diff --git "a/output/chapters/14.json" "b/output/chapters/14.json" --- "a/output/chapters/14.json" +++ "b/output/chapters/14.json" @@ -5,8 +5,19 @@ "sanskrit": "श्रीभगवानुवाच |परं भूय: प्रवक्ष्यामि ज्ञानानां ज्ञानमुत्तमम् |यज्ज्ञात्वा मुनय: सर्वे परां सिद्धिमितो गता: || 1||", "transliteration": "śhrī-bhagavān uvāchaparaṁ bhūyaḥ pravakṣhyāmi jñānānāṁ jñānam uttamamyaj jñātvā munayaḥ sarve parāṁ siddhim ito gatāḥ", "word_by_word_meaning": "śhrī-bhagavān uvācha—the Divine Lord said; param—supreme; bhūyaḥ—again; pravakṣhyāmi—I shall explain; jñānānām—of all knowledge; jñānam uttamam—the supreme wisdom; yat—which; jñātvā—knowing; munayaḥ—saints; sarve—all; parām—highest; siddhim—perfection; itaḥ—through this; gatāḥ—attained", - "translation": "The Lord said: Once more I will expound that Supreme Knowledge, the most exalted of all forms of knowledge, by gaining which all the sages have attained highest perfection.", - "commentary": "Bhuyah:(again) the Lord, out of compassion for mankind, repeats and re-declares the excellence of that wisdom which takes man beyond all sorrow and death. The Lord attaches the greatest importance to this knowledge, the best and the highest. so the seekers should strive to know this Truth, and free themselves from the bondage of samsara.", + "translation": [ + "The Lord said: Once more I will expound that Supreme Knowledge, the most exalted of all forms of knowledge, by gaining which all the sages have attained highest perfection." + ], + "commentary": [ + "Bhuyah:(again) the Lord, out of compassion for mankind, repeats and re-declares the excellence of that wisdom which takes man beyond all sorrow and death. The Lord attaches the greatest importance to this knowledge, the best and the highest. so the seekers should strive to know this Truth, and free themselves from the bondage of samsara.", + "Jnananam jnanam uttamam:Knowledge is of various kinds in the material world-knowledge of the different sciences and the different arts-each branch of knowledge leading to the understanding of a particular aspect of life and nature. Here the Lord declares that knowledge leading to Self realisation is the best and the highest (param). No other knowledge can unravel the mystery of man’s personality and take to the state of freedom and perfection. Without it there is no inner illumination, there is no freedom and perfection. So this knowledge is the highest.", + "Yat jnatva munayah sarve:The Lord cites the example of the great sages of yore. All of them have attained the Highest by means of this wisdom. There is no exception to the rule possessing this wisdom all reach the highest goal. The efficacy of a particular medicine is proved by the number of patients who were cured by it. Such a medicine is of universal benefit. So also, this wisdom has worked the miracle on all those who have taken to it with faith and diligence. The bound soul is liberated at once by the knowledge. Such is its excellence. The sages (munayah: the thinkers of Truth) have devoted themselves to this knowledge by constant thought and meditation, and so they have achieved the highest perfection. Mere theoretical understanding is not enough. Deep and personal experience of the truth is necessary for Self-realisation.", + "Parām siddhim:Moksha is the highest state. The Lord declares it again and again. It is a popular illusion to think of Moksha as a state of emptiness and nothingness. No. It is a state of positive bliss and blessedness. To him who has experienced it, all other states of wealth and position, power and glamour, appear as insipid, tasteless, low and worthless. So the sages are perfect in their ‘vairagya‘, because they have attained the highest, and all the lower things up to Brahmaloka have no attraction for them at all. Let the aspirants be fully aware of the supreme excellence of the goal they have set before themselves, and be not tempted by anything else in the world.", + "Question:What is the excellence of the wisdom declared by the Lord?", + "Answer:(1) Of all kinds of knowledge, it is the highest. (2) Possessing it, all the sages have attained Moksha.", + "Question:What is the state of Moksha?", + "Answer:It is the supreme state not comparable with any other state in the world." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-14-Verse-1.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b14v1/" }, @@ -16,8 +27,18 @@ "sanskrit": "इदं ज्ञानमुपाश्रित्य मम साधर्म्यमागता: |सर्गेऽपि नोपजायन्ते प्रलये न व्यथन्ति च || 2||", "transliteration": "idaṁ jñānam upāśhritya mama sādharmyam āgatāḥsarge ’pi nopajāyante pralaye na vyathanti cha", "word_by_word_meaning": "idam—this; jñānam—wisdom; upāśhritya—take refuge in; mama—mine; sādharmyam—of similar nature; āgatāḥ—having attained; sarge—at the time of creation; api—even; na—not; upajāyante—are born; pralaye—at the time of dissolution; na-vyathanti—they will not experience misery; cha—and", - "translation": "They who, having devoted themselves to this Knowledge, have partaken of My nature, are not born at the time of creation, nor are they troubled at the time of dissolution.", - "commentary": "Mama sadharmyam agatah:The unparalleled excellence of jnana is declared most wonderfully here. The sages, possessing this knowledge, became one with God Himself. They assume the state of God. What else can man aspire for? “Jnani tu atmaiva me matam” (7.18). The man of knowledge is God Himself. The devotee becomes the Deity. Such union with the Lord is the effect of this wisdom. The wise man of supreme knowledge is God in essence. There cannot be two Infinites, two Gods. If man cuts off his limiting adjuncts, he becomes the Infinite, the Immortal. It is needless to assert that the man who is seeking such union with the Lord is discharging the highest and noblest of his duties as a human being!", + "translation": [ + "They who, having devoted themselves to this Knowledge, have partaken of My nature, are not born at the time of creation, nor are they troubled at the time of dissolution." + ], + "commentary": [ + "Mama sadharmyam agatah:The unparalleled excellence of jnana is declared most wonderfully here. The sages, possessing this knowledge, became one with God Himself. They assume the state of God. What else can man aspire for? “Jnani tu atmaiva me matam” (7.18). The man of knowledge is God Himself. The devotee becomes the Deity. Such union with the Lord is the effect of this wisdom. The wise man of supreme knowledge is God in essence. There cannot be two Infinites, two Gods. If man cuts off his limiting adjuncts, he becomes the Infinite, the Immortal. It is needless to assert that the man who is seeking such union with the Lord is discharging the highest and noblest of his duties as a human being!", + "The union with the Lord liberates the sage from birth and death. He becomes ‘ajah’, ‘nityah’. There is no ‘return’ for him. Even at the time of creation, he is not born, nor does he perish at the time of dissolution. The cycle of birth and death (‘punarapi jananam punarapi maranam’) stops for ever. He becomes one with the Absolute Sachidhananda. Therefore the only way to free oneself from the ills of samsara is to attain Brahma-Jnana.", + "Question:What is the effect of possessing this wisdom?", + "Answer:(1) Man attains union with God, (2) He is not born at the time of creation, (3) He does not die at the time of dissolution (He is birthless and deathless).", + "Question:What then is the way to union with God?", + "Answer:The attainment of supreme knowledge.", + "" + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-14-Verse-2.