powers are." + ], + "commentary": [ + "The essence of what the Lord has to say is already stated here. The kshetra is (Vikari) changing, and thekshetrajna, the Lord is of great power (Prabhavah). The body is subject to innumerable changes every minute, whereas Paramatma is unchanging, eternal and all-powerful.", + "Samasena srunu:The Lord is brief in his declarations, as He is speaking on the field of battle, and there is no time for endless philosophical speculations. The Gita is thus the very essence of Brahma Jnana stated in perfect clarity and brevity." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-13-Verse-4.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v4/" }, @@ -49,8 +88,13 @@ "sanskrit": "ऋषिभिर्बहुधा गीतं छन्दोभिर्विविधै: पृथक् |ब्रह्मसूत्रपदैश्चैव हेतुमद्भिर्विनिश्चितै: || 5 ||", "transliteration": "ṛiṣhibhir bahudhā gītaṁ chhandobhir vividhaiḥ pṛithakbrahma-sūtra-padaiśh chaiva hetumadbhir viniśhchitaiḥ", "word_by_word_meaning": "ṛiṣhibhiḥ—by great sages; bahudhā—in manifold ways; gītam—sung; chhandobhiḥ—in Vedic hymns; vividhaiḥ—various; pṛithak—various; brahma-sūtra—the Brahma Sūtra; padaiḥ—by the hymns; cha—and; eva—especially; hetu-madbhiḥ—with logic; viniśhchitaiḥ—conclusive evidence", - "translation": "All this has been sung by sages in many and different ways, in various distinctive hymns, and also in well reasoned and convincing passages indicative of Brahman.", - "commentary": "Rishibhirbahudhagitam:Rishi means a sage who has conquered the senses, and who has attained Brahmajnana. What they say is the very essence of all things and they have established this ‘jnana’ in various ways. It is clear that this knowledge has come down to us from great Rishis.", + "translation": [ + "All this has been sung by sages in many and different ways, in various distinctive hymns, and also in well reasoned and convincing passages indicative of Brahman." + ], + "commentary": [ + "Rishibhirbahudhagitam:Rishi means a sage who has conquered the senses, and who has attained Brahmajnana. What they say is the very essence of all things and they have established this ‘jnana’ in various ways. It is clear that this knowledge has come down to us from great Rishis.", + "Hetumadbhirvinischitaih:The Brahmasutras of Vyasa are not fictitious creations of fancy and imagination. They are scientific and logical statements proved and declared by subtle intellectual and analytical reasoning. The modern man who claims rational thinking as his special privilege will find enough argumentative power and conclusive reasoning in every part of the Brahmasutras. That is why it is said ‘vinischitaih‘-conclusively proved. Not only is this knowledge obtained by reasoning but directly apprehended by them through personal experience. It is the highest truth and there is nothing beyond it." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-13-Verse-5.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v5/" }, @@ -60,8 +104,18 @@ "sanskrit": "महाभूतान्यङ्ककारो बुद्धिरव्यक्त मेव च |इन्द्रियाणि दशैकं च पञ्च चेन्द्रियगोचरा: || 6||इच्छा द्वेष: सुखं दु:खं सङ्घातश्चेतना धृति: |एतत्क्षेत्रं समासेन सविकारमुदाहृतम् || 7||", "transliteration": "mahā-bhūtāny ahankāro buddhir avyaktam eva chaindriyāṇi daśhaikaṁ cha pañcha chendriya-gocharāḥichchhā dveṣhaḥ sukhaṁ duḥkhaṁ saṅghātaśh chetanā dhṛitiḥetat kṣhetraṁ samāsena sa-vikāram udāhṛitam", "word_by_word_meaning": "mahā-bhūtāni—the (five) great elements; ahankāraḥ—the ego; buddhiḥ—the intellect; avyaktam—the unmanifested primordial matter; eva—indeed; cha—and; indriyāṇi—the senses; daśha-ekam—eleven; cha—and; pañcha—five; cha—and; indriya-go-charāḥ—the (five) objects of the senses; ichchhā—desire; dveṣhaḥ—aversion; sukham—happiness; duḥkham—misery; saṅghātaḥ—the aggregate; chetanā—the consciousness; dhṛitiḥ—the will; etat—all these; kṣhetram—the field of activities; samāsena—comprise of; sa-vikāram—with modifications; udāhṛitam—are said", - "translation": "The great elements, I-consciousness, understanding, and the unmanifested; the ten senses, the mind, the five objects of the senses; Desire, hatred, pleasure, pain, the aggregate, intelligence, and fortitude— this, briefly stated, is the Field together with its modifications.", - "commentary": "‘Kshetram’ does not simply mean the physical body alone. All that is perceived (drisya) is the Field. The five elements, mind and intellect and the unmanifested ‘Mulaprakriti’ also come within the concept of the Field. As the mind also is ‘kshetram’, its modifications like desire and hatred, pleasure and pain, etc., also come under kshetram. Not only the bad modifications but good qualities of the mind like fortitude (dhriti) are also included in kshetram. In the highest state (nirvikalpa Atma state) when Atma is experienced, the good and the bad are both left behind.", + "translation": [ + "The great elements, I-consciousness, understanding, and the unmanifested; the ten senses, the mind, the five objects of the senses; Desire, hatred, pleasure, pain, the aggregate, intelligence, and fortitude— this, briefly stated, is the Field together with its modifications." + ], + "commentary": [ + "‘Kshetram’ does not simply mean the physical body alone. All that is perceived (drisya) is the Field. The five elements, mind and intellect and the unmanifested ‘Mulaprakriti’ also come within the concept of the Field. As the mind also is ‘kshetram’, its modifications like desire and hatred, pleasure and pain, etc., also come under kshetram. Not only the bad modifications but good qualities of the mind like fortitude (dhriti) are also included in kshetram. In the highest state (nirvikalpa Atma state) when Atma is experienced, the good and the bad are both left behind.", + "savikaram:The entire kshetram which is Drisya is subject to constant change. The kshetrajna (Drik, the seer) alone is changeless.", + "‘Sukham’– happiness, usually understood by people, is also Drisya (kshetram) and subject to change. So instead of clinging to a changing and momentary happiness, man should seek the unchanging bliss of Atma.", + "The wise man has to reject all that is Drisya both external, and internal. Thoughts are drisya, pleasure and pain are drisya, likes and dislikes are drisya, cowardice and courage are drisya in fact all that comes within our comprehension is drisya (kshetram). The wise man should not identify himself with these bodily and mental modifications. He should remain as kshetrajna, the witness of these changes. Thus, he attains the established state in Atma.", + "This Knowledge, is obtained through discrimination between Atma and Anatma. All that is Anatma is kshetram – the Field, and Atma is the kshetrajna, the knower of the field. The seeker has to carry on this discriminatory process constantly till he is firmly established in the Self.", + "Question:What is Kshetram?", + "Answer: (1) The five great elements, (2) egoism (3) intellect, (4) ‘Mula Prakriti’, (5) The ten internal and external sense organs and the mind, (6) the sense-objects, (7) desire, (8) dislike, (9) sense-enjoyments, (10) sorrow, (11) the aggregate of the body and the senses, (12) intelligence (Vritti Jnanam), (13) fortitude." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-13-Verse-6-7.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v6/" }, @@ -71,8 +125,46 @@ "sanskrit": "अमानित्वमदम्भित्वमहिंसा क्षान्तिरार्जवम् |आचार्योपासनं शौचं स्थैर्यमात्मविनिग्रह: || 8||इन्द्रियार्थेषु वैराग्यमनहङ्कार एव च |जन्ममृत्युजराव्याधिदु:खदोषानुदर्शनम् || 9||असक्तिरनभिष्वङ्ग: पुत्रदारगृहादिषु |नित्यं च समचित्तत्वमिष्टानिष्टोपपत्तिषु || 10||मयि चानन्ययोगेन भक्तिरव्यभिचारिणी |विविक्तदेशसेवित्वमरतिर्जनसंसदि || 11||अध्यात्मज्ञाननित्यत्वं तत्वज्ञानार्थदर्शनम् |एतज्ज्ञानमिति प्रोक्तमज्ञानं यदतोऽन्यथा || 12||", "transliteration": "amānitvam adambhitvam ahinsā kṣhāntir ārjavamāchāryopāsanaṁ śhauchaṁ sthairyam ātma-vinigrahaḥindriyārtheṣhu vairāgyam anahankāra eva chajanma-mṛityu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣhānudarśhanamasaktir anabhiṣhvaṅgaḥ putra-dāra-gṛihādiṣhunityaṁ cha sama-chittatvam iṣhṭāniṣhṭopapattiṣhumayi chānanya-yogena bhaktir avyabhichāriṇīvivikta-deśha-sevitvam aratir jana-sansadiadhyātma-jñāna-nityatvaṁ tattva-jñānārtha-darśhanametaj jñānam iti proktam ajñānaṁ yad ato ’nyathā", "word_by_word_meaning": "amānitvam—humbleness; adambhitvam—freedom from hypocrisy; ahinsā—non-violence; kṣhāntiḥ—forgiveness; ārjavam—simplicity; āchārya-upāsanam—service of the Guru; śhaucham—cleanliness of body and mind; sthairyam—steadfastness; ātma-vinigrahaḥ—self-control; indriya-artheṣhu—toward objects of the senses; vairāgyam—dispassion; anahankāraḥ—absence of egotism; eva cha—and also; janma—of birth; mṛityu—death; jarā—old age; vyādhi—disease; duḥkha—evils; doṣha—faults; anudarśhanam—perception; asaktiḥ—non-attachment; anabhiṣhvaṅgaḥ—absence of craving; putra—children; dāra—spouse; gṛiha-ādiṣhu—home, etc; nityam—constant; cha—and; sama-chittatvam—even-mindedness; iṣhṭa—the desirable; aniṣhṭa—undesirable; upapattiṣhu—having obtained; mayi—toward Me; cha—also; ananya-yogena—exclusively united; bhaktiḥ—devotion; avyabhichāriṇī—constant; vivikta—solitary; deśha—places; sevitvam—inclination for; aratiḥ—aversion; jana-sansadi—for mundane society; adhyātma—spiritual; jñāna—knowledge; nityatvam—constancy; tattva-jñāna—knowledge of spiritual principles; artha—for; darśhanam—philosophy; etat—all this; jñānam—knowledge; iti—thus; proktam—declared; ajñānam—ignorance; yat—what; ataḥ—to this; anyathā—contrary", - "translation": "Humbleness; freedom from hypocrisy; non-violence; forgiveness; simplicity; service of the Guru; cleanliness of body and mind; steadfastness; and self-control; dispassion toward the objects of the senses; absence of egotism; keeping in mind the evils of birth, disease, old age, and death; non-attachment; absence of clinging to spouse, children, home, and so on; even-mindedness amidst desired and undesired events in life; constant and exclusive devotion toward Me; an inclination for solitary places and an aversion for mundane society; constancy in spiritual knowledge; and philosophical pursuit of the Absolute Truth—all these I declare to be knowledge, and what is contrary to it, I call ignorance.", - "commentary": "In this Discourse, both knowledge and the object of Knowledge are explained. The moral and spiritual qualities needed for Self-realisation are stated as Knowledge (Jnanam) here. Without perfect command of these qualities, no one can attain Paramatma. When the mirror is pure, the reflection is clear, not otherwise. Thus when the mind is purified by spiritual qualities, the Self is clearly reflected in it. So the seeker has to cultivate these qualities of jnanam first, and the self-existent Paramatman is revealed spontaneously without any effort on the part of man. All effort, all practice, all ‘sadhana’ is needed to purify the mind by the acquisition of these moral and spiritual qualities. There ends all effort. The Realisation of Paramatman occurs by itself. No effort is needed. Twenty spiritual qualities are mentioned here. The seeker has to understand each one of them and make them all part of his own personality.", + "translation": [ + "Humbleness; freedom from hypocrisy; non-violence; forgiveness; simplicity; service of the Guru; cleanliness of body and mind; steadfastness; and self-control; dispassion toward the objects of the senses; absence of egotism; keeping in mind the evils of birth, disease, old age, and death; non-attachment; absence of clinging to spouse, children, home, and so on; even-mindedness amidst desired and undesired events in life; constant and exclusive devotion toward Me; an inclination for solitary places and an aversion for mundane society; constancy in spiritual knowledge; and philosophical pursuit of the Absolute Truth—all these I declare to be knowledge, and what is contrary to it, I call ignorance." + ], + "commentary": [ + "In this Discourse, both knowledge and the object of Knowledge are explained. The moral and spiritual qualities needed for Self-realisation are stated as Knowledge (Jnanam) here. Without perfect command of these qualities, no one can attain Paramatma. When the mirror is pure, the reflection is clear, not otherwise. Thus when the mind is purified by spiritual qualities, the Self is clearly reflected in it. So the seeker has to cultivate these qualities of jnanam first, and the self-existent Paramatman is revealed spontaneously without any effort on the part of man. All effort, all practice, all ‘sadhana’ is needed to purify the mind by the acquisition of these moral and spiritual qualities. There ends all effort. The Realisation of Paramatman occurs by itself. No effort is needed. Twenty spiritual qualities are mentioned here. The seeker has to understand each one of them and make them all part of his own personality.", + "acharyopasanam:Service to the Guru is an essential factor in spiritual life. Without the benediction of God and Guru, no advancement is possible. Knowledge of Atma is attained by their grace. (4.34)", + "saucham:Purity both internal and external is another essential factor of spiritual life. The mind and body should be washed clean of all their dirt and foul passions.", + "sthairyam:The seeker should be firm, determined and resolute. His decision should be unalterable. The views and opinions of worldly men should not be allowed to loosen the firmness of one’s own conviction about spiritual truth.", + "atmavinigrahah:Here the word Atman stands for senses and mind. They should be thoroughly brought under control, without any fear of rebellion from them at any time. The power of Maya can easily trap up a man, if his self-control is partial or inadequate.", + "indriyartheshu vairagyam:Dispassion for sense-objects is the test of a jnani. The man of knowledge is never tempted by the attractions of the sense-world. If the mind runs after sense pleasures, it cannot be brought to rest in the Self. Meditation is not possible. The seeker has to develop ‘vairagya’ as the very life element of spiritual progress. He should turn the mind inwards to look into the Self by withdrawing it from its usual wanderings in the objective world.", + "janmamrityu jaravyadhi dukha doshanudarsanam:Generally people are able to understand the evils of old age, disease and death. But they do not understand the evils of birth. When a child is born people feel happy. But the Lord here says that birth itself is evil and sorrowful. Because all the ensuing ills and miseries of life come after birth. When there is no birth, there is no body; when there is no body there is no old age or disease or death. That is why both birth and death are said to form the cycle of ‘samsara’. The man who desires to escape death, should also avoid birth. One cannot be had without the other. The true aspirant thinks deeply and sees clearly (anudarsanam) all the evils arising from material life. By such contemplation, he develops a deep inspiration to transcend these evils by every means possible. He finds ultimately that he is not the body, but Atma, the unborn and deathless, free from all the modifications of body and mind. Thus he transcends death. This habit of the mind to see the evils of life and death is of utmost importance in the path of knowledge.", + "asaktir anabhishvangah putradaragrihadishu:The house-holders should think of this aspect of jnana. He should understand that these things like wife and children, positions and possessions, do not really belong to him. It does not mean that he should abandon them. The idea is that there should not be any mental