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b14v2/" }, @@ -27,8 +48,15 @@ "sanskrit": "मम योनिर्महद् ब्रह्म तस्मिन्गर्भं दधाम्यहम् |सम्भव: सर्वभूतानां ततो भवति भारत || 3||", "transliteration": "mama yonir mahad brahma tasmin garbhaṁ dadhāmy ahamsambhavaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ tato bhavati bhārata", "word_by_word_meaning": "mama—my; yoniḥ—womb; mahat brahma—the total material substance, prakṛiti; tasmin—in that; garbham—womb; dadhāmi—impregnate; aham—I; sambhavaḥ—birth; sarva-bhūtānām—of all living beings; tataḥ—thereby; bhavati—becomes; bhārata—Arjun, the son of Bharat;", - "translation": "The Great Nature is My womb; in that I place the seed of life, and thence are born all beings, Ο Bhārata.", - "commentary": "What is the cause, the origin, and source of all this universe? Is it Prakriti? Prakriti is jada (inert) and cannot be the cause by itself. It is the life-seed of the Lord, placed in Mulaprakriti which causes the creation of the Universe.", + "translation": [ + "The Great Nature is My womb; in that I place the seed of life, and thence are born all beings, Ο Bhārata." + ], + "commentary": [ + "What is the cause, the origin, and source of all this universe? Is it Prakriti? Prakriti is jada (inert) and cannot be the cause by itself. It is the life-seed of the Lord, placed in Mulaprakriti which causes the creation of the Universe.", + "The union of the sentient Lord with the insentient Prakriti, is the source of all things. So the Lord is the Father of all. He is the seed of all beings. This secret is revealed in this verse. Knowing this, no man should think of himself as low and wretched. The Lord is the real father of all. (Pita ahamasmi jagatah). As all are thus the children of the Lord, the seeker should look upon all beings with love, kindness, and helpfulness.", + "Question:What is the source of all beings?", + "Answer:The union of ‘Paramatma’ with ‘Prakriti’." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-14-Verse-3.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b14v3/" }, @@ -38,8 +66,12 @@ "sanskrit": "सर्वयोनिषु कौन्तेय मूर्तय: सम्भवन्ति या: |तासां ब्रह्म महद्योनिरहं बीजप्रद: पिता || 4||", "transliteration": "sarva-yoniṣhu kaunteya mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥtāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā", "word_by_word_meaning": "sarva—all; yoniṣhu—species of life; kaunteya—Arjun, the son of Kunti; mūrtayaḥ—forms; sambhavanti—are produced; yāḥ—which; tāsām—of all of them; brahma-mahat—great material nature; yoniḥ—womb; aham—I; bīja-pradaḥ—seed-giving; pitā—Father", - "translation": "Whatever form is produced, Ο son of Kunti, in any womb, the Great Nature is its womb, and I am the seed-giving Father.", - "commentary": "Prakriti is the Mother and Paramatma is the Father for men and Gods, and every form that is born anywhere in the universe, the Lord is the Father who gives life, and Prakriti is the Mother, who bears the progeny in her womb.", + "translation": [ + "Whatever form is produced, Ο son of Kunti, in any womb, the Great Nature is its womb, and I am the seed-giving Father." + ], + "commentary": [ + "Prakriti is the Mother and Paramatma is the Father for men and Gods, and every form that is born anywhere in the universe, the Lord is the Father who gives life, and Prakriti is the Mother, who bears the progeny in her womb." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-14-Verse-4.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b14v4/" }, @@ -49,8 +81,31 @@ "sanskrit": "सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणा: प्रकृतिसम्भवा: |निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम् || 5||", "transliteration": "sattvaṁ rajas tama iti guṇāḥ prakṛiti-sambhavāḥnibadhnanti mahā-bāho dehe dehinam avyayam", "word_by_word_meaning": "sattvam—mode of goodness; rajaḥ—mode of passion; tamaḥ—mode of ignorance; iti—thus; guṇāḥ—modes; prakṛiti—material nature; sambhavāḥ—consists of; nibadhnanti—bind; mahā-bāho—mighty-armed one; dehe—in the body; dehinam—the embodied soul; avyayam—eternal", - "translation": "O Arjuna! Born of Prakriti, the three Gunas, Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas bind the imperishable Jivatma in the body.", - "commentary": "The three Gunas, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas are born of prakriti. Atma is free from them. Atma is Nirguna, devoid of these qualities. It transcends them. Even so, the individual man having forgotten his Atma and its transcendental nature, associates himself with the Gunas, identifies himself with them, and binds himself to the inert perishable body. Thus the Imperishable ever-fee Atma is lost by the jiva who becomes an embodied being subject to all the ills of life and death. This mistaken identity is (avidya) ignorance. Man has to release himself from every one of these gunas, and rise to the Atmic plane which is free and perfect. The Sattva Guna which is free is also mentioned as one of the bonds, because it is only in the Nirvikalpa Samadhi that man goes beyond all the gunas and realises Paramatma. In that state, there are no qualities or states or thoughts. As the aspirant rises higher and higher, he finds that Sattva guna also is like a screen (a thin screen but yet a screen) between him and the ultimate.", + "translation": [ + "O Arjuna! Born of Prakriti, the three Gunas, Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas bind the imperishable Jivatma in the body." + ], + "commentary": [ + "The three Gunas, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas are born of prakriti. Atma is free from them. Atma is Nirguna, devoid of these qualities. It transcends them. Even so, the individual man having forgotten his Atma and its transcendental nature, associates himself with the Gunas, identifies himself with them, and binds himself to the inert perishable body. Thus the Imperishable ever-fee Atma is lost by the jiva who becomes an embodied being subject to all the ills of life and death. This mistaken identity is (avidya) ignorance. Man has to release himself from every one of these gunas, and rise to the Atmic plane which is free and perfect. The Sattva Guna which is free is also mentioned as one of the bonds, because it is only in the Nirvikalpa Samadhi that man goes beyond all the gunas and realises Paramatma. In that state, there are no qualities or states or thoughts. As the aspirant rises higher and higher, he finds that Sattva guna also is like a screen (a thin screen but yet a screen) between him and the ultimate.", + "The seekers must have a longing to march. Tamas has to be conqureed by Rajas; and Rajas has to be purified by Sattva and Sattva has to be discarded at the end to reach Atma. That is Moksha.", + "Mahabaho:Arjuna is addressed as the ‘Mighty armed’. He has, no doubt, defeated many powerful enemies in the world, but he has yet to conquer the internal enemies, the three gunas with greater strength and higher courage.", + "Dehe dehinam avyayam:Atma, the Lord, the Imperishable Light, is in the body, nearest to man. Therefore, by intense search and clear discrimination one has to discover this even in this life. It is Imperishable. Atma is changeless, has no birth and therefore it has no death. All the other things are ‘vyayam‘ perishable. Each man has to turn the searchlight on himself and know that he has his life and being, not in the perishable body but in the Imperishable Atma. He has to strive for purifying himself from the contaminating influence of the three Gunas and ascend to the plane of Atma. This is the fulfillment of life.", + "M:“Is daya also a bondage?”", + "MASTER:“Yes, it is. But that concept is something far beyond the ordinary man. Daya springs from sattva. Sattva preserves, rajas creates, and tamas destroys. But Brahman is beyond the three gunas. It is beyond Prakriti.", + "“None of the three gunas can reach Truth; they are like robbers, who cannot come to a public place for fear of being arrested. Sattva, rajas, and tamas are like so many robbers.", + "“Listen to a story. Once a man was going through a forest, when three robbers fell upon him and robbed him of all his possessions. One of the robbers said, “What’s the use of keeping this man alive?’ So saying, he was about to kill him with his sword, when the second robber interrupted him, saying: ‘Oh, no! What is the use of killing him? Tie him hand and foot and leave him here.’ The robbers bound his hands and feet and went away.", + "After a while the third robber returned and said to the man: ‘Ah, I am sorry. Are you hurt? I will release you from your bonds.’ After setting the man free, the thief said; Come with me. I will take you to the public highway.’ After a long time they reached the road. Then the robber said: ‘Follow this road. Over there is your house.’ At this the man said: ‘Sir, you have been very good to me. Come with me to my house.’ ‘Oh, no!’ the robber replied. ‘I can’t go there. The police will know it.’", + "“This world itself is the forest. The three robbers prowling here are sattva, rajas, and tamas. It is they that rob a man of the Knowledge of Truth. Tamas wants to destroy him. Rajas binds him to the world. But sattva rescues him from the clutches of rajas and tamas. Under the protection of sattva, man is rescued from anger, passion, and the other evil effects of tamas. Further, sattva loosens the bonds of the world. But sattva also is a robber. It cannot give him the ultimate Knowledge of Truth, though it shows him the road leading to the Supreme Abode of God. Setting him on the path, sattva tells him: ‘Look yonder. There is your home.’ Even sattva is far away from the Knowledge of Brahman.", + "“What Brahman is cannot be described. Even he who knows It cannot talk about It. There is a saying that a boat, once reaching the ‘black waters’ of the ocean, cannot come back.", + "“Once four friends, in the course of a walk, saw a place enclosed by a wall. The wall was very high. They all became eager to know what was inside. One of them climbed to the top of the wall. What he saw on looking inside made him speechless with wonder. He only cried, ‘Ah! Ah!’ and dropped in. He could not give any information about what he saw. The others, too, climbed the wall, uttered the same cry, ‘Ah! Ah!’, and jumped in. Now who could tell what was inside? (Source:Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna)", + "Question:What is the nature of Atma?", + "Answer:Imperishable.", + "Question:What binds the Jiva?", + "Answer:Though the ‘jiva’ is really ‘Atma’, yet by his ignorance, he is bound by the three ‘Gunas’.", + "Question:What is the origin of the three Gunas?", + "Answer:‘Prakriti’ (Prakriti – sambhavah).", + "Question:What is the way to attain liberation?", + "Answer:To reach ‘Paramatma’, who is beyond the three ‘Gunas’." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-14-Verse-5.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b14v5/" }, @@ -60,8 +115,19 @@ "sanskrit": "तत्र सत्त्वं निर्मलत्वात्प्रकाशकमनामयम् |सुखसङ्गेन बध्नाति ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ || 6||", "transliteration": "tatra sattvaṁ nirmalatvāt prakāśhakam anāmayamsukha-saṅgena badhnāti jñāna-saṅgena chānagha", "word_by_word_meaning": "tatra—amongst these; sattvam—mode of goodness; nirmalatvāt—being purest; prakāśhakam—illuminating; anāmayam—healthy and full of well-being; sukha—happiness; saṅgena—attachment; badhnāti—binds; jñāna—knowledge; saṅgena—attachment; cha—also; anagha—Arjun, the sinless one", - "translation": "Of these, sattva, being stainless, is luminous and healthful. It binds, Ο sinless Arjuna, by creating attachment to happiness and attachment to knowledge.", - "commentary": "As the three Gunas are produced from prakriti, Sattva guna also is a part of ‘avidya’. But it is the pure aspect of Prakriti. By its purity, it is superior of higher than the other two gunas. So it is no doubt a desirable quality in spiritual progress. But in the perfect Atmic state, even this Sattva guna pure and light-giving as it is, is an obstacle, a covering veil to Atma. If a pure light is covered by glasses of three colours, different effects are produced. If the glass is dark, the light is dim. If the glass is red, the light casts a red shadow. If the glass is white the light is clear. But the white glass also is a covering veil to the pure light within. The original purity of the light itself is modified by the glass, however clean it might be. So also the sattva guna binds the jiva by attachment to happiness and knowledge. When a man says ‘I am happy’, he is attributing to himself the experience of the senses and the mind (Kshetra) to himself. The false identification is due to ‘avidya’. This happiness is kshetradharma, and it is superimposed on the Kshetrajna (Atma) by the ignorance of the Jiva. And again, when a person says ‘I have knowledge of this or that’, he is committing the same error in imposing on Atma, the quality of the intellect which is also Kshetradharma. Thus Sattva guna binds man to happiness and knowledge. Both are modifications of the mind and intellect. They do not belong to Atma. So the Lord exhorts Arjuna to transcend the Sattva guna also and reach the Atmic state.", + "translation": [ + "Of these, sattva, being stainless, is luminous and healthful. It binds, Ο sinless Arjuna, by creating attachment to happiness and attachment to knowledge." + ], + "commentary": [ + "As the three Gunas are produced from prakriti, Sattva guna also is a part of ‘avidya’. But it is the pure aspect of Prakriti. By its purity, it is superior of higher than the other two gunas. So it is no doubt a desirable quality in spiritual progress. But in the perfect Atmic state, even this Sattva guna pure and light-giving as it is, is an obstacle, a covering veil to Atma. If a pure light is covered by glasses of three colours, different effects are produced. If the glass is dark, the light is dim. If the glass is red, the light casts a red shadow. If the glass is white the light is clear. But the white glass also is a covering veil to the pure light within. The original purity of the light itself is modified by the glass, however clean it might be. So also the sattva guna binds the jiva by attachment to happiness and knowledge. When a man says ‘I am happy’, he is attributing to himself the experience of the senses and the mind (Kshetra) to himself. The false identification is due to ‘avidya’. This happiness is kshetradharma, and it is superimposed on the Kshetrajna (Atma) by the ignorance of the Jiva. And again, when a person says ‘I have knowledge of this or that’, he is committing the same error in imposing on Atma, the quality of the intellect which is also Kshetradharma. Thus Sattva guna binds man to happiness and knowledge. Both are modifications of the mind and intellect. They do not belong to Atma. So the Lord exhorts Arjuna to transcend the Sattva guna also and reach the Atmic state.", + "Anagha:Arjuna is sinless, and so, by his purity and stainlessness, he is qualified to receive the highest Brahma Vidya.", + "Question:What is the nature of Sattva guna?", + "Answer:It is pure, light-giving, and untroubled.", + "Question:How does it bind man?", + "Answer:It binds man by the happiness of the senses and the desire for knowledge (vritti).", + "Question:What should the aspirant do?", + "Answer:He should go beyond ‘Sattva guna’ also and reach ‘Atma’." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-14-Verse-6.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b14v6/" }, @@ -71,8 +137,18 @@ "sanskrit": "रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम् |तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम् || 7||", "transliteration": "rajo rāgātmakaṁ viddhi tṛiṣhṇā-saṅga-samudbhavamtan nibadhnāti kaunteya karma-saṅgena dehinam", "word_by_word_meaning": "rajaḥ—mode of passion; rāga-ātmakam—of the nature of passion; viddhi—know; tṛiṣhṇā—desires; saṅga—association; samudbhavam—arises from; tat—that; nibadhnāti—binds; kaunteya—Arjun, the son of Kunti; karma-saṅgena—through attachment to fruitive actions; dehinam—the embodied soul", - "translation": "Know that rajas is the essence of passion and the cause of thirst and attachment. It binds fast the embodied soul, Ο son of Kunti, by attachment to action.", - "commentary": "The word ‘Trishna’ means passion for objects not possessed by him. ‘Sanga’ means attachment for those things already possessed by him. Rajoguna causes both passion and attachment. The effect of this passion is activity to gain this or that object, wealth, name and fame, power and position etc. The mad rush that one sees in the world is all the manifestation of Rajoguna. Territories are gained, wars are fought, enemies are put down, name is achieved, fame is obtained and thus in a hundred ways, man works for selfish ends and aims; This is Rajoguna. Thus action is the outer manifestation of Rajoguna. The Rajasic man cannot remain quiet. He is urged into action by the very force of Rajas. Action binds him. In this also, there is the false imposition of Kshetradharma on the pure and perfect Atma. The Lord uses a very strong word ‘nibadhnati’, not simply ‘badhnati’ when he speaks of the binding power of Rajoguna and tamoguna.", + "translation": [ + "Know that rajas is the essence of passion and the cause of thirst and attachment. It binds fast the embodied soul, Ο son of Kunti, by attachment to action." + ], + "commentary": [ + "The word ‘Trishna’ means passion for objects not possessed by him. ‘Sanga’ means attachment for those things already possessed by him. Rajoguna causes both passion and attachment. The effect of this passion is activity to gain this or that object, wealth, name and fame, power and position etc. The mad rush that one sees in the world is all the manifestation of Rajoguna. Territories are gained, wars are fought, enemies are put down, name is achieved, fame is obtained and thus in a hundred ways, man works for selfish ends and aims; This is Rajoguna. Thus action is the outer manifestation of Rajoguna. The Rajasic man cannot remain quiet. He is urged into action by the very force of Rajas. Action binds him. In this also, there is the false imposition of Kshetradharma on the pure and perfect Atma. The Lord uses a very strong word ‘nibadhnati’, not simply ‘badhnati’ when he speaks of the binding power of Rajoguna and tamoguna.", + "Question:What is the nature of Rajoguna?", + "Answer:It is passion for objects, and causes desire and attachment.", + "Question:How does it bind man?", + "Answer:By desire and attachment to action.", + "Question:What should the aspirant do?", + "Answer:He should free himself from the binding power of ‘Rajoguna’." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-14-Verse-7.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b14v7/" }, @@ -82,8 +158,21 @@ "sanskrit": "तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम् |प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत || 8||", "transliteration": "tamas tv ajñāna-jaṁ viddhi mohanaṁ sarva-dehināmpramādālasya-nidrābhis tan nibadhnāti bhārata", "word_by_word_meaning": "tamaḥ—mode of ignorance; tu—but; ajñāna-jam—born of ignorance; viddhi—know; mohanam—illusion; sarva-dehinām—for all the embodied souls; pramāda—negligence; ālasya—laziness; nidrābhiḥ—sleep; tat—that; nibadhnāti—binds; bhārata—Arjun, the son of Bharat", - "translation": "And know further that tamas is born of ignorance and that it deludes all embodied creatures. It binds fast, Ο Bhārata, by inadvertence, indolence, and sleep.", - "commentary": "Tamoguna is the direct effect of ignorance. It deludes man and throws him down into the dark prison-house of samsara. The state of the Jiva under its influence is like the sun being covered up by thick dark clouds, or like a light covered up by dark smoke-stained glass. Its deluding power is universally felt, by all, except the Jivanmuktas. That is why the word Sarvadehinam is used. Even the most intelligent are sometimes blind to the realities of a situation. They err, fall into lethargy, and forget themselves in beastly sleep. The common run of mankind is directly under its power. Sleep, idleness, incapacity, inefficiency, neglect of duty, shirking of work, all these are Tamoguna qualities. Each individual can easily find out for himself what his nature is. If he is negligent, idle and sleepy, it is a sure sign that Tamas predominates in his nature.", + "translation": [ + "And know further that tamas is born of ignorance and that it deludes all embodied creatures. It binds fast, Ο Bhārata, by inadvertence, indolence, and sleep." + ], + "commentary": [ + "Tamoguna is the direct effect of ignorance. It deludes man and throws him down into the dark prison-house of samsara. The state of the Jiva under its influence is like the sun being covered up by thick dark clouds, or like a light covered up by dark smoke-stained glass. Its deluding power is universally felt, by all, except the Jivanmuktas. That is why the word Sarvadehinam is used. Even the most intelligent are sometimes blind to the realities of a situation. They err, fall into lethargy, and forget themselves in beastly sleep. The common run of mankind is directly under its power. Sleep, idleness, incapacity, inefficiency, neglect of duty, shirking of work, all these are Tamoguna qualities. Each individual can easily find out for himself what his nature is. If he is negligent, idle and sleepy, it is a sure sign that Tamas predominates in his nature.", + "It is to be understood that no man is dominated only by one Guna. The three Gunas attending express themselves in the mind, at one stage or other. When Tamas dominates, he sleeps, when Rajas dominates he acts, and when Sattva comes up, he is calm and enjoys the bliss of power.", + "The seekers should first of all free themselves from Tamas and Rajas. These qualities bind man and fling him into the mire of samsara. By understanding the nature of these qualities, man should rise above them slowly and gradually.", + "Bharata:Arjuna is addressed as ‘Bharata’ five times repeatedly in this Discourse (verses 3,8,9,10 and 12). There should be some special significance to the repetition of this word ‘Bharata’. ‘Bha’ means Light, ‘rata’ means desire. So Bharata means one who desires to possess light i.e. Knowledge. The Lord inspires Arjuna to wake up and strive for true knowledge. “O Arjuna! Remember your true self, pure, luminous, and free from the taint of the three Gunas. You are not the body and mind, the Kshetra. You are the imperishable, ever-free and ever-perfect Atma. You are Sachidananda. Wake up from sleep. It does not befit you. Realise your true self and be free from all bondage.” Such is the Lord’s exhortation to his beloved disciple. Hence, probably, the Lord addresses Arjuna as ‘Bharata’ repeatedly.", + "Question:From what does Tamoguna arise?", + "Answer:From ignorance (Ajnana).", + "Question:What is its nature?", + "Answer:It deludes all men.", + "Question:How does it bind the Jiva?", + "Answer:By heedlessness. indolence, too much sleep, it binds the Jiva." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-14-Verse-8.