attachment for them. He should realise that he has nothing to do with them, though externally he discharges all the duties of a house-holder.", + "samachittatvam:Equanimity of mind under all circumstances is again the essence of jnana. The wise man is constant and steady whatever may happen, because he knows that he is not the kshetra, but the kshetrajna. So he is indifferent to joy or sorrow, good fortune or ill-fate.", + "bhaktiravyabhicharini:The Lord mentions devotion to Him as one of the qualities of Knowledge. This devotion should be constant and continuous, and it should not be diverted toward any other object in the world. Though in the beginning, such single-minded devotion is not possible, yet by resolute practice he should attain that state when the mind rests steadfast in the Lord and does not move away from Him.", + "viviktadesa sevitvam:In the early stages the company of worldly-minded people causes great distraction (vikshepa), and so the seeker is required to resort to solitary places for silent thinking and meditation. It is quite possible to create such silence and solitude in one’s own house by keeping a room separately for purposes of study and meditation. As the seeker advances, he takes to silence and solitude naturally.", + "aratirjanasamsadi:The company of indifferent people should be avoided. ‘Satsang‘ is always desirable.", + "adhyatmajnana nityatvam:Constancy of Divine contemplation and knowledge is taught here. The light of knowledge should be steady and bright in the heart always. If the light is extinguished, darkness immediately envelops the heart of man. When jnana is lost, ajnana enters at once. When ajnana is put off, jnana dawns at once. They are like light and darkness. When the one is, the other is not. The seekers should remember the Lord’s instruction and try to be aware of the truth at all times. Such awareness keeps off ‘avidya’ from possessing the heart of man.", + "tatvajnanartha darsanam:Direct experience of the truth is one of the important qualities of a jnani. It is not speculation or logic or argument, but actual perception of Atma, which is Brahmajnana.", + "ajnanam yadatonyatha:What is igorance? What is not jnana is ignorance. The Lord need not explain what ignorance is. Everybody knows it already. Pride and arrogance, selfishness, envy and jealousy, ill-will, hatred and a host of evil passions, desires, hopes and fears which beset the mind constitue ignorance.", + "(To Amrita and Trailokya) “Youngsters like Narendra and Rakhal are ever-perfect. Every time they are born they are devoted to God. An ordinary man acquires a little devotion after austerities and a hard struggle. But these boys have love of God from the very moment of their birth. They are like the natural image of Siva, which springs forth from the earth and is not set up by human hands.", + "“The ever-perfect form a class by themselves. Not all birds have crooked beaks. The ever-perfect are never attached to the world. There is the instance of Prahlada.", + "“Ordinary people practise spiritual discipline and cultivate devotion to God; but they also become attached to the world and are caught in the clamour of ‘woman and gold’. They are like flies, which sit on a flower or a sweetmeat and light on filth as well.", + "“But the ever-perfect are like bees, which light only on flowers and sip the honey. The ever-perfect drink only the Nectar of Divine Bliss. They are never inclined to worldly pleasures.(Mam EvaBG 7.14)", + "“The devotion of the ever-perfect is not like the ordinary devotion that one acquires as a result of strenuous spiritual discipline. Ritualistic devotion consists in repeating the name of God and performing worship in a prescribed manner. It is like crossing a rice-field in a roundabout way along the balk. Again, it is like reaching a near-by village by boat in a roundabout way along a winding river.", + "“One does not follow the injunctions of ceremonial worship when one develops raga-bhakti, when one loves God as one’s own. Then it is like crossing a rice-field after the harvest. You don’t have to walk along the balk. You can go straight across the field in any direction.", + "“When the country is flooded deep with water, one doesn’t have to follow the winding river. Then the fields are deep under water. You can row your boat straight to the village.", + "“Without this intense attachment, this passionate love, one cannot realise God.”", + "AMRITA:“Sir, how do you feel in samadhi?”", + "MASTER:“You may have heard that the cockroach, by intently meditating on the brahmara, is transformed into a brahmara. Do you know how I feel then? I feel like a fish released from a pot into the water of the Ganges.”", + "AMRITA:“Don’t you feel at that time even a trace of ego?”", + "MASTER:“Yes, generally a little of it remains. However hard you may rub a grain of gold against a grindstone, still a bit of it always remains. Or again, take the case of a big fire; the ego is like one of its sparks. In samadhi I lose outer consciousness completely; but God generally keeps a little trace of ego in me for the enjoyment of divine communion. Enjoyment is possible only when ‘I’ and ‘you’ remain.", + "“Again, sometimes God effaces even that trace of ‘I’. Then one experiences jada samadhi or nirvikalpa samadhi. That experience cannot be described. A salt doll went to measure the depth of the ocean, but before it had gone far into the water it melted away. It became entirely one with the water of the ocean. Then who was to come back and tell the ocean’s depth?” (Source:Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna)", + "—–", + "MASTER:“You talk glibly about prema. But is it such a commonplace thing? There are two characteristics of prema.First, it makes one forget the world.So intense is one’s love of God that one becomes unconscious of outer things. Chaitanya had this ecstatic love; he ‘took a wood for the sacred grove of Vrindavan and the ocean for the dark waters of the Jamuna’.Second, one has no feeling of ‘my-ness’ toward the body, which is so dear to man.One wholly gets rid of the feeling that the body is the soul.", + "“There are certain signs of God-realisation. The man in whom longing for God manifests its glories is not far from attaining Him. What are the glories of that longing? They are discrimination, dispassion, compassion for living beings, serving holy men, loving their company, chanting the name and glories of God, telling the truth, and the like. When you see those signs of longing in an aspirant, you can rightly say that for him the vision of God is not far to seek.“The state of a servant’s house will tell you unmistakably whether his master has decided to visit it. First, the rubbish and jungle around the house are cleared up. Second, the soot and dirt are removed from the rooms. Third, the courtyard, floors, and other places are swept clean. Finally the master himself sends various things to the house, such as a carpet, a hubble-bubble for smoking, and the like. When you see these things arriving, you conclude that the master will very soon come.”A DEVOTEE:“Sir, should one first practise discrimination to attain self-control?”MASTER:“That is also a path. It is called the path of vichara, reasoning. But the inner organs (Mind (manas), intelligence (buddhi), mind-stuff (chitta), and ego (ahamkara).) are brought under control naturally through the path of devotion as well. It is rather easily accomplished that way. Sense pleasures appear more and more tasteless as love for God grows. Can carnal pleasure attract a grief-stricken man and woman the day their child has died?”", + "DEVOTEE:“How can I develop love for God?”MASTER:“Repeat His name, and sins will disappear. Thus you will destroy lust, anger, the desire for creature comforts, and so on.”DEVOTEE:“How can I take delight in God’s name?”MASTER:“Pray to God with a yearning heart that you may take delight in His name. He will certainly fulfil your heart’s desire.”So saying, the Master sang a song in his sweet voice, pleading with the Divine Mother to show Her grace to suffering men:", + "O Mother, I have no one else to blame:Alas! I sink in the well these very hands have dug. ….. (Source:Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna)", + "Question:What are the qualities of a Jnani and how many are they?", + "Answer:They are twenty – 1. Absence of self-glorification, 2. absence of pretention, 3. non injury, 4. fortitude, 5. uprightness, 6. service to teacher 7. purity, 8. firmness, 9. self control, 10. dispassion towards sense-objects 11. absence of egoism, 12. remembrance of the evils and sorrows of birth, death, old age and pain, 13. non-attachment, 14. non-identification with sons, wife, house etc., 15. constant equal-mindedness during desirable and undesirable occurrences, 16. unswerving devotion to the Lord by the yoga of non-separation, 17. resorting to solitary places, 18. distaste for the society of men, 19. constancy of Self-knowledge. 20. perception of the true end of knowledge. These are the qualities of a jnani." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-13-Verse-8-12.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v8/" }, @@ -82,8 +174,19 @@ "sanskrit": "ज्ञेयं यत्तत्प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वामृतमश्रुते |अनादिमत्परं ब्रह्म न सत्तन्नासदुच्यते || 13||", "transliteration": "jñeyaṁ yat tat pravakṣhyāmi yaj jñātvāmṛitam aśhnuteanādi mat-paraṁ brahma na sat tan nāsad uchyate", "word_by_word_meaning": "jñeyam—ought to be known; yat—which; tat—that; pravakṣhyāmi—I shall now reveal; yat—which; jñātvā—knowing; amṛitam—immortality; aśhnute—one achieves; anādi—beginningless; mat-param—subordinate to Me; brahma—Brahman; na—not; sat—existent; tat—that; na—not; asat—non-existent; uchyate—is called", - "translation": "I will now describe that which ought to be known, through the knowing of which one attains Immortality. It is the Supreme Brahman, which is without beginning and is said to be neither being nor non-being.", - "commentary": "From this verse onwards in six verses, the Lord explains the nature of that which is to be known, the supreme Brahman. The formerverses (8-12)dealt with knowledge and its qualities. But that is not enough. Knowledge of what? What is it that the man of wisdom knows? What does knowledge lead to? What is that to be known? These questions are answered now by the Lord. Having abandoned bad qualities, the aspirant acquires good qualities, and then abandoning both, he attains the supreme Brahman. This is the state of perfection. All the other states are imperfect.", + "translation": [ + "I will now describe that which ought to be known, through the knowing of which one attains Immortality. It is the Supreme Brahman, which is without beginning and is said to be neither being nor non-being." + ], + "commentary": [ + "From this verse onwards in six verses, the Lord explains the nature of that which is to be known, the supreme Brahman. The formerverses (8-12)dealt with knowledge and its qualities. But that is not enough. Knowledge of what? What is it that the man of wisdom knows? What does knowledge lead to? What is that to be known? These questions are answered now by the Lord. Having abandoned bad qualities, the aspirant acquires good qualities, and then abandoning both, he attains the supreme Brahman. This is the state of perfection. All the other states are imperfect.", + "Some of the religions are content with the teaching of ethical principles and a moral code of conduct. It is good in itself, but that is not enough. The aspirant should purify himself by ethical conduct, and then find his identity with the Supreme. That is the ultimate goal. There is no resting ground anywhere below that state. Therefore in the Gita, the Lord takes his disciple to the highest rung of the spiritual ladder and leaves him there – the Advaita realisation of Nirguna Brahman. The Gita explains Dvaita Visishtadvaita and Advaita one after another and so it is said to be the one complete spiritual Sastra.", + "Pravakshyami:The enthusiasm of the Lord in this spiritual teaching is indicated by this word.", + "Amritam asnute:The reward of the Brahman is stated even at the beginning – the reward is Immortality. Knowing this, the seeker is inspired with zeal to move forward towards the goal – Immortality, Moksha, Perfection! That is the reward. Why should man cling to wretched perishable stuff and exhaust his precious life in animal activities, when there is Perfection awaiting him at the end of this ‘sadhana’?", + "nasaduchyate:The supreme Brahman is not an object of sense-perception. That is the idea of ‘na sat’ (non existence). It does not mean that it has non existence. A body exists and when it dies it ceases to exist. This is true of all objects. But Brahman is not said to exist or not exist in this sense. It is beyond existence and non-existence.", + "At four o’clock in the afternoon Mr. Mukherji, a relative of Prankrishna, arrived in the company of a brahmin well versed in the scriptures.MUKHERJI:“I am very happy to meet you, sir.”MASTER:“God dwells in all beings. He is the gold in all. In some places it is more clearly manifest than in others. God dwells in the worldly-minded, no doubt, but He is hidden there, like gold under deep layers of clay.”MUKHERJI:“Sir, what is the difference between worldly and other-worldly things?”", + "MASTER:“While striving for the realisation of God, the aspirant has to practise renunciation, applying the logic of ‘Neti, neti’ — ‘Not this, not this’.But after attaining the vision of God, he realises that God alone has become all things.“At one time Rama was overpowered by the spirit of renunciation. Dasaratha, worried at this, went to the sage Vasishtha and begged him to persuade Rama not to give up the world. The sage came to Rama and found him in a gloomy mood. The fire of intense renunciation had been raging in the Prince’s mind. Vasishtha said: ‘Rama, why should You renounce the world? Is the world outside God? Reason with me.’ Rama realised that the world had evolved from the Supreme Brahman. So He said nothing.“Buttermilk is made from the same substance as butter. One who realises this knows that butter goes with buttermilk and buttermilk with butter. After separating the butter with great effort — that is to say, after attaining Brahmajnana — you will realise that as long as butter exists, buttermilk also must exist. Wherever there is butter there must be buttermilk as well. As long as one feels that Brahman exists, one must also be aware that the universe, living beings, and the twenty-four cosmic principles exist as well.", + "“What Brahman is cannot be described in words. Everything has been polluted, like food that has touched the tongue — that is, everything has been described in words. But no one has been able to describe Brahman. It is therefore unpolluted. I said this to Vidyasagar and he was delighted.“But the Knowledge of Brahman cannot be realised if the aspirant is worldly-minded even in the slightest degree. He succeeds in acquiring this Knowledge only when his mind is totally free from ‘woman and gold’. Parvati once said to Her father, ‘Father, seek the company of holy men if you want the Knowledge of Brahman.'” (Source:Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna)" + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-13-Verse-13.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v13/" }, @@ -93,8 +196,18 @@ "sanskrit": "सर्वत: पाणिपादं तत्सर्वतोऽक्षिशिरोमुखम् |सर्वत: श्रुतिमल्लोके सर्वमावृत्य तिष्ठति || 14||", "transliteration": "sarvataḥ pāṇi-pādaṁ tat sarvato ’kṣhi-śhiro-mukhamsarvataḥ śhrutimal loke sarvam āvṛitya tiṣhṭhati", "word_by_word_meaning": "sarvataḥ—everywhere; pāṇi—hands; pādam—feet; tat—that; sarvataḥ—everywhere; akṣhi—eyes; śhiraḥ—heads; mukham—faces; sarvataḥ—everywhere; śhruti-mat—having ears; loke—in the universe; sarvam—everything; āvṛitya—pervades; tiṣhṭhati—exists", - "translation": "Its hands and feet are everywhere; Its eyes, heads, and faces are everywhere; Its ears are everywhere; Its existence envelops all.", - "commentary": "Brahman is described as having eyes, ears hands, feet, etc., everywhere, and as pervading the entire Universe. All that men do is witnessed directly by Paramatma and so it is man’s duty to follow Dharma in his life and conduct. Every thought generated in the mind is known to Paramatma, and so whatever thought of by man should be pure and good.", + "translation": [ + "Its hands and feet are everywhere; Its eyes, heads, and faces are everywhere; Its ears are everywhere; Its existence envelops all." + ], + "commentary": [ + "Brahman is described as having eyes, ears hands, feet, etc., everywhere, and as pervading the entire Universe. All that men do is witnessed directly by Paramatma and so it is man’s duty to follow Dharma in his life and conduct. Every thought generated in the mind is known to Paramatma, and so whatever thought of by man should be pure and good.", + "Where is God? The answer is He is everywhere. This verse states the ‘saguna’ aspect of Brahman, the all-pervasive cosmic intelligence, the basis and foundation by which the whole of the manifested universe is sustained.", + "sarvam avritya tishtati:Brahman pervades all the Universe. What pervades all should be more than the Universe that is pervaded. The Universe which is Drisya is just a fragment of Brahman.", + "For the whole world is one; you are rated a very insignificant part of it, and therefore it is right for you that you should serve your millions of brothers rather than aggrandize this little self. “With hands and feet everywhere, with eyes, heads, and mouths everywhere, with ears everywhere in the universe, That exists pervading all.”[Source]", + "So give up being a slave. For the next fifty years this alone shall be our keynote — this, our great Mother India. Let all other vain gods disappear for the time from our minds. This is the only god that is awake, our own race — “everywhere his hands, everywhere his feet, everywhere his ears, he covers everything.” All other gods are sleeping. What vain gods shall we go after and yet cannot worship the god that we see all round us, the Virat? When we have worshipped this, we shall be able to worship all the other gods.[Source]", + "I meditate on god Narayana,Who has thousands of heads,Who sees everywhere,Who does good to all the world,Who is the world,Who is indestructible,And who is the greatest destination.(Source:Narayana Suktam)", + "Related Articles:" + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-13-Verse-14.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v14/" }, @@ -104,8 +217,44 @@ "sanskrit": "सर्वेन्द्रियगुणाभासं सर्वेन्द्रियविवर्जितम् |असक्तं सर्वभृच्चैव निर्गुणं गुणभोक्तृ च || 15||बहिरन्तश्च भूतानामचरं चरमेव च |सूक्ष्मत्वात्तदविज्ञेयं दूरस्थं चान्तिके च तत् || 16||अविभक्तं च भूतेषु विभक्तमिव च स्थितम् |भूतभर्तृ च तज्ज्ञेयं ग्रसिष्णु प्रभविष्णु च || 17||ज्योतिषामपि तज्ज्योतिस्तमस: परमुच्यते |ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं ज्ञानगम्यं हृदि सर्वस्य विष्ठितम् || 18||", "transliteration": "sarvendriya-guṇābhāsaṁ sarvendriya-vivarjitamasaktaṁ sarva-bhṛich chaiva nirguṇaṁ guṇa-bhoktṛi chabahir antaśh cha bhūtānām acharaṁ charam eva chasūkṣhmatvāt tad avijñeyaṁ dūra-sthaṁ chāntike cha tatavibhaktaṁ cha bhūteṣhu vibhaktam iva cha sthitambhūta-bhartṛi cha taj jñeyaṁ grasiṣhṇu prabhaviṣhṇu chajyotiṣhām api taj jyotis tamasaḥ param uchyatejñānaṁ jñeyaṁ jñāna-gamyaṁ hṛidi sarvasya viṣhṭhitam", "word_by_word_meaning": "sarva—all; indriya—senses; guṇa—sense-objects; ābhāsam—the perciever; sarva—all; indriya—senses; vivarjitam—devoid of; asaktam—unattached; sarva-bhṛit—the sustainer of all; cha—yet; eva—indeed; nirguṇam—beyond the three modes of material nature; guṇa-bhoktṛi—the enjoyer of the three modes of material nature; cha—although; bahiḥ—outside; antaḥ—inside; cha—and; bhūtānām—all living beings; acharam—not moving; charam—moving; eva—indeed; cha—and; sūkṣhmatvāt—due to subtlety; tat—he; avijñeyam—incomprehensible; dūra-stham—very far away; cha—and; antike—very near; cha—also; tat—He; avibhaktam—indivisible; cha—although; bhūteṣhu—amongst living beings; vibhaktam—divided; iva—apparently; cha—yet; sthitam—situated; bhūta-bhartṛi—the Sustainer of all beings; cha—also; tat—that; jñeyam—to be known; grasiṣhṇu—the Annihilator; prabhaviṣhṇu—the Creator; cha—and; jyotiṣhām—in all luminarie; api—and; tat—that; jyotiḥ—the source of light; tamasaḥ—the darkness; param—beyond; uchyate—is said (to be); jñānam—knowledge; jñeyam—the object of knowledge; jñāna-gamyam—the goal of knowledge; hṛidi—within the heart; sarvasya—of all living beings; viṣhṭhitam—dwells", - "translation": "It shines through the functions of all the senses, and yet It is devoid of senses. It is unattached, and yet It sustains all. It is devoid of gunas, and yet It enjoys them.", - "commentary": "It is without and within all beings. It is unmoving and also moving. It is incomprehensible because It is subtle. It is far away, and yet It is near.", + "translation": [ + "It shines through the functions of all the senses, and yet It is devoid of senses. It is unattached, and yet It sustains all. It is devoid of gunas, and yet It enjoys them.", + "It is without and within all beings. It is unmoving and also moving. It is incomprehensible because It is subtle. It is far away, and yet It is near.", + "It is indivisible, and yet It is, as it were, divided among beings. That Knowable Brahman is the Sustainer of all beings, and also their Devourer and Generator.", + "The Light even of lights, It is said to be beyond darkness. As knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the goal of knowledge, It is set firm in the hearts of all." + ], + "commentary": [ + "In these verses, the Knowable (Brahman) is stated vividly. ‘Jnanagamyam‘ the qualities themselves are not the goal. The goal is Brahman. Whatever path is followed, Karma, Bhakti, Yoga or Dhyana, the end of the spiritual pilgrimage is Brahman. Brahma-Jnana liberates man from the horrible dream of ignorance, birth and death. Man knows the reality and that he is himself one with the Reality. The little ‘I’ did not and does not exist. So the seeker should contemplate the Knowable (Jneyam: Brahman) and realise his identity with That.", + "The idea is that with the destruction of the vasanas, one should possess the Knowledge of the Supreme.‘Sadhana’and knowledge of‘Sadhya’are both necessary. The aim of the Gita is to clear the path and also attain the goal. Man’s glorious destiny is the Realisation of Brahman.", + "May all the seekers discard all foolish and impure notions of their being flesh and blood and know themselves to be the blissful and ever-blessed Paramatma.", + "asaktam:(drik) Atma does not touch the objective world (drisya prapancham.)", + "bahirantas cha bhutanam:He is both inside and outside all beings. So near He is to beings, witnessing all that they think and do, that they should never commit evil and sin in any manner what-so-ever.", + "acharam charam eva cha:He is moving and unmoving; How can this be? In the dream state man imagines that he is moving here and there and doing so many things. But does he really move? No. He is lying down in his bed. So also, this Universe in the form of beings is moving, and as Brahman it is unmoving. The real man, being Brahman does not move. What moves is the Drisya prapancham (Prakriti). Or it may also be interpreted that He is both the objects like animals and birds and so on, and also the unmoving like mountains and trees etc.", + "sukshmatvat avijneyam:There are three ethers 1. The material ether (Sthulakasa) 2. The mental ether (Chittakasa) 3. The Intelligene ether (Chidakasa). One is more subtle than the other. The third is the subtlest of all. This Chidakasa is the knowable Brahman. It is unseen by the physical eye, by the mental eye, by the eyes of the ignorant. Only the vision of knowledge reveals the Supreme.", + "antike cha tat:He is near, very near to the people. Knowing this they should be free from all evil and sin.", + "vibhaktamiva cha:Brahman is undivided. He does not exist as a separate entity in the beings of the world. It would be absurd to think that each man has a separate Brahman of his own. It is the one Being who is present in all. On account of‘avidya’it appears as though He is divided. That is why the word ‘iva��� is used. In a pot of water, in the river, in the ocean, the Sun’s reflection is seen differently. But the Sun is only one. Exactly in that manner, the one Brahman, who is shining through the millions of beings, appears to be divided but is not really divided. Like the string keeping together different flowers, He exists all alone sustaining the manifold universe. Brahman being infinite there cannot be any separateness or division in Him. The aim of spiritual ‘sadhana’ is to know that one in this manifold Universe of name and form.", + "Bhutabhatricha, grasishnu prabhavishnu cha:He is the supporter, the creator and the destroyer. He is Brahma, Vishnu and Siva.", + "tamasah param:All these worlds, mind and buddhi, are in the realm of ‘avidya‘. This ignorance is itself darkness. The Lord is beyond the darkness of ‘avidya’ (aditya varnam tamasah parastat 8.9).", + "jnanam, jneyam, jnanagamyam:The first word (jnana) stands for knowledge. The second word (Jneyam) means Atman. The third is ‘Jnanagamyam’ – Here the word ‘jnanam’ stands for qualities like humility etc., which lead to the understanding of Brahman. Jneyam that which is to be known, the knowable (i.e.) the Supreme Brahman. This alone takes man beyond samsara. No other knowledge can achieve this liberation for mankind.", + "How then to realise God? Certainly, the answer is by the full possession of the qualities of Jnana-like amanitvam, ‘adambhitvam’ etc. There is no other way. Let the seekers be perfectly clear about this point, and strive hard to cultivate every one of the divine virtues.", + "hridi sarvasya vishtitam:He is in the heart of all. From worms and germs up to Brahma (Creator) the Lord is present in every being, in the moving and the unmoving. There is nothing where he is not. This being the highest truth, each one can realise Him in His own heart. Whether one looks out at the manifested universe or looks within at the Atma the same Brahman exists. There cannot be any distinction between high or low or big or small. Everyone can hope to realise Him, whoever he is and wherever he may stand in the scheme of things.", + "Ishan intended to retire to a solitary place and practise a special discipline of the Gayatri, through which Brahman is invoked. But the Master said that the Knowledge of Brahman was not possible without the complete destruction of worldliness. Further, he said that it was impossible for a man totally to withdraw his mind from the objects of the senses in the Kaliyuga, when his life was dependent on food. That is why the Master discouraged people from attempting the Vedic worship of Brahman and asked them to worship Sakti, the Divine Mother, who is identical with Brahman.", + "MASTER (to Ishan):“Why do you waste your time simply repeating ‘Neti, neti’? Nothing whatsoever can be specified about Brahman, except that It exists.", + "“Whatever we see or think about is the manifestation of the glory of the Primordial Energy, the Primal Consciousness. Creation, preservation, and destruction, living beings and the universe, and further, meditation and the meditator, bhakti and prema — all these are manifestations of the glory of that Power.", + "“But Brahman is identical with Its Power. On returning from Ceylon, Hanuman praised Rama, saying: ‘O Rama, You are the Supreme Brahman, and Sita is Your Sakti. You and She are identical.’ Brahman and Sakti are like the snake and its wriggling motion. Thinking of the snake, one must think of its wriggling motion, and thinking of its wriggling motion, one must think of the snake. Or they are like milk and its whiteness. Thinking of milk, one has to think of its colour, that is, whiteness, and thinking of the whiteness of milk, one has to think of milk itself. Or they are like water and its wetness. Thinking of water, one has to think of its wetness, and thinking of the wetness of water, one has to think of water.", + "“This Primal Power, Mahamaya, has covered Brahman. As soon as the covering is withdrawn, one realises: ‘I am what I was before’, ‘I am Thou; Thou art I’.", + "“As long as that covering remains, the Vedantic formula ‘I am He’, that is, man is the Supreme Brahman, does not rightly apply.The wave is part of the water, but the water is not part of the wave.(BG 9.4) As long as that covering remains, one should call on God as Mother. Addressing God, the devotee should say, ‘Thou art the Mother and I am Thy child; Thou art the Master and I am Thy servant.’ It is good to have the attitude of the servant toward the master. From this relationship of master and servant spring up other attitudes: the attitude of serene love for God, the attitude of friend toward friend, and so forth. When the master loves his servant, he may say to him, ‘Come, sit by my side; there is no difference between you and me.’ But if the servant comes forward of his own will to sit by the master, will not the master be angry?", + "“God’s play on earth as an Incarnation is the manifestation of the glory of the Chitsakti, the Divine Power. That which is Brahman is also Rama, Krishna, and Siva.”", + "ISHAN:“Yes, sir. Both Hari and Hara are derived from the same root. The difference lies only in the pratyaya.”", + "MASTER:“Yes, there is only One without a second. The Vedas speak-of It as ‘Om Satchidananda Brahma’, the Puranas as ‘Om Satchidananda Krishna’, and the Tantra as ‘Om Satchidananda Siva’.", + "“The Chitsakti, as Mahamaya, has deluded all with ignorance. It is said in the Adhyatma Ramayana that when the rishis saw Rama, they prayed to Him in these words only: ‘O Rama, please do not delude us with Your world-bewitching maya.'” (Source:Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna)", + "—–", + "A few minutes afterwards Narendra entered the room with a friend, whom he introduced to the Master as an author. Sri Ramakrishna talked with him about the metaphysical significance of Radha and Krishna. The author said that Radha and Krishna were the Supreme Brahman. Vishnu, Siva, Durga, and the other deities had sprung from them.MASTER:“That is good. There are different aspects of Radha. In Her seductive aspect She was Chandravali. In Her aspect of love She participated in Sri Krishna’s lila at Vrindavan. Nandaghosh, Krishna’s foster-father, had the vision of the Eternal Radha.“First is the seductive Radha, then the Radha of love. If you go farther, you will see the Eternal Radha. It is like taking off the layers of an onion one by one. First the red layers, then the pink, then the white. Afterwards you don’t find any more layers. Such is the nature of the Eternal Radha, Radha the Absolute. There the discrimination following the process of ‘Not this, not this’ comes to an end.