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b14v8/" }, @@ -93,8 +182,14 @@ "sanskrit": "सत्त्वं सुखे सञ्जयति रज: कर्मणि भारत |ज्ञानमावृत्य तु तम: प्रमादे सञ्जयत्युत || 9||", "transliteration": "sattvaṁ sukhe sañjayati rajaḥ karmaṇi bhāratajñānam āvṛitya tu tamaḥ pramāde sañjayaty uta", "word_by_word_meaning": "sattvam—mode of goodness; sukhe—to happiness; sañjayati—binds; rajaḥ—mode of passion; karmaṇi—toward actions; bhārata—Arjun, the son of Bharat; jñānam—wisdom; āvṛitya—clouds; tu—but; tamaḥ—mode of ignorance; pramāde—to delusion; sañjayati—binds; uta—indeed", - "translation": "Sattva binds one to happiness, and rajas to action, Ο Bhārata; whereas tamas veils knowledge and binds one to inadvertence.", - "commentary": "This verse is just a summary of the above three verses. The three Gunas and their main qualities are restated for easy understanding. Sattva guna leads man to knowledge and happiness of a worldly nature; Rajoguna prompts man to worldly action prompted by selfishness and Tamoguna leads to wrong understanding, sleeep and laziness. Sattvaguna is like the covering of a pure glass over the light, Rajoguna is like the covering of cane-basket over the light; and Tamoguna is like the covering of a pot over the light. In the first instance, light comes out through the glass, the medium being quite pure. In the second instance, some rays of light escape through the chinks of the basket. But in the third instance, the pot being opaque, the light within is totally covered. The state of Tamas is utter darkness. The man in darkness stumbles and falls, mistakes objects, takes one thing to be another, and thus commits a number of mistakes.", + "translation": [ + "Sattva binds one to happiness, and rajas to action, Ο Bhārata; whereas tamas veils knowledge and binds one to inadvertence." + ], + "commentary": [ + "This verse is just a summary of the above three verses. The three Gunas and their main qualities are restated for easy understanding. Sattva guna leads man to knowledge and happiness of a worldly nature; Rajoguna prompts man to worldly action prompted by selfishness and Tamoguna leads to wrong understanding, sleeep and laziness. Sattvaguna is like the covering of a pure glass over the light, Rajoguna is like the covering of cane-basket over the light; and Tamoguna is like the covering of a pot over the light. In the first instance, light comes out through the glass, the medium being quite pure. In the second instance, some rays of light escape through the chinks of the basket. But in the third instance, the pot being opaque, the light within is totally covered. The state of Tamas is utter darkness. The man in darkness stumbles and falls, mistakes objects, takes one thing to be another, and thus commits a number of mistakes.", + "The pure light of Atma, a blissful and ever blessed, is thus shrouded by the three Gunas. Man is bound by them. The Lord expresses wonder, how deluded man suffers on account of the powerful influence of Prakriti and its qualities.", + "" + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-14-Verse-9.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b14v9/" }, @@ -104,8 +199,14 @@ "sanskrit": "रजस्तमश्चाभिभूय सत्त्वं भवति भारत |रज: सत्त्वं तमश्चैव तम: सत्त्वं रजस्तथा || 10||", "transliteration": "rajas tamaśh chābhibhūya sattvaṁ bhavati bhāratarajaḥ sattvaṁ tamaśh chaiva tamaḥ sattvaṁ rajas tathā", "word_by_word_meaning": "rajaḥ—mode of passion; tamaḥ—mode of ignorance; cha—and; abhibhūya—prevails; sattvam—mode of goodness; bhavati—becomes; bhārata—Arjun, the son of Bharat; rajaḥ—mode of passion; sattvam—mode of goodness; tamaḥ—mode of ignorance; cha—and; eva—indeed; tamaḥ—mode of ignorance; sattvam—mode of goodness; rajaḥ—mode of passion; tathā—also", - "translation": "Sattva asserts itself by prevailing over rajas and tamas, Ο Bhārata; rajas asserts itself by prevailing over sattva and tamas; and tamas asserts itself by prevailing over sattva and rajas.", - "commentary": "It is a psychological truth that the three qualities function alternately in every individual, although each man is characterised by the predominance of one of the three qualities. When Sattvaguna functions, the other two gunas are over-powered. So also when Rajoguna functions, the other two are suppressed; when Tamoguna is powerful the other two gunas are overpowered. Therefore the seekers have to strengthen Sattvaguna and by its power suppress the other two Gunas. That is the first thing to be done in spiritual practice. Rajas and Tamas should be eliminated and it can be done only by nourishing Sattvaguna at all times. If Sattva dominates the seeker has ascended to a very high plane, and from there, it would not be far away to rise above it in the realisation of God.", + "translation": [ + "Sattva asserts itself by prevailing over rajas and tamas, Ο Bhārata; rajas asserts itself by prevailing over sattva and tamas; and tamas asserts itself by prevailing over sattva and rajas." + ], + "commentary": [ + "It is a psychological truth that the three qualities function alternately in every individual, although each man is characterised by the predominance of one of the three qualities. When Sattvaguna functions, the other two gunas are over-powered. So also when Rajoguna functions, the other two are suppressed; when Tamoguna is powerful the other two gunas are overpowered. Therefore the seekers have to strengthen Sattvaguna and by its power suppress the other two Gunas. That is the first thing to be done in spiritual practice. Rajas and Tamas should be eliminated and it can be done only by nourishing Sattvaguna at all times. If Sattva dominates the seeker has ascended to a very high plane, and from there, it would not be far away to rise above it in the realisation of God.", + "With the prevalence of the sattvika essence, man becomes inactive and rests always in a state of deep dhyana or contemplation; with the prevalence of the rajas, he does bad as well as good works; and with the prevalence of the tamas again, he becomes inactive and inert. Now, tell me, looking from outside, how are we to understand, whether you are in a state wherein the sattva or the tamas prevails? Whether we are in a state of sattvika calmness, beyond all pleasure and pain, and past all work and activity, or whether we are in the lowest tamasika state, lifeless, passive, dull as dead matter, and doing no work, because there is no power in us to do it, and are, thus, silently and by degrees, getting rotten and corrupted within — I seriously ask you this question and demand an answer. Ask your own mind, and you shall know what the reality is.[Source]", + "Sattva binds through the search for happiness and knowledge, rajas binds through desire, tamas binds through wrong perception and laziness. Conquer the two lower by sattva, and then give up all to the Lord and be free.[Source]" + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-14-Verse-10.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b14v10/" }, @@ -115,8 +216,14 @@ "sanskrit": "सर्वद्वारेषु देहेऽस्मिन्प्रकाश उपजायते |ज्ञानं यदा तदा विद्याद्विवृद्धं सत्त्वमित्युत || 11||", "transliteration": "sarva-dvāreṣhu dehe ’smin prakāśha upajāyatejñānaṁ yadā tadā vidyād vivṛiddhaṁ sattvam ity uta", "word_by_word_meaning": "sarva—all; dvāreṣhu—through the gates; dehe—body; asmin—in this; prakāśhaḥ—illumination; upajāyate—manifest; jñānam—knowledge; yadā—when; tadā—then; vidyāt—know; vivṛiddham—predominates; sattvam—mode of goodness; iti—thus; uta—certainly;", - "translation": "When the light of knowledge shines through all the gateways of the body, then it may be known that sattva has prevailed.", - "commentary": "According to the dominant quality in man, his actions are framed. The food he eats, the words he speaks, the way he thinks or walks or acts, – all these activities clearly show what quality is predominant in him at any particular time. When Sattva dominates, his speech is soft and pleasing. He walks steadily, he thinks nobly and peacefully, he eats pure food, he reads good books, he keeps the company of the wise. This truth is declared in this verse. We can easily identify the man of Sattva-guna and in the same way we can identify the people of Rajo-guna and Tamo-guna by their activities. Sattva is light and knowledge. The intellect (Buddhi) is then sharp and clear. He sees things as they are, and is not perturbed or troubled by the happenings around him. Such balanced conduct is the quality of Sattva. In fact, the external life of a man is itself the measuring metre to find out what his