“There are two aspects of Radha-Krishna: the Absolute and the Relative.They are like the sun and its rays. The Absolute may be likened to the sun, and the Relative to the rays.“A genuine bhakta dwells sometimes on the Absolute and sometimes on the Relative. Both the Absolute and the Relative belong to one and the same Reality. It is all one — neither two nor many.”AUTHOR:“Sir, why do they speak of the ‘Krishna of Vrindavan’ and the ‘Krishna of Mathura’?”3MASTER:“That is the view of the goswamis. But the scholars of upper India think differently. According to these scholars there is only Krishna, and no Radha. The Krishna of Dwaraka is not associated with Radha.”AUTHOR:“Sir, Radha and Krishna are themselves the Supreme Brahman.”MASTER:“That is good.But you must remember that everything is possible for God. He is formless, and again He assumes forms. He is the individual and He is the universe. He is Brahman and He is Sakti. There is no end to Him, no limit. Nothing is impossible for Him. No matter how high the kites and vultures soar, they can never strike against the ceiling of the sky. If you ask me what Brahman is like, all I can say is that It cannot be described in words. Even when one has realised Brahman, one cannot describe It. If someone asks you what ghee is like, your answer will be, ‘Ghee is like ghee.’ The only analogy for Brahman is Brahman. Nothing exists besides It.”(Source:Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna)", + "Related Articles:", + "Question:What is the nature of jneyam (Parabrahman)?", + "Answer:", + "1. That Brahman having hands and legs everywhere and every where having heads and faces, and having ears everywhere exists in the Universe, 2. It pervads all the Universe, 3. It shines by the functions of all the senses, 4. It is without the senses, 5. It is unattached, 6. It supports all, 7. It is without the three qualities i.e. sattva, rajas and tamas, 8. It is the experiencer of the qualities, 9. It exists within and without all beings, 10. It is unmoving, 11. and it is moving, 12. It is unknowable to ignorant 15. because of its subtlity, 13. It is far away, 14. It is near, 15. It is indivisible but exists as if divided in beings, 16. It is the supporter of beings, 17. It is worthy to be known, 18. It is destroying and also generating, 19. That Brahman is the Light of the shining objects like the Sun, the Moon and the fire, 20. It is beyond darkness (ignorance), 21. It is knowledge, the knowable and the goal of knowledge, 22. It is seated in the heart of all beings." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-13-Verse-15-18.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v15/" }, @@ -115,8 +264,16 @@ "sanskrit": "इति क्षेत्रं तथा ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं चोक्तं समासत: |मद्भक्त एतद्विज्ञाय मद्भावायोपपद्यते || 19||", "transliteration": "iti kṣhetraṁ tathā jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ choktaṁ samāsataḥmad-bhakta etad vijñāya mad-bhāvāyopapadyate", "word_by_word_meaning": "iti—thus; kṣhetram—the nature of the field; tathā—and; jñānam—the meaning of knowledge; jñeyam—the object of knowledge; cha—and; uktam—revealed; samāsataḥ—in summary; mad-bhaktaḥ—my devotees; etat—this; vijñāya—having understood; mad-bhāvāya—my divine nature; upapadyate—attain", - "translation": "Thus briefly have been set forth the Field and also knowledge and the object of knowledge. My devotee who understands this becomes worthy of My state.", - "commentary": "Madbhakta etad vijnaya:It is clear from this that no one, unless he is the devotee of Lord, can attain that knowledge which makes him fit to become one with the Supreme Being. It is only from the flower of devotion that the fruit of knowledge grows. Therefore every seeker has to acquire God’s grace and Guru’s benediction by virtuous acts, by worship, by japa, tapas, by singing the name and glory of the Lord and by following all the aids to pure devotion. Then, out of compassion, He bestows on His Bhakta the ‘buddhiyoga‘ which enables him to distinguish the kshetra and kshetrajna. This knowledge leads him to become one with Paramatma (Madbhavaya). One may become a great scholar of the Sastras and Sciences, but he cannot obtain knowledge of the Divine if there is no devotion. Learning and realisation are entirely different. They are poles apart. Let the seekers move forward on the path of devotion, and let them gradually gain the intellectual purity to understand the final Truth. Moksha is the fruit of perfect knowledge of the kshetra and kshetrajna. And this knowledge is offered to the true devotee by the Lord Himself.", + "translation": [ + "Thus briefly have been set forth the Field and also knowledge and the object of knowledge. My devotee who understands this becomes worthy of My state." + ], + "commentary": [ + "Madbhakta etad vijnaya:It is clear from this that no one, unless he is the devotee of Lord, can attain that knowledge which makes him fit to become one with the Supreme Being. It is only from the flower of devotion that the fruit of knowledge grows. Therefore every seeker has to acquire God’s grace and Guru’s benediction by virtuous acts, by worship, by japa, tapas, by singing the name and glory of the Lord and by following all the aids to pure devotion. Then, out of compassion, He bestows on His Bhakta the ‘buddhiyoga‘ which enables him to distinguish the kshetra and kshetrajna. This knowledge leads him to become one with Paramatma (Madbhavaya). One may become a great scholar of the Sastras and Sciences, but he cannot obtain knowledge of the Divine if there is no devotion. Learning and realisation are entirely different. They are poles apart. Let the seekers move forward on the path of devotion, and let them gradually gain the intellectual purity to understand the final Truth. Moksha is the fruit of perfect knowledge of the kshetra and kshetrajna. And this knowledge is offered to the true devotee by the Lord Himself.", + "Question:Who attains union with God, Moksha?", + "Answer:He who knows the ‘Kshetra’ and ‘Kshetrajna’.", + "Question:Who can obtain this knowledge?", + "Answer:Only the true devotee of the Lord." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-13-Verse-19.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v19/" }, @@ -126,8 +283,13 @@ "sanskrit": "प्रकृतिं पुरुषं चैव विद्ध्यनादी उभावपि |विकारांश्च गुणांश्चैव विद्धि प्रकृतिसम्भवान् || 20||", "transliteration": "prakṛitiṁ puruṣhaṁ chaiva viddhy anādī ubhāv apivikārānśh cha guṇānśh chaiva viddhi prakṛiti-sambhavān", "word_by_word_meaning": "prakṛitim—material nature; puruṣham—the individual souls; cha—and; eva—indeed; viddhi—know; anādī—beginningless; ubhau—both; api—and; vikārān—transformations (of the body); cha—also; guṇān—the three modes of nature; cha—and; eva—indeed; viddhi—know; prakṛiti—material energy; sambhavān—produced by", - "translation": "Know that Prakriti and Purusha are both without beginning; and know, too, that all forms and gunas are born of Prakriti.", - "commentary": "Many ask the question “When did this samsara, bondage, maya, begin ?” – It would be difficult for the sleeper to say when a dream has started during sleep. This world also is of the same nature. It is beginningless. If one enters a mountain-cave full of darkness, he cannot say how long the darkness has been there. Therefore it is said that this Maya, Prakriti, is beginningless (anadi). No one can say when it began. But it has not been said that it is endless(anantam). If it is endless also, no one can cross over. Maya has no beginning, but it has an end. The moment knowledge dawns on man, it ends. The illusion is shattered, the moment Truth is seen. The dream-world may be beginningless, but the moment one wakes up it is all gone. True Knowledge then removes delusion forever. So Prakriti has no beginning but has an end; Purusha is beginningless and endless. He is eternal.", + "translation": [ + "Know that Prakriti and Purusha are both without beginning; and know, too, that all forms and gunas are born of Prakriti." + ], + "commentary": [ + "Many ask the question “When did this samsara, bondage, maya, begin ?” – It would be difficult for the sleeper to say when a dream has started during sleep. This world also is of the same nature. It is beginningless. If one enters a mountain-cave full of darkness, he cannot say how long the darkness has been there. Therefore it is said that this Maya, Prakriti, is beginningless (anadi). No one can say when it began. But it has not been said that it is endless(anantam). If it is endless also, no one can cross over. Maya has no beginning, but it has an end. The moment knowledge dawns on man, it ends. The illusion is shattered, the moment Truth is seen. The dream-world may be beginningless, but the moment one wakes up it is all gone. True Knowledge then removes delusion forever. So Prakriti has no beginning but has an end; Purusha is beginningless and endless. He is eternal.", + "Prakriti sambhavan:Purusha is ever pure (Nityasuddha). There cannot be any change or modification in Him. Desire, hatred, pleasure and pain all these arise from Prakriti. As long as these passions agitate the mind, it is clear to everyone that he is subject to the power of Maya, that he is still in the realm of kshetra and has not attained the kshetrajna. These ‘vasanas,’ having come to man from endless births, should be cleared by determined effort, and he should reach the Purusha in due course. Whenever the mind is agitated by these passions, whenever the intellect becomes clouded, one should firmly assert and affirm that he is the Purusha, changeless, pure and perfect. He should keep himself alert and apart, and watch these modifications as objective changes in the outside world with which he is not at all concerned. He should remain firm and immovable like the mountain. That is the way to overcome the past ‘samskaras’; there is no other way." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-13-Verse-20.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v20/" }, @@ -137,8 +299,12 @@ "sanskrit": "कार्यकारणकर्तृत्वे हेतु: प्रकृतिरुच्यते |पुरुष: सुखदु:खानां भोक्तृत्वे हेतुरुच्यते || 21||", "transliteration": "kārya-kāraṇa-kartṛitve hetuḥ prakṛitir uchyatepuruṣhaḥ sukha-duḥkhānāṁ bhoktṛitve hetur uchyate", "word_by_word_meaning": "kārya—effect; kāraṇa—cause; kartṛitve—in the matter of creation; hetuḥ—the medium; prakṛitiḥ—the material energy; uchyate—is said to be; puruṣhaḥ—the individual soul; sukha-duḥkhānām—of happiness and distress; bhoktṛitve—in experiencing; hetuḥ—is responsible; uchyate—is said to be", - "translation": "Prakriti is said to be the cause of the generation of the body and the organs, and Purusha is said to be the cause of the experience of pleasure and pain.", - "commentary": "‘Karyam’ means the body; ‘Karanam’ means the senses, mind and ego, the five elements, and the objects of the sense-world. Prakriti is the cause, (i.e.) all these things are produced by Prakriti. So Prakriti is the cause of these things. Prakriti is inert (Jada) and so cannot have the power of experiencing joy and sorrow. Purusha is pure consciousness. So He cannot be subject to joy and sorrow. But by the senses of Prakriti, the Purusha appears to be experiencing these modifications of joy and sorrow. Really Purusha does not cause anything nor does anything affect Him in any way. He is neither cause nor effect, neither the modifications nor the experiencer of them.", + "translation": [ + "Prakriti is said to be the cause of the generation of the body and the organs, and Purusha is said to be the cause of the experience of pleasure and pain." + ], + "commentary": [ + "‘Karyam’ means the body; ‘Karanam’ means the senses, mind and ego, the five elements, and the objects of the sense-world. Prakriti is the cause, (i.e.) all these things are produced by Prakriti. So Prakriti is the cause of these things. Prakriti is inert (Jada) and so cannot have the power of experiencing joy and sorrow. Purusha is pure consciousness. So He cannot be subject to joy and sorrow. But by the senses of Prakriti, the Purusha appears to be experiencing these modifications of joy and sorrow. Really Purusha does not cause anything nor does anything affect Him in any way. He is neither cause nor effect, neither the modifications nor the experiencer of them." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-13-Verse-21.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v21/" }, @@ -148,8 +314,18 @@ "sanskrit": "पुरुष: प्रकृतिस्थो हि भुङक्ते प्रकृतिजान��गुणान् |कारणं गुणसङ्गोऽस्य सदसद्योनिजन्मसु || 22||", "transliteration": "puruṣhaḥ prakṛiti-stho hi bhuṅkte prakṛiti-jān guṇānkāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo ’sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu", "word_by_word_meaning": "puruṣhaḥ—the individual soul; prakṛiti-sthaḥ—seated in the material energy; hi—indeed; bhuṅkte—desires to enjoy; prakṛiti-jān—produced by the material energy; guṇān—the three modes of nature; kāraṇam—the cause; guṇa-saṅgaḥ—the attachment (to three guṇas); asya—of its; sat-asat-yoni—in superior and inferior wombs; janmasu—of birth", - "translation": "Purusha, embodied in Prakriti, experiences the gunas born of Prakriti. It is attachment to these gunas that is the cause of His birth in good and evil wombs.", - "commentary": "This verse explains the cause for the birth of the Jiva in good and evil wombs. The cause for it is the attachment of the Jiva with qualities (sattva, rajas and tamas) and the various objects of the material world. This is the cause of bondage though the Jiva (Purusha) is really the Drik (seer), yet he is deluded into thinking that he is the objective body, and by the delusion, he attaches himself to the objective world through a sense of ‘I’ and ‘mine’, through ‘raga’ and ‘dvesha’. Thus he becomes bound and takes birth after birth in the world. He becomes a ‘samsari’ by binding himself to ‘samsara’. Therefore the wise man should know that attachment to the Gunas is the cause of birth and all the evils arising from it. He should cut off all contact with the Gunas, and the vehicle of the body; and he should not have any feeling of ‘myness’, regarding the body and its modifications. He should positively contemplate that He is ever free, pure consciousness, till by such contemplation, he releases himself from the shackles of the body and the Gunas relating to it. He then knows what he really is the eternally pure and perfect Purusha. This is the only way to go beyond the ocean of samsara, the series of births and deaths which one suffers. Attahment is bondage, detachment is freedom.", + "translation": [ + "Purusha, embodied in Prakriti, experiences the gunas born of Prakriti. It is attachment to these gunas that is the cause of His birth in good and evil wombs." + ], + "commentary": [ + "This verse explains the cause for the birth of the Jiva in good and evil wombs. The cause for it is the attachment of the Jiva with qualities (sattva, rajas and tamas) and the various objects of the material world. This is the cause of bondage though the Jiva (Purusha) is really the Drik (seer), yet he is deluded into thinking that he is the objective body, and by the delusion, he attaches himself to the objective world through a sense of ‘I’ and ‘mine’, through ‘raga’ and ‘dvesha’. Thus he becomes bound and takes birth after birth in the world. He becomes a ‘samsari’ by binding himself to ‘samsara’. Therefore the wise man should know that attachment to the Gunas is the cause of birth and all the evils arising from it. He should cut off all contact with the Gunas, and the vehicle of the body; and he should not have any feeling of ‘myness’, regarding the body and its modifications. He should positively contemplate that He is ever free, pure consciousness, till by such contemplation, he releases himself from the shackles of the body and the Gunas relating to it. He then knows what he really is the eternally pure and perfect Purusha. This is the only way to go beyond the ocean of samsara, the series of births and deaths which one suffers. Attahment is bondage, detachment is freedom.", + "In a huge factory, several small wheels rotate by the power of the fly-wheel. If the belt of the fly-wheel is snapped, the other smaller wheels stop rotating automatically. If the mainspring of a watch is cut off, all the other wheels stop moving. Thus if the contact with the body and the Gunas of Prakriti is given up completely, the whole series of births and deaths come to end, and that very moment man attains freedom and perfection.", + "Ashu Mitra wrote about an interesting event: “Once we printed some photos of Holy Mother (size 12″ x 15″) from the studio of a European photographer. I gave one copy to the Mother to see; she took it with both hands and then touched it with her forehead. Seeing her childlike action, I suppressed my laughter. When she returned the photo, I asked her, ‘Mother, whose photo is this?’ Like a simple girl, she replied: ‘Why? It is my picture.’ I laughed. She asked, ‘Why are you laughing?’ I replied, ‘Why did you salute it by touching it to your head?’ She also laughed and finally said,‘The Master also dwells in it.’” (Source: Sri Sarada Devi and Her Divine Play)", + "Question:What is the cause of birth?", + "Answer:The attachment of the ‘Jiva’ with the vehicle of the body, and the ‘Gunas’ caused by ‘Prakriti’ is the cause of birth.", + "Question:What then is the way to escape from birth and death?", + "Answer:By discrimination, man should give up attachment to the body, to the ‘Gunas’ and the whole of the objective world." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-13-Verse-22.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v22/" }, @@ -159,8 +335,16 @@ "sanskrit": "उपद्रष्टानुमन्ता च भर्ता भोक्ता महेश्वर: |परमात्मेति चाप्युक्तो देहेऽस्मिन्पुरुष: पर: || 23||", "transliteration": "upadraṣhṭānumantā cha bhartā bhoktā maheśhvaraḥparamātmeti chāpy ukto dehe ’smin puruṣhaḥ paraḥ", "word_by_word_meaning": "upadraṣhṭā—the witness; anumantā—the permitter; cha—and; bhartā—the supporter; bhoktā—the transcendental enjoyer; mahā-īśhvaraḥ—the ultimate controller; parama-ātmā—Supreme Soul; iti—that; cha api—and also; uktaḥ—is said; dehe—within the body; asmin—this; puruṣhaḥ paraḥ—the Supreme Lord", - "translation": "The Supreme Spirit in the body is said to be the one who is the Witness and the Approver, the Supporter and the Enjoyer, and who is the Sovereign Lord and the Highest Self.", - "commentary": "Upadrashta:In yajna, the ‘upadrashta‘ remains a spectator. So also, Atma, though dwelling in the body, is separate from the body. He is the spectator of the body, mind and their modifications. Therefore the ‘jiva‘ should meditate continuously that he is not at all the body and mind but Atma. By the very force of that meditation, he regains his original state as Atma. In truth, the jiva is no other than Atma. He is deluded into thinking that he is the body which he never was and which he never can be. This deluded thinking should be given up once and for all, and man should assert himself to be Atma which he really is.", + "translation": [ + "The Supreme Spirit in the body is said to be the one who is the Witness and the Approver, the Supporter and the Enjoyer, and who is the Sovereign Lord and the Highest Self." + ], + "commentary": [ + "Upadrashta:In yajna, the ‘upadrashta‘ remains a spectator. So also, Atma, though dwelling in the body, is separate from the body. He is the spectator of the body, mind and their modifications. Therefore the ‘jiva‘ should meditate continuously that he is not at all the body and mind but Atma. By the very force of that meditation, he regains his original state as Atma. In truth, the jiva is no other than Atma. He is deluded into thinking that he is the body which he never was and which he never can be. This deluded thinking should be given up once and for all, and man should assert himself to be Atma which he really is.", + "Mahesvarah, Paramatma, asmin dehe:The great Lord, Paramatma is in this body, nearest to us. So, it should be easy to look up and know that the real man is that Paramatma. The great Lord is not far away but seated in our very heart. He is the controller and the punisher. Purity and truth in thought, word and deed should be followed always as everything takes place under the very eye of the Lord.", + "Parah:This word may be taken to mean the supreme (Purusha). He is distinct from the body and mind and transcends all these vehicles (Kosas).", + "Question:What is the nature of Paramatma?", + "Answer:Though dwelling in the body, He is distinct from the body. He is the witness. He is the permitter, the supporter, the enjoyer, the Great Lord, the Controller." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-13-Verse-13-1.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v23/" }, @@ -170,8 +354,15 @@ "sanskrit": "य एवं वेत्ति पुरुषं प्रकृतिं च गुणै: सह |सर्वथा वर्तमानोऽपि न स भूयोऽभिजायते || 24||", "transliteration": "ya evaṁ vetti puruṣhaṁ prakṛitiṁ cha guṇaiḥ sahasarvathā vartamāno ’pi na sa bhūyo ’bhijāyate", "word_by_word_meaning": "yaḥ—who; evam—thus; vetti—understand; puruṣham—Puruṣh; prakṛitim—the material nature; cha—and; guṇaiḥ—the three modes of nature; saha—with; sarvathā—in every way; vartamānaḥ—situated; api—although; na—not; saḥ—they; bhūyaḥ—again; abhijāyate—take birth", - "translation": "He who thus knows Purusha and Prakriti, along with the gunas, is not born again. He will be liberated regardless of his present condition.", - "commentary": "The man of discrimination is able to see distinctly what Prakriti is and who Purusha is. Such a man knows that he is the Drik (seer) and Prakriti Drisya (seen). He also knows the qualities of Prakriti – sattva, rajas and tamas. He takes refuge, not in Prakriti, which causes bondage, birth, and all the ills of life, but in Atma, the Purusha, free and perfect, the blissful and the blessed. Detached from Prakriti, he attaches himself to Purusha. He is not born again. He is liberated. He is Jivanmukta.", + "translation": [ + "He who thus knows Purusha and Prakriti, along with the gunas, is not born again. He will be liberated regardless of his present condition." + ], + "commentary": [ + "The man of discrimination is able to see distinctly what Prakriti is and who Purusha is. Such a man knows that he is the Drik (seer) and Prakriti Drisya (seen). He also knows the qualities of Prakriti – sattva, rajas and tamas. He takes refuge, not in Prakriti, which causes bondage, birth, and all the ills of life, but in Atma, the Purusha, free and perfect, the blissful and the blessed. Detached from Prakriti, he attaches himself to Purusha. He is not born again. He is liberated. He is Jivanmukta.", + "sarvatha vartamanopi:The wise man who has released himself from the bondage of prakriti, may act in whatever way he wishes. He may be Sannyasi, absorbed in ‘samadhi’ always. Or he may be an active worker in the world doing many good works for the benefit of humanity. He may be a celebite or a house-holder. He has no birth again. We should understand that the word ‘sarvatha’ does not imply sinful deeds, prohibited by the sastras. In fact, the Lord has the qualities of knowledge, without which this supreme understanding cannot be obtained by anyone. Having obtained the knowledge of the Purusha the Jivanmukta can work in whatever way he likes for universal good or he may remain in absolute samadhi. This makes no difference for Him. He is ever free.", + "Question:What is the reward of knowing distinctly Prakriti and Purusha?", + "Answer:He is not born again, though he may live in whatever way he wishes." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-13-Verse-24.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v24/" }, @@ -181,8 +372,23 @@ "sanskrit": "ध्यानेनात्मनि पश्यन्ति केचिदात्मानमात्मना |अन्ये साङ् ख्येन योगेन कर्मयोगेन चापरे || 25||", "transliteration": "dhyānenātmani paśhyanti kechid ātmānam ātmanāanye sānkhyena yogena karma-yogena chāpare", "word_by_word_meaning": "dhyānena—through meditation; ātmani—within one’s heart; paśhyanti—perceive; kechit—some; ātmānam—the Supreme soul; ātmanā—by the mind; anye—others; sānkhyena—through cultivation of knowledge; yogena—the yog system; karma-yogena—union with God with through path of action; cha—and; apare—others", - "translation": "Some by meditation perceive the Self in themselves through the mind, some by devotion to knowledge, and some by devotion to work.", - "commentary": "Men are born with different mental predispositions according to their past samskaras. They strive to know the truth in different ways suitable to their nature. Some meditate, some follow bhakti, some jnana, some the path of work. Whatever may be the path, if the mind is pure and effort sincere, they realise God. As all these paths lead to the same goal, they are all of equal merit. Each man is free to follow any path that he chooses. All reach the same goal.", + "translation": [ + "Some by meditation perceive the Self in themselves through the mind, some by devotion to knowledge, and some by devotion to work." + ], + "commentary": [ + "Men are born with different mental predispositions according to their past samskaras. They strive to know the truth in different ways suitable to their nature. Some meditate, some follow bhakti, some jnana, some the path of work. Whatever may be the path, if the mind is pure and effort sincere, they realise God. As all these paths lead to the same goal, they are all of equal merit. Each man is free to follow any path that he chooses. All reach the same goal.", + "Bhakti yoga is not mentioned here separately because devotion to God is essential for success in any path. Bhakti is necessary for all aspirants whatever the path they follow. So particular mention of it is not made here. Without such devotion, no aspirant succeeds in any path.", + "Pasyanti:Paramatma is seen by man (i.e.) realised by the aspirant as a deep abiding illuminating experience. It is not mere speculation or argument or mere logical conclusion. The Lord here declares that God can be seen, and all doubts are set at rest by this tremendous declaration “You can see God; great souls have beheld by Dhyana and other means”- So says, Lord Krishna.", + "atmani:Paramatma is seen in one’s own self. As He is seated in the heart, the seeker has to gradually cultivate the attitude of looking for His presence within himself rather than searching for Him in other places. He has to search and examine himself to unveil God in his own heart. Moreover, whatever may be the path followed, the purified mind alone is the instrument for Self realisation. It is the key to open the gateway to liberation (Moksha). It is in one’s own hands. What is necessary is to cleanse the mind of the accumulated dust of past samskaras, and reshape it in such a way as to make it capable of perceiving the Self.", + "It is wrong to think that one yoga is superior to another. Some think that Jnana yoga is higher than Karma yoga. The Lord has set at rest all these foolish notions by emphasising the importance of every type of yoga according to the natural tendencies of the seeker. Karmayoga is necessary to purify the heart and through such purity man attains Self-realisation, which is the fruit of Jnana.", + "Related Articles:", + "Question:Where is Paramatama to be realised?", + "Answer:In one’s own heart.", + "Question:With what?", + "Answer:With the purified mind.", + "Question:How?", + "Answer:Some by Dhyana yoga, others by ‘Sankhya yoga’, and yet others by Karma yoga realise Paramatma’." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-13-Verse-25.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v25/" }, @@ -192,8 +398,21 @@ "sanskrit": "अन्ये त्वेवमजानन्त: श्रुत्वान्येभ्य उपासते |तेऽपि चातितरन्त्येव मृत्युं श्रुतिपरायणा: || 26||", "transliteration": "anye tv evam ajānantaḥ śhrutvānyebhya upāsatete ’pi chātitaranty eva mṛityuṁ śhruti-parāyaṇāḥ", "word_by_word_meaning": "anye—others; tu—still; evam—thus; ajānantaḥ—those who are unaware (of spiritual paths); śhrutvā—by hearing; anyebhyaḥ—from others; upāsate—begin to worship; te—they; api—also; cha—and; atitaranti—cross over; eva—even; mṛityum—death; śhruti-parāyaṇāḥ—devotion to hearing (from saints)", - "translation": "And there are yet some who do not know It by these means. They hear of It from others and worship. They too pass beyond death through their devotion to what they have heard.", - "commentary": "It is declared that those people who are not able to practise the above-mentioned yogas cross over samsara by listening to experienced elders and worshipping according to their instructions.", + "translation": [ + "And there are yet some who do not know It by these means. They hear of It from others and worship. They too pass beyond death through their devotion to what they have heard." + ], + "commentary": [ + "It is declared that those people who are not able to practise the above-mentioned yogas cross over samsara by listening to experienced elders and worshipping according to their instructions.", + "ajanantah:Though these people do not have knowledge of yoga, study, and enlightenment, yet by the very power of their faith and devotion to the teaching of elders, they cross over the ocean of death. One may not be an expert in medical science, and yet by taking medicine prescribed by the doctor with faith and conviction, the disease is cured! Even the doctor has to take medicine to cure himself of any disease. His knowledge of medicine does not cure him. Therefore the word “upasate” is used emphatically here. Mere scholarship or mere hearing is not enough. Actual worship is essential. No doubt, it is good to have knowledge and understanding of the Sastras. What is implied here is that, if a person does not possess this form of equipment, he need not be disheartened.", + "He can hear of God, the ways of God, the path to reach Him, from experienced elders and act accordingly. That is enough to take him over samsara if he has faith in their words and worships with devotion and conviction. He verily crosses over death. There is no doubt about it.", + "mrityum:Death is used here as a synonym for the bondage of samsara. All the so-called attractions of life are transient and end in death. So the wise man should not have any attachment to them. What he should aspire for is immortality by self-realisation.", + "Question:What is the way for the unlearned to cross-over death?", + "Answer:They should hear of the Truth from others, and practising it they are saved from death.", + "Question:What is the nature of Samsara?", + "Answer:It is transient and ends in death.", + "Question:How can man cross over death?", + "Answer:By hearing of truth from experienced elders and practising it." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-13-Verse-26.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v26/" }, @@ -203,8 +422,21 @@ "sanskrit": "यावत्सञ्जायते किञ्चित्सत्वं स्थावरजङ्गमम् |क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञसंयोगात्तद्विद्धि भरतर्षभ || 27||", "transliteration": "yāvat sañjāyate kiñchit sattvaṁ sthāvara-jaṅgamamkṣhetra-k��hetrajña-sanyogāt tad viddhi bharatarṣhabha", "word_by_word_meaning": "yāvat—whatever; sañjāyate—manifesting; kiñchit—anything; sattvam—being; sthāvara—unmoving; jaṅgamam—moving; kṣhetra—field of activities; kṣhetra-jña—knower of the field; sanyogāt—combination of; tat—that; viddhi—know; bharata-ṛiṣhabha—best of the Bharatas", - "translation": "Whatever is born— whether animate or inanimate— know, Ο Bhārata prince, that it is through union of the Field and the Knower of the Field.", - "commentary": "The presence of the Lord in everything in the world is declared here. The moving and non-moving objects, whatever they are, all of them and every one of them, are produced by the union of Prakriti and Purusha (kshetra and kshetrajna). Knowing this man has to cultivate universal love as the rule of conduct in life. Does God exist in the stone? The answer is that the stone cannot have any existence at all, without the union with the Lord. The stone as stone would not be there. This being so, is it any wonder that the Lord is present in living beings, animals, birds or men? So in the trees and mountains, rivers and valleys, fields and meadows, in the ant, in the sparrow, in the deer and the tiger, in men, in demons and the Gods, Paramatma exists. Such faith is needed for God-realisation.", + "translation": [ + "Whatever is born— whether animate or inanimate— know, Ο Bhārata prince, that it is through union of the Field and the Knower of the Field." + ], + "commentary": [ + "The presence of the Lord in everything in the world is declared here. The moving and non-moving objects, whatever they are, all of them and every one of them, are produced by the union of Prakriti and Purusha (kshetra and kshetrajna). Knowing this man has to cultivate universal love as the rule of conduct in life. Does God exist in the stone? The answer is that the stone cannot have any existence at all, without the union with the Lord. The stone as stone would not be there. This being so, is it any wonder that the Lord is present in living beings, animals, birds or men? So in the trees and mountains, rivers and valleys, fields and meadows, in the ant, in the sparrow, in the deer and the tiger, in men, in demons and the Gods, Paramatma exists. Such faith is needed for God-realisation.", + "Doctor Sarkar, who was a homeopath, gave Sri Ramakrishna two globules of medicine. He said, “I am giving you these two globules: one is Purusha and the other is Prakriti.” (All laugh.)MASTER (smiling):“Oh yes,Purusha and Prakriti are always together. Haven’t you observed pigeons? The male and female cannot live separately. Wherever Purusha is, there is Prakriti, and wherever Prakriti is, there is Purusha.”It was Vijaya day. Sri Ramakrishna asked Dr. Sarkar to have some refreshments. The devotees served him with sweets.DOCTOR (while eating):“Now I say ‘Thank you’ for the sweets; but it is not for your teachings. Why should I give that ‘Thank you’ in words?”MASTER (smiling):“The essential thing is to fix the mind on God and to practise meditation a little. What more shall I say? (Pointing to the younger Naren) Look at him. His mind totally merges in God. Those things I was telling you —”DOCTOR:“Tell the others also.”MASTER:“No, a man should be given food according to his power of digestion. Can all understand what I told you? I cannot talk to everyone as I talked to you. Suppose a mother has bought a fish for the family. All her children have not the same power of digestion. For some she makes pilau and for others she makes stew. These latter have weak stomachs.” (All laugh.) (Source:Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna)", + "—–", + "“Weeping, I prayed to the Mother: ‘O Mother, reveal to me what is contained in the Vedas and the Vedanta. Reveal to me what is in the Purana and the Tantra.’ One by one She has revealed all these to me.", + "“Yes, She has taught me everything. Oh, how many things She has shown me! One day She showed me Siva and Sakti everywhere. Everywhere I saw the communion of Siva and Sakti. Siva and Sakti existing in all living things — men, animals, trees, plants. I saw Them in the communion of all male and female elements. (Source:Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna)", + "Swami Turiyananda was very frank and truthful. But his candour in pointing out a person’s defects often proved painful. One day he came across this verse of the Bhagavata:“Realizing the universe as one in the aspect of Purusha and prakriti, never praise or blame the action of others”(11. 28. 1). Then he read the commentary on that verse: “If accidentally the teeth bite the tongue, hurt and cut it, do people take a piece of stone and break the teeth? No, because the teeth belong to the same person to whom the tongue belongs. Since the one Lord who is in me also resides in others, it is improper to find fault with them.” This teaching made a deep impression on Turiyananda; thereafter, he became gentler in correcting those in his charge. (Source: God Lived with Them)", + "Ramcharitmanas (Lanka Kand)", + "Related Articles:", + "Question:How are the moving and non-moving objects produced?", + "Answer:They are produced by the union of ‘kshetra’ and ‘kshetrajna’." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-13-Verse-27.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v27/" }, @@ -214,8 +446,27 @@ "sanskrit": "समं सर्वेषु भूतेषु तिष्ठन्तं परमेश्वरम् |विनश्यत्स्वविनश्यन्तं य: पश्यति स पश्यति || 28||", "transliteration": "samaṁ sarveṣhu bhūteṣhu tiṣhṭhantaṁ parameśhvaramvinaśhyatsv avinaśhyantaṁ yaḥ paśhyati sa paśhyati", "word_by_word_meaning": "samam—equally; sarveṣhu—in all; bhūteṣhu—beings; tiṣhṭhan-tam—accompanying; parama-īśhvaram—Supreme Soul; vinaśhyatsu—amongst the perishable; avinaśhyantam—the imperishable; yaḥ—who; paśhyati—see; saḥ—they; paśhyati—perceive", - "translation": "He who sees the Supreme Lord abiding alike in all beings, and not perishing when they perish— verily he alone sees.", - "commentary": "Paramatma is present in all beings equally. It is not that He is more present in some and less present in others. He is like the string inside a garland of flowers.", + "translation": [ + "He who sees the Supreme Lord abiding alike in all beings, and not perishing when they perish— verily he alone sees." + ], + "commentary": [ + "Paramatma is present in all beings equally. It is not that He is more present in some and less present in others. He is like the string inside a garland of flowers.", + "The supreme Lord is present in all equally.", + "avinasyantam:The vehicles of the body, Prana, mind etc., perish at the time of death. But Atma, the Lord is indestructible. He exists. It is clear that the whole of the objective world perishes and the Drik, Atma, the Lord alone is eternal. Therefore to let go of the bond of attachment to the perishable things, and to strengthen the firm hold of the Lord, is the duty of all thoughtful men.", + "yah pasyati sa pasyati:The physical eyes are formed to see material things only. They cannot see any thing more. But the vision of the seer goes deeper and discovers the eternal principle of life, the Supreme Lord, in the midst of the destruction of phenomenal nature. It is the eye of Knowledge that sees Atma, the Lord. He alone sees, because he sees the truth. All others, though having eyes, do not see the truth whatever their power and position, wealth and beauty may be. So, the aspirants should open the inner eye of knowledge, see the truth and become fearless of death. They would realise that what is perishing is only the body, and the Lord, Atma is Eternal, pure and perfect. This knowledge alone saves man from the terrors of death.", + "One day the swami Vivekananda came downstairs and sat on the canvas cot under the mango tree in the courtyard, facing west, as he often did. His eyes were luminous; his whole frame seemed alive with some strange spiritual consciousness. Pointing to the sannyasins and brahmacharins about him, he exclaimed [to Sharat Chandra]:And where will you go to seek Brahman? He is immanent in all beings. Here, here is the visible Brahman! Shame on those who, disregarding the visible Brahman, set their minds on other things! Here is the Brahman before you as tangible as a fruit in your hand! Can’t you see! Here — here — here is the Brahman!”He spoke these words in such an inspiring way, that over all present there came the peace and insight of deep meditation. They stood like marble statues, so motionless and hushed in silence had they become! Swami Premananda, after his bath in the Ganges, was on his way to the shrine for worship. Hearing the words of his brother monk he fell into a state of ecstasy and became motionless. After a quarter of an hour the swami said to him, “Now go for worship.” Then only did Premananda regain normal consciousness. That scene was unforgettable. Everyone in the monastery was struck with amazement at the power of the beloved Leader who, with a word, could raise the minds of all present to the heights of the transcendental realm …", + "Source:Vivekananda: East Meets West (a Pictorial Biography), by Swami ChetananandaCh IX “I Shall Never See Forty”, p 157", + "Question:Where is Paramatma?", + "Answer:In all beings.", + "Question:How?", + "Answer:Equally in all beings.", + "Question:What is the nature of the body etc., ?", + "Answer:The body, Prana and mind are subject to death.", + "Question:What is the nature of Atma?", + "Answer:It is Immortal; Though the body and other vehicles die, it exists.", + "Question:Who is the real seer?", + "Answer:Who knows that Atma exists, in the midst of the perishing phenomenal world, he is the real seer, because he has opened the eye of Knowledge." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-13-Verse-28.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v28/" }, @@ -225,8 +476,33 @@ "sanskrit": "समं पश्यन्हि सर्वत्र समवस्थितमीश्वरम् |न हिनस्त्यात्मनात्मानं ततो याति परां गतिम् || 29||", "transliteration": "samaṁ paśhyan hi sarvatra samavasthitam īśhvaramna hinasty ātmanātmānaṁ tato yāti parāṁ gatim", "word_by_word_meaning": "samam—equally; paśhyan—see; hi—indeed; sarvatra—everywhere; samavasthitam—equally present; īśhvaram—God as the Supreme soul; na—do not; hinasti—degrade; ātmanā—by one’s mind; ātmānam—the self; tataḥ—thereby; yāti—reach; parām—the supreme; gatim—destination", - "translation": "Because he sees the Lord present alike everywhere, he does not injure Self by self, and thus he reaches the supreme state.", - "commentary": "Samam, sarvatra, samavasthitam:These three words show that the Lord is (1) equally present, (2) is in all beings (3) and is the same. The wise man who realises Atma in this way does not destroy the Self with the self. What is meant is that the ignorant man destroys the Self by identifying himself with the body. In fact, this amounts to suicide (Atmahatya). The Lord shows how the ignorant man, thinking of himself as the non-Self, is destroying his true Self. Generally, what does the common man see and think? He sees the body and the world externally, си and thinks that he is the body. What happens then? The true Self is as good as having been destroyed because its existence is not known or realised. The wise man sees and realises the true Self, and so the does not care for the death of the body and the other vehicles covering the Atma. He knows that he is the immortal Self. But the ignorant not knowing this go through the wheel of suffering and death endlessly. They take birth after birth and die again and again. The brief interval of life is a horrible dream of sorrow and misery. This is the so-called life that man clings to desperately.", + "translation": [ + "Because he sees the Lord present alike everywhere, he does not injure Self by self, and thus he reaches the supreme state." + ], + "commentary": [ + "Samam, sarvatra, samavasthitam:These three words show that the Lord is (1) equally present, (2) is in all beings (3) and is the same. The wise man who realises Atma in this way does not destroy the Self with the self. What is meant is that the ignorant man destroys the Self by identifying himself with the body. In fact, this amounts to suicide (Atmahatya). The Lord shows how the ignorant man, thinking of himself as the non-Self, is destroying his true Self. Generally, what does the common man see and think? He sees the body and the world externally, си and thinks that he is the body. What happens then? The true Self is as good as having been destroyed because its existence is not known or realised. The wise man sees and realises the true Self, and so the does not care for the death of the body and the other vehicles covering the Atma. He knows that he is the immortal Self. But the ignorant not knowing this go through the wheel of suffering and death endlessly. They take birth after birth and die again and again. The brief interval of life is a horrible dream of sorrow and misery. This is the so-called life that man clings to desperately.", + "Therefore the seeker should be constantly in contact with the Self, Paramatma, who exists equally in all beings. This Self is universal and exists everywhere, also in one’s own heart. This Knowledge and realisation lead the aspirant to the highest goal (Moksha). There is no state higher than freedom and perfection for any man anywhere.", + "Ay, if there is anything in the Gita that I like, it is these two verses (BG 13.28,BG 13.29), coming out strong as the very gist, the very essence, of Krishna’s teaching — “He who sees the Supreme Lord dwelling alike in all beings, the Imperishable in things that perish, he sees indeed. For seeing the Lord as the same, everywhere present, he does not destroy the Self by the Self, and thus he goes to the highest goal.” Thus there is a great opening for the Vedanta to do beneficent work both here and elsewhere. This wonderful idea of the sameness and omnipresence of the Supreme Soul has to be preached for the amelioration and elevation of the human race here as elsewhere. Wherever there is evil and wherever there is ignorance and want of knowledge, I have found out by experience that all evil comes, as our scriptures say, relying upon differences, and that all good comes from faith in equality, in the underlying sameness and oneness of things. This is the great Vedantic ideal.[Source]", + "“Thus seeing the same Lord equally present everywhere, the sage does not injure the Self by the self, and thus reaches the highest goal.”[Source]", + "This is the bane of human nature, the curse upon mankind, the root of all misery — this inequality. This is the source of all bondage, physical, mental, and spiritual. “Since seeing the Lord equally existent everywhere, he injures not Self by self, and so goes to the Highest Goal.” This one saying contains, in a few words, the universal way to salvation.[Source]", + "Why do you fear to weep? Weep! Weeping clears the eyes and brings about intuition. Then the vision of diversity — man, animal, tree — slowly melting away, makes room for the infinite realization of Brahman everywhere and in every thing. Then “Verily, seeing the same God equally existent everywhere, he does not injure the Self by the self, and so goes to the Supreme Goal”.