nature is. With some degree of introspection and self-examination, it is quite possible for each one to find out where he stands in the scale of the Gunas. He should proceed from Tamas to Rajas and from Rajas to Sattva and from Sattva to visuddha Sattva and thence to the transcendental state of Self-realisation.", + "translation": [ + "When the light of knowledge shines through all the gateways of the body, then it may be known that sattva has prevailed." + ], + "commentary": [ + "According to the dominant quality in man, his actions are framed. The food he eats, the words he speaks, the way he thinks or walks or acts, – all these activities clearly show what quality is predominant in him at any particular time. When Sattva dominates, his speech is soft and pleasing. He walks steadily, he thinks nobly and peacefully, he eats pure food, he reads good books, he keeps the company of the wise. This truth is declared in this verse. We can easily identify the man of Sattva-guna and in the same way we can identify the people of Rajo-guna and Tamo-guna by their activities. Sattva is light and knowledge. The intellect (Buddhi) is then sharp and clear. He sees things as they are, and is not perturbed or troubled by the happenings around him. Such balanced conduct is the quality of Sattva. In fact, the external life of a man is itself the measuring metre to find out what his nature is. With some degree of introspection and self-examination, it is quite possible for each one to find out where he stands in the scale of the Gunas. He should proceed from Tamas to Rajas and from Rajas to Sattva and from Sattva to visuddha Sattva and thence to the transcendental state of Self-realisation.", + "Question:What will be the nature of man’s life when Sattva-guna dominates?", + "Answer:His senses and mind are filled with the light of knowledge and his conduct is balanced and full of peace. Whoever possesses such conduct, can be discovered as a man of Sattvic nature." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-14-Verse-11.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b14v11/" }, @@ -126,8 +233,16 @@ "sanskrit": "लोभ: प्रवृत्तिरारम्भ: कर्मणामशम: स्पृहा |रजस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे भरतर्षभ || 12||", "transliteration": "lobhaḥ pravṛittir ārambhaḥ karmaṇām aśhamaḥ spṛihārajasy etāni jāyante vivṛiddhe bharatarṣhabha", "word_by_word_meaning": "lobhaḥ—greed; pravṛittiḥ—activity; ārambhaḥ—exertion; karmaṇām—for fruitive actions; aśhamaḥ—restlessness; spṛihā—craving; rajasi—of the mode of passion; etāni—these; jāyante—develop; vivṛiddhe—when predominates; bharata-ṛiṣhabha—the best of the Bharatas, Arjun;", - "translation": "Greed, activity, enterprise, unrest, longing— these arise, Ο lord of the Bhāratas, when rajas prevails.", - "commentary": "When Rajo-guna dominates, man burdens himself with a hundred kinds of activities. The result is he is restless. Greed and longing urge him to undertake many actions for the fulfillment of his desires. These desires are sometimes selfish and prohibited by the Sastras. Longing for objects drives him into acts of evil and sin. He employs tricks and stratagems to realise his ambitions. He has no regard for truth. His mind is externalised. He has no introspection. He is like the ocean troubled by a tempest. His words are harsh and proud. He walks unsteadily because of his mental restlessness. His mind is full of desire for this and that. So he lives a life of passion, and does not know what is peace and real joy. Ravana is an example of Rajoguna. Rajo-guna, therefore, leads to evil and self-destruction. It should be overcome by perseverance and firm effort. Peace and joy cannot be found in Rajo-guna.", + "translation": [ + "Greed, activity, enterprise, unrest, longing— these arise, Ο lord of the Bhāratas, when rajas prevails." + ], + "commentary": [ + "When Rajo-guna dominates, man burdens himself with a hundred kinds of activities. The result is he is restless. Greed and longing urge him to undertake many actions for the fulfillment of his desires. These desires are sometimes selfish and prohibited by the Sastras. Longing for objects drives him into acts of evil and sin. He employs tricks and stratagems to realise his ambitions. He has no regard for truth. His mind is externalised. He has no introspection. He is like the ocean troubled by a tempest. His words are harsh and proud. He walks unsteadily because of his mental restlessness. His mind is full of desire for this and that. So he lives a life of passion, and does not know what is peace and real joy. Ravana is an example of Rajoguna. Rajo-guna, therefore, leads to evil and self-destruction. It should be overcome by perseverance and firm effort. Peace and joy cannot be found in Rajo-guna.", + "Question:What is the nature of man dominated by Rajo-guna?", + "Answer:Greed, activity, undertakings (prompted by desire and prohibited by the Sastras), restlessness, longing for worldly enjoyments are the qualities of the Rajasic man.", + "Question:Who attains peace?", + "Answer:He who has freed himself from Rajas and Tamas." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-14-Verse-12.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b14v12/" }, @@ -137,8 +252,14 @@ "sanskrit": "अप्रकाशोऽप्रवृत्तिश्च प्रमादो मोह एव च |तमस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे कुरुनन्दन || 13||", "transliteration": "aprakāśho ’pravṛittiśh cha pramādo moha eva chatamasy etāni jāyante vivṛiddhe kuru-nandana", "word_by_word_meaning": "aprakāśhaḥ—nescience; apravṛittiḥ—inertia; cha—and; pramādaḥ—negligence; mohaḥ—delusion; eva—indeed; cha—also; tamasi—mode of ignorance; etāni—these; jāyante—manifest; vivṛiddhe—when dominates; kuru-nandana—the joy of the Kurus, Arjun", - "translation": "Darkness, indolence, inadvertence, delusion— all these arise, Ο descendant of Kuru, when tamas prevails.", - "commentary": "The predominating quality of Tamas is darkness (i.e) absence of reason and true understanding. Inertness, disinclination towards activity of any kind, delusion and erroneous thoughts and opinions about things, all these arise from Tamo-guna. The man whose nature is dominated – by this guna can be discovered by what be eats, what he speaks, and by his general behaviour. The sourness of an unripe mango is a suitable comparison for Tamo-guna. Kumbhakarna is an example of Tamo-guna. It is quite possible for each individual to understand his own nature, whether it is Sattvic or Rajasic or Tamasic. It has already been pointed out that these qualities function in an endless cycle. The same man is Sattivic some times, Rajasic some times and Tamasic some times. When the Sattvic spell comes, to recognise it and confirm it in one’s nature is the way to eliminate the other two qualities gradually. Nothing can be done in a day. Perseverance will ultimately conquer all obstacles. So, the seekers have to be vigilant, and when the darker quality tries to dominate him, he should overcome it with all the strength and force of his will-power. The tree should be watered at the roots; If this is done, the unripe fruits become gradually ripe, their sourness is turned into sweetness, and they drop off from the tree of their own accord. The aim is to transcend the three Gunas and reach Atma. Devotion to the Lord, prayer meditation and good work, – all these are essential factors in Sadhana. By these, the Tamasic and Rajasic tendencies are eliminated from the mind. Sattva is purity. This state is very near to Atma, And so to come up to the plane of Sattva is the first necessary step. And later, the aspirant has to go beyond it also, and become a Jivanmukta by Self-realisation.", + "translation": [ + "Darkness, indolence, inadvertence, delusion— all these arise, Ο descendant of Kuru, when tamas prevails." + ], + "commentary": [ + "The predominating quality of Tamas