[Source]", + "Therefore the absolute sameness of conditions, if that be the aim of ethics, appears to be impossible. That all men should be the same, could never be, however we might try. Men will be born differentiated; some will have more power than others; some will have natural capacities, others not; some will have perfect bodies, others not. We can never stop that. At the same time ring in our ears the wonderful words of morality proclaimed by various teachers: “Thus, seeing the same God equally present in all, the sage does not injure Self by the self, and thus reaches the highest goal. Even in this life they have conquered relative existence whose minds are firmly fixed on this sameness; for God is pure, and God is the same to all. Therefore such are said to be living in God.” We cannot deny that this is the real idea; yet at the same time comes the difficulty that the sameness as regards external forms and position can never be attained.[Source]", + "But yet, at the same time, even the idea of the body disappears where the mind itself becomes finer and finer, till it has almost disappeared, when all the different things that make us fear, make us weak, and bind us down to this body-life have disappeared. Then and then alone one finds out the truth of that grand old teaching. What is the teaching? “Even in this life they have conquered the round of birth and death whose minds are firm-fixed on the sameness of everything, for God is pure and the same to all, and therefore such are said to be living in God.” “Thus seeing the Lord the same everywhere, he, the sage, does not hurt the Self by the self, and so goes to the highest goal.”[Source]", + "Advaita and Advaita alone explains morality. Every religion preaches that the essence of all morality is to do good to others. And why? Be unselfish. And why should I? Some God has said it? He is not for me. Some texts have declared it? Let them; that is nothing to me; let them all tell it. And if they do, what is it to me? Each one for himself, and somebody take the hindermost — that is all the morality in the world, at least with many. What is the reason that I should be moral? You cannot explain it except when you come to know the truth as given in the Gita: “He who sees everyone in himself, and himself in everyone, thus seeing the same God living in all, he, the sage, no more kills the Self by the self.” Know through Advaita that whomsoever you hurt, you hurt yourself; they are all you. Whether you know it or not, through all hands you work, through all feet you move, you are the king enjoying in the palace, you are the beggar leading that miserable existence in the street; you are in the ignorant as well as in the learned, you are in the man who is weak, and you are in the strong; know this and be sympathetic. And that is why we must not hurt others. That is why I do not even care whether I have to starve, because there will be millions of mouths eating at the same time, and they are all mine. Therefore I should not care what becomes of me and mine, for the whole universe is mine, I am enjoying all the bliss at the same time; and who can kill me or the universe? Herein is morality. Here, in Advaita alone, is morality explained. The others teach it, but cannot give you its reason. Then, so far about explanation.[Source]", + "Those who have attained sameness are said to be living in God. All hatred is killing the “Self by the self”, therefore love is the law of life.[Source]", + "Question:How does the Lord pervade the universe?", + "Answer:Equally.", + "Question:What is the cause of Samsara?", + "Answer:Ignorance of the universal existence of the Lord.", + "Question:Who is responsible for this?", + "Answer:Each man is himself the cause of his own birth and death. He identifies himself with the body and destroys his true Self. He commits ‘Atma-hatya’.", + "Question:What is the way out of Samsara?", + "Answer:Knowing and realising Atma, the Lord, present equally everywhere is the way to liberation.", + "Question:What is the highest state of man?", + "Answer:Self-realisation, Moksha.", + "Question:What is the way to Self-realisation?", + "Answer:Knowing the universal presence of the Lord, and realising Him in one’s own heart, is the way to Self-realisation." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-13-Verse-29.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v29/" }, @@ -236,8 +512,19 @@ "sanskrit": "प्रकृत्यैव च कर्माणि क्रियमाणानि सर्वश: |य: पश्यति तथात्मानमकर्तारं स पश्यति || 30||", "transliteration": "prakṛityaiva cha karmāṇi kriyamāṇāni sarvaśhaḥyaḥ paśhyati tathātmānam akartāraṁ sa paśhyati", "word_by_word_meaning": "prakṛityā—by material nature; eva—truly; cha—also; karmāṇi—actions; kriyamāṇāni—are performed; sarvaśhaḥ—all; yaḥ—who; paśhyati—see; tathā—also; ātmānam—(embodied) soul; akartāram—actionless; saḥ—they; paśhyati—see", - "translation": "He who sees that all actions are done only by Prakriti and that the Self is actionless— verily, he alone sees.", - "commentary": "All actions in the world in every way are being performed by Prakriti.", + "translation": [ + "He who sees that all actions are done only by Prakriti and that the Self is actionless— verily, he alone sees." + ], + "commentary": [ + "All actions in the world in every way are being performed by Prakriti.", + "The real Self of man is actionless, non-doer, and only the witness of these changes and modifications that take place before Him. By His presence, Prakriti is empowered to act in various ways, to carry out its work according to natural laws. The man who knows the secret is really the wise man. His vision is true. The others having eyes do not see. Most people attribute action to themselves and are bound by the wheel of Karma. They say I have bad work or this good work; I am – happy or I am sorrowful; I am dull or I am intelligent and so on.’ This is ‘Ahamkara’ – a false identification of the Self with body and mind (3.27). This ruinous identification should go. Unless the truth is clearly seen and realised, man lives in the realm of ignorance (avidya) and cannot go beyond samsara. The distinct separateness between the actionless Atma and the functions of Prakriti should be realised by every spiritual aspirant.", + "Question:By what are the actions performed in the world?", + "Answer:By Prakriti.", + "Question:What is the state of Atma?", + "Answer:It is actionless, non-doer (Akarta). By its presence, all the vehicles of the body and mind etc., carry on their functions.", + "Question:Who is the true seer in the world?", + "Answer:He who knows that Prakriti performs all actions and that he (Self) is non-doer, is the real seer. The others though having eyes do not possess the eye of knowledge." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-13-Verse-30.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v30/" }, @@ -247,8 +534,21 @@ "sanskrit": "यदा भूतपृथग्भावमेकस्थमनुपश्यति |तत एव च विस्तारं ब्रह्म सम्पद्यते तदा || 31||", "transliteration": "yadā bhūta-pṛithag-bhāvam eka-stham anupaśhyatitata eva cha vistāraṁ brahma sampadyate tadā", "word_by_word_meaning": "yadā—when; bhūta—living entities; pṛithak-bhāvam—diverse variety; eka-stham—situated in the same place; anupaśhyati—see; tataḥ—thereafter; eva—indeed; cha—and; vistāram—born from; brahma—Brahman; sampadyate—(they) attain; tadā—then", - "translation": "When he sees that the manifold nature of beings is centred in the One and that all evolution is from that One alone, he becomes one with Brahman.", - "commentary": "The manifold universe with all the crores of beings, in it, combining, separating, changing, evolving and so on, is in reality the one Supreme Brahman. In that one, these things exist with the apparent distinction of name and form. What about the waves on the bosom of the ocean? Does they exist separately from the ocean? No. It is the ocean itself, but by name and form they are projected out of the ocean. No one can look upon the wave as having a separate existence apart from the ocean. There may be millions of waves and yet in reality they are ocean, they may come out of the ocean and disappear in the ocean. The ocean exists, the waves come and go. So also, in Paramatma the whole universe appears to exist. It comes out of and merges in Paramatma. He is the Reality. He who understands this mystery attains Brahma Jnana and then becomes Brahman.", + "translation": [ + "When he sees that the manifold nature of beings is centred in the One and that all evolution is from that One alone, he becomes one with Brahman." + ], + "commentary": [ + "The manifold universe with all the crores of beings, in it, combining, separating, changing, evolving and so on, is in reality the one Supreme Brahman. In that one, these things exist with the apparent distinction of name and form. What about the waves on the bosom of the ocean? Does they exist separately from the ocean? No. It is the ocean itself, but by name and form they are projected out of the ocean. No one can look upon the wave as having a separate existence apart from the ocean. There may be millions of waves and yet in reality they are ocean, they may come out of the ocean and disappear in the ocean. The ocean exists, the waves come and go. So also, in Paramatma the whole universe appears to exist. It comes out of and merges in Paramatma. He is the Reality. He who understands this mystery attains Brahma Jnana and then becomes Brahman.", + "Anupasyati:The aspirant should see the Truth clearly and firmly. He should cultivate the vision of oneness in all, till it becomes habitual to him. Thus he attains the state of Brahman. It is not enough to know it as a theory. It should be practised and realised. Then whatever he sees, he discovers it as Brahman in all places and under all circumstances.", + "Brahma sanpadyate tada:The auspicious moment of self-realisation is declared here. There is no prescribed time limit for it. When he sees that the manifold universe is created in Paramatma and is evolving in Him, when he sees the all-pervading one, minus the name and form – that very moment he attains Brahmajnana and becomes Brahman (The Jiva is dissolved in Brahman and as the residual Reality, Brahman).", + "From this it follows that seeing the manifold is bondage and ignorance; seeing the One is liberation and knowledge. Therefore the aspirant should transcend name and form which is the cause of manifoldness and establish himself in the vision of the one Absolute ‘sat chit ananda’.", + "MASTER (to M.):“I was meditating inside the net. It occurred to me that meditation, after all, was nothing but the imagining of a form, and so I did not enjoy it. One gets satisfaction if God reveals Himself in a flash. Again, I said to myself, ‘Who is it that meditates, and on whom does he meditate?'”M:“Yes, sir. You said that God Himself has become everything — the universe and all living beings. Even he who meditates is God.”MASTER:“What is more, one cannot meditate unless God wills it. One can meditate when God makes it possible for one to do so. What do you say?”M:“True, sir. You feel like that because there is no ‘I’ in you. When there is no ego, one feels like that.”MASTER:“But it is good to have a trace of ego, which makes it possible for a man to feel that he is the servant of God. As long as a man thinks that it is he who is doing his duties, it is very good for him to feel that God is the Master and he God’s servant. When one is conscious of doing work, one should establish with God the relationship of servant and Master.”M. was always reflecting on the nature of the Supreme Brahman.", + "MASTER (to M.):“Like the akasa, Brahman is without any modification. It has become manifold because of Sakti. Again, Brahman is like fire, which itself has no colour. The fire appears white if you throw a white substance’ into it, red if you throw a red, black it you throw a black. The three gunas — sattva, rajas, and tamas — belong to Sakti alone. Brahman Itself is beyond the three gunas. What Brahman is cannot be described. It is beyond words. That which remains after everything is eliminated by the Vedantic process of ‘Not this, not this’, and which is of the nature of Bliss, is Brahman.“Suppose the husband of a young girl has come to his father-in-law’s house and is seated in the drawing-room with other young men of his age. The girl and her friends are looking at them through the window. Her friends do not know her husband and ask her, pointing to one young man, ‘Is that your husband?’ ‘No’, she answers, smiling. They point to another young man and ask if he is her husband. Again she answers no. They repeat the question, referring to a third, and she gives the same answer. At last they point to her husband and ask, ‘Is he the one?’ She says neither yes nor no, but only smiles and keeps quiet. Her friends realise that he is her husband.“One becomes silent on realizing the true nature of Brahman. (Source:Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna)", + "—–", + "MASTER (to Dr. Sarkar):“You see, you have love for this [meaning himself]. You told me that you loved me.”DR. SARKAR:“You are a child of nature. That is why I tell you all this. It hurts me to see people salute you by touching your feet. I say to myself, ‘They are spoiling such a good man.’ Keshab Sen, too, was spoiled that way by his devotees. Listen to me —”MASTER:“Listen to you? You are greedy, lustful, and egotistic.”DR. BHADURI (to Dr. Sarkar):“That is to say, you have the traits of a jiva, an embodied being. These are his traits: lust, egotism, greed for wealth, and a hankering after name and fame. All embodied beings have these traits.”DR. SARKAR (to the Master):“If you talk that way, I shall only examine your throat and go away. Perhaps that is what you want. In that case we should not talk about anything else. But if you want discussion, then I shall say what I think to be right.”All remained silent.After a while the Master became engaged in conversation with Dr. Bhaduri.MASTER:“Let me tell you the truth. He [meaning Dr. Sarkar] is now following the path of negation. Therefore he discriminates, following the process of ‘Neti, neti’, and reasons in this way: God is not the living beings; He is not the universe; He is outside the creation. But later he will follow the path of affirmation and accept everything as the manifestation of God.“By taking off, one by one, the sheaths of a banana tree, one obtains the pith. The sheaths are one thing, and the pith is another. The sheaths are not the pith, and the pith is not the sheaths. But in the end one-realises that the pith cannot exist apart from the sheaths, and the sheaths cannot exist apart from the pith; they are part and parcel of one and the same banana tree. Likewise, it is God who has become the twenty-four cosmic principles; it is He who has become man.(To Dr. Sarkar) “There are three kinds of devotees: superior, mediocre, and inferior. The inferior devotee says, ‘God is out there.’ According to him God is different from His creation. The mediocre devotee says: ‘God is the Antaryami, the Inner Guide. God dwells in everyone’s heart.’ The mediocre devotee sees God in the heart. But the superior devotee sees that God alone has become everything; He alone has become the twenty-four cosmic principles. He finds that everything, above and below, is filled with God.“Read theGita, theBhagavata, and the Vedanta, and you will understand all this. Is not God in His creation?”DR. SARKAR:“Not in any particular object. He is everywhere. And because He is everywhere, He cannot be sought after.” (Source:Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna)", + "Question:When does man attain Brahman?", + "Answer:When he knows and sees that the whole manifold universe is placed in Paramatma and is projected for Him, he realises Brahman. That is Brahma Jnana and Moksha." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-13-Verse-31.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v31/" }, @@ -258,8 +558,13 @@ "sanskrit": "अनादित्वान्निर्गुणत्वात्परमात्मायमव्यय: |शरीरस्थोऽपि कौन्तेय न करोति न लिप्यते || 32||", "transliteration": "anāditvān nirguṇatvāt paramātmāyam avyayaḥśharīra-stho ’pi kaunteya na karoti na lipyate", "word_by_word_meaning": "anāditvāt—being without beginning; nirguṇatvāt—being devoid of any material qualities; parama—the Supreme; ātmā—soul; ayam—this; avyayaḥ—imperishable; śharīra-sthaḥ—dwelling in the body; api—although; kaunteya—Arjun, the the son of Kunti; na—neither; karoti—acts; na—nor; lipyate—is tainted", - "translation": "Having no beginning and possessing no gunas, this supreme and imperishable Self, Ο son of Kunti, neither acts nor is stained by action even while dwelling in the body.", - "commentary": "Paramatma has no beginning and no end. He is not caused by anything. So He is beyond cause. All other things have a cause. They begin and they come to an end. Moreover, He is devoid of the three qualities, and consequent changes and modifications. He is Imperishable. He is actionless. He does not do anything. As He is the Infinite, how can He go or come or do this or that? He is not tainted by anything. How can the awakened man have any contact with the objects of the dream-world? So, though the body, mind and buddhi are doing many things, yet Atma stands apart steeped in His own bliss, as the actionless witness of the phenomenal world.", + "translation": [ + "Having no beginning and possessing no gunas, this supreme and imperishable Self, Ο son of Kunti, neither acts nor is stained by action even while dwelling in the body." + ], + "commentary": [ + "Paramatma has no beginning and no end. He is not caused by anything. So He is beyond cause. All other things have a cause. They begin and they come to an end. Moreover, He is devoid of the three qualities, and consequent changes and modifications. He is Imperishable. He is actionless. He does not do anything. As He is the Infinite, how can He go or come or do this or that? He is not tainted by anything. How can the awakened man have any contact with the objects of the dream-world? So, though the body, mind and buddhi are doing many things, yet Atma stands apart steeped in His own bliss, as the actionless witness of the phenomenal world.", + "Sarirasthah api:The Lord is in the body, in everybody. He is in the secret cave of the human heart. He, this Lord of Lords, is so near us that we should seek for Him, find Him, and share His bliss and blessedness. The human body is the temple; Atma, the Lord is the Deity; knowing this one should fill himself with purity and light to know and see the Lord and be one with Him." + ], "audio": "blob:https://vivekavani.com/7ffc0efd-b818-4c05-9176-a88a9bd07a7d", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v32/" }, @@ -269,8 +574,15 @@ "sanskrit": "यथा सर्वगतं सौक्ष्म्यादाकाशं नोपलिप्यते |सर्वत्रावस्थितो देहे तथात्मा नोपलिप्यते || 33||", "transliteration": "yathā sarva-gataṁ saukṣhmyād ākāśhaṁ nopalipyatesarvatrāvasthito dehe tathātmā nopalipyate", "word_by_word_meaning": "yathā—as; sarva-gatam—all-pervading; saukṣhmyāt—due to subtlety; ākāśham—the space; na—not; upalipyate—is contaminated; sarvatra—everywhere; avasthitaḥ—situated; dehe—the body; tathā—similarly; ātmā—the soul; na—not; upalipyate—is contaminated", - "translation": "As the ākāśa that pervades all things is not stained, because of its subtlety, even so the Self dwelling in the body everywhere is not stained.", - "commentary": "Ether is the subtlest of things in the material universe. So it is taken as an illustration to point out the all-pervasive, taintless, subtle nature of Atma. By simple comparisons to explain high philosophic truths, is the distinct feature of the Gita. It should not be misunderstood that Atma is ether. No. Like ether, it is subtle; that is what is meant by the comparison. Ether pervades the sky, the dust, the mire and so on, and yet it is not tainted because it is subtle. Similarly, Atma pervades the whole body, and yet it is not tainted or affected by the birth and death of the body nor by the pleasures and pains of the mind or by anything taking place through the different vehicles (upadhis). Moreover, though storm-clouds burst into a thunder, lightning and rain, and spread out in different colours yet the sky is not tainted by the cold winds and hail storm. So also, Atma is seated firm and unmovable in the body and whatever changes take place in the body and mind, it is not at all touched by them in any way whatsoever. The aspirant has to maintain with faith and courage, the attitude that he is the Self and not the body, that he has nothing to do with the innumarable troubles, sorrows, pleasures and pains of the body and the mind. This practice should be continued till it is finally and immovably fixed in the mind. Then the life of the aspirant would be fearless, sublime and blissful.", + "translation": [ + "As the ākāśa that pervades all things is not stained, because of its subtlety, even so the Self dwelling in the body everywhere is not stained." + ], + "commentary": [ + "Ether is the subtlest of things in the material universe. So it is taken as an illustration to point out the all-pervasive, taintless, subtle nature of Atma. By simple comparisons to explain high philosophic truths, is the distinct feature of the Gita. It should not be misunderstood that Atma is ether. No. Like ether, it is subtle; that is what is meant by the comparison. Ether pervades the sky, the dust, the mire and so on, and yet it is not tainted because it is subtle. Similarly, Atma pervades the whole body, and yet it is not tainted or affected by the birth and death of the body nor by the pleasures and pains of the mind or by anything taking place through the different vehicles (upadhis). Moreover, though storm-clouds burst into a thunder, lightning and rain, and spread out in different colours yet the sky is not tainted by the cold winds and hail storm. So also, Atma is seated firm and unmovable in the body and whatever changes take place in the body and mind, it is not at all touched by them in any way whatsoever. The aspirant has to maintain with faith and courage, the attitude that he is the Self and not the body, that he has nothing to do with the innumarable troubles, sorrows, pleasures and pains of the body and the mind. This practice should be continued till it is finally and immovably fixed in the mind. Then the life of the aspirant would be fearless, sublime and blissful.", + "Sarvatravasthito dehe:Paramatma (as declared in the previousverse) is so near our own body, that we should realise Him in our own heart by means of purity in thought, word and deed. It is clear that no distinction is made here about race, religion, sex, age, and nationality. The Supreme Truth is present in all, and will be revealed to all, if the perfect practice is undertaken. The practice is to search for the Lord within oneself by discarding the five sheaths (Pancha Kosas) with which He is covered, as pure water in a lake is covered up by moss. There is no doubt that determined seekers would find Him in the near future.", + "Question:What is the nature of Paramatma?", + "Answer:Though he is seated in the body, yet He is untainted by the changes and modifications in the same way as ether is not tainted by dust or mire or clouds etc." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-13-Verse-33.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v33/" }, @@ -280,8 +592,16 @@ "sanskrit": "यथा प्रकाशयत्येक: कृत्स्नं लोकमिमं रवि: |क्षेत्रं क्षेत्री तथा कृत्स्नं प्रकाशयति भारत || 34||", "transliteration": "yathā prakāśhayaty ekaḥ kṛitsnaṁ lokam imaṁ raviḥkṣhetraṁ kṣhetrī tathā kṛitsnaṁ prakāśhayati bhārata", "word_by_word_meaning": "yathā—as; prakāśhayati—illumines; ekaḥ—one; kṛitsnam—entire; lokam—solar system; imam—this; raviḥ—sun; kṣhetram—the body; kṣhetrī—the soul; tathā—so; kṛitsnam—entire; prakāśhayati—illumine; bhārata—Arjun, the son of Bharat", - "translation": "As the one sun illumines the whole world, so does He who dwells in the body, Ο Bhārata, illumine the whole body.", - "commentary": "The all-pervasive character of Paramatma is stated previously by the illustration of ether. Now the luminosity of Atma is declared by the illustration of the sun. Just as the sun, who is the spectator of the world, illumines the whole world by his light, so also Paramatma illumines the entire kshetram body, mind and intellect. The Sun is only one. Paramatma is One. The sun – gives light. Paramatma is light. The Sun has nothing to do with good and bad nature of men and their actions in the world. Paramatma similarly is not concerned with the functions of the body, mind and intellect. He is just the witness, like the Sun. If the sun is not there, the whole world becomes lifeless and dark. So also if Paramatma is not there, the universe would crumble to pieces and disappear into darkness and death.", + "translation": [ + "As the one sun illumines the whole world, so does He who dwells in the body, Ο Bhārata, illumine the whole body." + ], + "commentary": [ + "The all-pervasive character of Paramatma is stated previously by the illustration of ether. Now the luminosity of Atma is declared by the illustration of the sun. Just as the sun, who is the spectator of the world, illumines the whole world by his light, so also Paramatma illumines the entire kshetram body, mind and intellect. The Sun is only one. Paramatma is One. The sun – gives light. Paramatma is light. The Sun has nothing to do with good and bad nature of men and their actions in the world. Paramatma similarly is not concerned with the functions of the body, mind and intellect. He is just the witness, like the Sun. If the sun is not there, the whole world becomes lifeless and dark. So also if Paramatma is not there, the universe would crumble to pieces and disappear into darkness and death.", + "Kritsnam:It implies that Paramatma illumines the three states of man (wakefulness, dream and sleep), and also the three divisions of time (past, present and future).", + "The seeker has to meditate on these basic ideas, and know that he is Paramatma, the all-pervading untainted, luminous self. He is not any of these objects that are inert (Jada). Such deep and unmovable meditation leads one to realise Paramatma and free himself from the bondage of samsara.", + "Question:How does Paramatma illumine the world?", + "Answer:Like the Sun illuminating the world." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-13-Verse-34.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v34/" }, @@ -291,8 +611,23 @@ "sanskrit": "क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोरेवमन्तरं ज्ञानचक्षुषा |भूतप्रकृतिमोक्षं च ये विदुर्यान्ति ते परम् || 35||", "transliteration": "kṣhetra-kṣhetrajñayor evam antaraṁ jñāna-chakṣhuṣhābhūta-prakṛiti-mokṣhaṁ cha ye vidur yānti te param", "word_by_word_meaning": "kṣhetra—the body; kṣhetra-jñayoḥ—of the knower of the body; evam—thus; antaram—the difference; jñāna-chakṣhuṣhā—with the eyes of knowledge; bhūta—the living entity; prakṛiti-mokṣham—release from material nature; cha—and; ye—who; viduḥ—know; yānti—approach; te—they; param—the Supreme", - "translation": "They who perceive with the eye of wisdom this distinction between the Field and the Knower of the Field, and also the deliverance from Prakriti, the cause of all beings— they attain the Supreme.", - "commentary": "Evam:Thus the discrimination between kshetra and kshetrajna, between the Drik and Drisya, Purusha and prakriti, taught in this Discourse is declared to be the direct path to liberation (Moksha). Therefore, the seekers should realise the importance of the yoga, understand it clearly, and with faith in the Lord’s declaration, they should attain Brahma Jnana.", + "translation": [ + "They who perceive with the eye of wisdom this distinction between the Field and the Knower of the Field, and also the deliverance from Prakriti, the cause of all beings— they attain the Supreme." + ], + "commentary": [ + "Evam:Thus the discrimination between kshetra and kshetrajna, between the Drik and Drisya, Purusha and prakriti, taught in this Discourse is declared to be the direct path to liberation (Moksha). Therefore, the seekers should realise the importance of the yoga, understand it clearly, and with faith in the Lord’s declaration, they should attain Brahma Jnana.", + "Antaram:(Distinction). The intermixing of Drik and Drisya, of kshetra and kshetrajna, is the cause of bondage. The individual (Jiva) is constantly identifying himself with the kshetram (the Field). “I am the body, I am the mind, am subject to disease and death, I am suffering, I am now so and so, I belong to this caste, I am wealthy, I am poor,” – in this way man, out of avidya’ feels that he is the body, and consequently he passes through all the ills of birth and death. In truth, the real man is Kshetrajna, Drik, Atma. So it follows that all the troubles and sorrows pertain to the body and mind only and not to Atma. The thoughtful man knows the distinction clearly, and he remains unaffected by the modifications of the body and mind. The others are lost in the flood of samsara. It is the eye of knowledge that finds out the difference between the body and the dweller in the body. The whole of this Discourse deals with the sharp distinction between the two.", + "Bhuta prakriti moksham:From time immemorial, man is bound and deluded by prakriti (Maya). Now he has awakened to that fact that he is bound, and that he should free himself from bondage. To liberate oneself from the binding veil of ‘avidya’ is Moksha. Moksha is not something to be got from the sky or the underworld. It is not an object. It is pure knowledge, the knowledge that the real man is Atma and not the body. If this knowledge is gained by discrimination between Kshetra and Kshetrajna man attains freedom and perfection. If a man feels that he is the kshetram, he is bound by prakriti; if on the other hand, he feels that he is Atma, prakriti has no power over him. How to gain this knowledge is the question for all seekers. The eye of knowledge should be opened. How is this eye of knowledge opened? How can man acquire the spiritual power of discrimination between the objective world and the subjective Drik? The Lord has made it clear that He bestows this gift on his devotees who worship Him with faith and love (tesham satata yuktanam dadami buddhi yogam). Therefore let all people worship the Lord in every way; let them purify the mind with good work for the sake of humanity; let them think and meditate on the truth, and so striving, they shall obtain the discriminatory power to reject Prakriti and find their identity with Paramatma. The Lord proclaimed the path and the goal with perfect clearness.", + "Yanti te param:Every man whoever he is and in whatever position he may be placed, is qualified to undertake this discriminatory path and attain Moksha (Yanti-param).", + "Question:What is Moksha?", + "Answer:Freedom from the power of Prakriti (Avidya) is Moksha.", + "Question:Who can attain it?", + "Answer:Those who know the distinction between Kshetra and Kshetrajna attain Moksha.", + "Question:How is the distinction realised?", + "Answer:By the eye of knowledge-Viveka.", + "Question:Therefore what is the way to attain Moksha?", + "Answer:With the eye of knowledge, to see clearly the distinction between Kshetra and Kshetrajna, is the way to Moksha." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-13-Verse-35.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b13v35/" }