is darkness (i.e) absence of reason and true understanding. Inertness, disinclination towards activity of any kind, delusion and erroneous thoughts and opinions about things, all these arise from Tamo-guna. The man whose nature is dominated – by this guna can be discovered by what be eats, what he speaks, and by his general behaviour. The sourness of an unripe mango is a suitable comparison for Tamo-guna. Kumbhakarna is an example of Tamo-guna. It is quite possible for each individual to understand his own nature, whether it is Sattvic or Rajasic or Tamasic. It has already been pointed out that these qualities function in an endless cycle. The same man is Sattivic some times, Rajasic some times and Tamasic some times. When the Sattvic spell comes, to recognise it and confirm it in one’s nature is the way to eliminate the other two qualities gradually. Nothing can be done in a day. Perseverance will ultimately conquer all obstacles. So, the seekers have to be vigilant, and when the darker quality tries to dominate him, he should overcome it with all the strength and force of his will-power. The tree should be watered at the roots; If this is done, the unripe fruits become gradually ripe, their sourness is turned into sweetness, and they drop off from the tree of their own accord. The aim is to transcend the three Gunas and reach Atma. Devotion to the Lord, prayer meditation and good work, – all these are essential factors in Sadhana. By these, the Tamasic and Rajasic tendencies are eliminated from the mind. Sattva is purity. This state is very near to Atma, And so to come up to the plane of Sattva is the first necessary step. And later, the aspirant has to go beyond it also, and become a Jivanmukta by Self-realisation.", + "Question:What is the nature of Tamo-guna?", + "Answer:(1) Darkness (want of reason), (2) inertness, (3) heedlessness, (4) delusion, are the marks of the Tamasic man." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-14-Verse-13.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b14v13/" }, @@ -148,8 +269,17 @@ "sanskrit": "यदा सत्त्वे प्रवृद्धे तु प्रलयं याति देहभृत् |तदोत्तमविदां लोकानमलान्प्रतिपद्यते || 14||", "transliteration": "yadā sattve pravṛiddhe tu pralayaṁ yāti deha-bhṛittadottama-vidāṁ lokān amalān pratipadyate", "word_by_word_meaning": "yadā—when; sattve—in the mode of goodness; pravṛiddhe—when premodinates; tu—indeed; pralayam—death; yāti—reach; deha-bhṛit—the embodied; tadā—then; uttama-vidām—of the learned; lokān—abodes; amalān—pure; pratipadyate—attains;", - "translation": "If the embodied soul meets with death when sattva prevails, it goes to the spotless realms of those who know the Highest.", - "commentary": "It is declared that the future birth of man is determined by the Guna that dominates in him at the time of death. If Sattva-guna predominates, then the Jiva attains the pure worlds which the wise go to. Sattva-guna is the effect of long practice in self-perfection. Tamas and Rajas have to be eliminated by Nishkama Karma, by devotion and by studious understanding of the Truth. If a man cultivates Sattva-guna through a long life-time of steady practice, then, even at the time of death, his mind remains pure, calm, and full of peace. Leaving the body in that state is good, because it takes him to higher worlds of purity and knowledge. So the seekers have to be vigilant and cautious and observe how they are progressing on the path of self-purification. They should remember that their future life in other worlds will be strictly determined by their state of mind in this life. They should refrain from any evil and sinful acts because they are caused by impure Rajas and Tamas. Otherwise, they shall have to suffer in low worlds of a painful nature.", + "translation": [ + "If the embodied soul meets with death when sattva prevails, it goes to the spotless realms of those who know the Highest." + ], + "commentary": [ + "It is declared that the future birth of man is determined by the Guna that dominates in him at the time of death. If Sattva-guna predominates, then the Jiva attains the pure worlds which the wise go to. Sattva-guna is the effect of long practice in self-perfection. Tamas and Rajas have to be eliminated by Nishkama Karma, by devotion and by studious understanding of the Truth. If a man cultivates Sattva-guna through a long life-time of steady practice, then, even at the time of death, his mind remains pure, calm, and full of peace. Leaving the body in that state is good, because it takes him to higher worlds of purity and knowledge. So the seekers have to be vigilant and cautious and observe how they are progressing on the path of self-purification. They should remember that their future life in other worlds will be strictly determined by their state of mind in this life. They should refrain from any evil and sinful acts because they are caused by impure Rajas and Tamas. Otherwise, they shall have to suffer in low worlds of a painful nature.", + "Dehabhrit:(The embodied being, man.) This word is significant because it shows that man holds the body. The house is different from the tenant who lives in it. The tenant is not the house itself. He uses the house. So also, the Jiva is placed in the house of the body, but he is not the body. He changes the body by death, even as a tenant leaves one house and goes to dwell in another one.", + "The man who wears a particular dress or ornament is different from the dress and ornament that he wears. By keen intellectual perception, this truth becomes clear to man. When the body identification (dehatmabuddhi) is given up. man naturally discovers that he is the untainted, pure and perfect Atma.", + "Uttamavidam lokan:The man of Sattva-guna attains the pure worlds of the wise. But that is not the end. He has to reach the birthless and deathless state of Paramatma.", + "Question:Where does he go who dies with Sativa-guna predominating at the time of death?", + "Answer:He goes to the spotless worlds attained by the knowers of the Highest." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-14-Verse-14.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b14v14/" }, @@ -159,8 +289,17 @@ "sanskrit": "रजसि प्रलयं गत्वा कर्मसङ्गिषु जायते |तथा प्रलीनस्तमसि मूढयोनिषु जायते || 15||", "transliteration": "rajasi pralayaṁ gatvā karma-saṅgiṣhu jāyatetathā pralīnas tamasi mūḍha-yoniṣhu jāyate", "word_by_word_meaning": "rajasi—in the mode of passion; pralayam—death; gatvā—attaining; karma-saṅgiṣhu—among people driven by work; jāyate—are born; tathā—likewise; pralīnaḥ—dying; tamasi—in the mode of ignorance; mūḍha-yoniṣhu—in the animal kingdom; jāyate—takes birth", - "translation": "If the embodied soul meets with death when rajas prevails, it is born among those who are attached to action; and if it meets with death when tamas prevails, it is born in the wombs of creatures devoid of reason.", - "commentary": "The man of Rajo-guna is born among men attached to action. So he acts continuously, binds himself by such desireful actions and is reborn in the same state. Thus continuously, birth after birth, urged by his own selfish desires and passions, he leads a restless and agitated life. He is bound to the wheel of karma.", + "translation": [ + "If the embodied soul meets with death when rajas prevails, it is born among those who are attached to action; and if it meets with death when tamas prevails, it is born in the wombs of creatures devoid of reason." + ], + "commentary": [ + "The man of Rajo-guna is born among men attached to action. So he acts continuously, binds himself by such desireful actions and is reborn in the same state. Thus continuously, birth after birth, urged by his own selfish desires and passions, he leads a restless and agitated life. He is bound to the wheel of karma.", + "The Tamasic man is born in the wombs of the senseless birds, beasts and reptiles and so on. What horrible punishment it is to be born as a wolf or a jackal or a snake etc.? What rational man is there who does not shudder at this horrible prospect of his future life? Is there any man who would willingly be born in the wombs of the wretched and the ignorant? No. Every man wants to go up, and not fall down. Human nature aspires for higher and higher things. So let the aspirants beware of the horrible consequences of their future life. If they fail to heed the warnings of the Lord, Sri Krishna Paramatma they have to suffer. The Lord is revealing the future in the present. Having eyes one should see. Having ears one should hear. Having reason, one should understand. Devotion, dispassion, and knowledge (Bhakti, Vairagya and Jnana), one needs to save himself from future misery and wretchedness.", + "Question:Where is the Rajasic man born after death?", + "Answer:Among men attached to action.", + "Question:Where is the Tamasic man born after death?", + "Answer:In the wombs of the senseless animals, birds reptiles, and so on." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-14-Verse-15.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b14v15/" }, @@ -170,8 +309,23 @@ "sanskrit": "कर्मण: सुकृतस्याहु: सात्त्विकं निर्मलं फलम् |रजसस्तु फलं दु:खमज्ञानं तमस: फलम् || 16||", "transliteration": "karmaṇaḥ sukṛitasyāhuḥ sāttvikaṁ nirmalaṁ phalamrajasas tu phalaṁ duḥkham ajñānaṁ tamasaḥ phalam", "word_by_word_meaning": "karmaṇaḥ—of action; su-kṛitasya—pure; āhuḥ—is said; sāttvikam—mode of goodness; nirmalam—pure; phalam—result; rajasaḥ—mode of passion; tu—indeed; phalam—result; duḥkham—pain; ajñānam—ignorance; tamasaḥ—mode of ignorance; phalam—result", - "translation": "The fruit of a good action is said to be good and clean; the fruit of rajas is pain; and the fruit of tamas is ignorance.", - "commentary": "Every man wants happiness and not suffering. But he should do only those actions from which peace and joy arise. His actions should be pure, beneficent, and selfless. Then he enjoys peace and joy which is the fruit of Sattva-guna. Suffering and ignorance arise from Rajo-guna and Tamo-guna. So the wise man should avoid all actions of a Rajasic nature, because they verily produce suffering. Knowing this, no thoughtful man would willingly do wrong things in anger and passion. Knowing that fire burns, who would thrust his hand into it? No one. So also, one should clearly perceive that the terrible effects of Rajas – Kama and Krodha (Rajo guna samudbhavah) are very dangerous. Through them, man is passing through hell even in this world. He suffers from pain, restlessness, horrid dreams, fears, deluding hopes, disappointments, despair, desperation and despondency. Such is Rajo-guna.", + "translation": [ + "The fruit of a good action is said to be good and clean; the fruit of rajas is pain; and the fruit of tamas is ignorance." + ], + "commentary": [ + "Every man wants happiness and not suffering. But he should do only those actions from which peace and joy arise. His actions should be pure, beneficent, and selfless. Then he enjoys peace and joy which is the fruit of Sattva-guna. Suffering and ignorance arise from Rajo-guna and Tamo-guna. So the wise man should avoid all actions of a Rajasic nature, because they verily produce suffering. Knowing this, no thoughtful man would willingly do wrong things in anger and passion. Knowing that fire burns, who would thrust his hand into it? No one. So also, one should clearly perceive that the terrible effects of Rajas – Kama and Krodha (Rajo guna samudbhavah) are very dangerous. Through them, man is passing through hell even in this world. He suffers from pain, restlessness, horrid dreams, fears, deluding hopes, disappointments, despair, desperation and despondency. Such is Rajo-guna.", + "And now when we come to Tamoguna, it is all darkness and ignorance. Under its power man lives like an animal. He eats, sleeps, and copulates. He has no idea of anything pure and holy. He lives an animal life. Nay, he is worse than animals. Being born as man and yet live the life of animals is against one’s own humanity. The human form then counts for nothing. The saint and the sinner are both clad in the human garb. But there is the difference of pole to pole between the two. Tamas is the enemy of most men. It should be overcome in every way possible.", + "Rajasastu phalam duhkham:Let this declaration of the Lord be kept in view by every seeker, whatever he thinks and acts. If one wants peace and joy, Rajas should be given up. There is no other way.", + "Ajnanam tamasah phalam:Ignorance is the seed-bed of all other evils. Rajas arises from Tamas. Knowledge removes both Tamas and Rajas. Knowledge pure and perfect! That should be our goal. Tamas should be given up as enemy number one for all mankind.", + "Question:What is the fruit of Sattvic work?", + "Answer:Pure joy.", + "Question:What is the fruit of Rajas?", + "Answer:Suffering.", + "Question:What is the fruit of Tamas?", + "Answer:Ignorance (Ajnana).", + "Question:What then is the way to peace and joy?", + "Answer:Man should avoid Tamasic and Rajasic actions and take refuge in pure Sattva." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-14-Verse-16.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b14v16/" }, @@ -181,8 +335,19 @@ "sanskrit": "सत्त्वात्सञ्जायते ज्ञानं रजसो लोभ एव च |प्रमादमोहौ तमसो भवतोऽज्ञानमेव च || 17||", "transliteration": "sattvāt sañjāyate jñānaṁ rajaso lobha eva chapramāda-mohau tamaso bhavato ’jñānam eva cha", "word_by_word_meaning": "sattvāt—from the mode of goodness; sañjāyate—arises; jñānam—knowledge; rajasaḥ—from the mode of passion; lobhaḥ—greed; eva—indeed; cha—and; pramāda—negligence; mohau—delusion; tamasaḥ—from the mode of ignorance; bhavataḥ—arise; ajñānam—ignorance; eva—indeed; cha—and", - "translation": "From sattva springs knowledge, and from rajas, greed; from tamas spring inadvertence, delusion, and ignorance.", - "commentary": "The Lord is an expert in methods of instruction. He wants to impress on the mind of the disciple, the effects of the three Gunas. And for this purpose he repeats the same ideas in different ways. A good teacher, when he is instructing children, follow the same method. When these ideas are fundamental truths, they should be repeated and re-asserted, so that they sink into the mind of the hearers. So Lord Krishna is re-declaring the same law again and again for the better understanding of his beloved disciples.", + "translation": [ + "From sattva springs knowledge, and from rajas, greed; from tamas spring inadvertence, delusion, and ignorance." + ], + "commentary": [ + "The Lord is an expert in methods of instruction. He wants to impress on the mind of the disciple, the effects of the three Gunas. And for this purpose he repeats the same ideas in different ways. A good teacher, when he is instructing children, follow the same method. When these ideas are fundamental truths, they should be repeated and re-asserted, so that they sink into the mind of the hearers. So Lord Krishna is re-declaring the same law again and again for the better understanding of his beloved disciples.", + "Ajnanam eva ca:Ignorance itself arises from Tamas And Ajnana verily is the cause of bondage and samsara. The lovers of freedom and knowledge should wage eternal war with that demon till victory is achieved.", + "Question:What arises from Sattva-guna?", + "Answer:Knowledge.", + "Question:What arises from Rajo-guna?", + "Answer:Greed.", + "Question:What arises from Tamo-guna?", + "Answer:Heedlessness, forgetfulness, delusion and ignorance itself arise from Tamas." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-14-Verse-17.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b14v17/" }, @@ -192,8 +357,18 @@ "sanskrit": "ऊर्ध्वं गच्छन्ति सत्त्वस्था मध्ये तिष्ठन्ति राजसा: |जघन्यगुणवृत्तिस्था अधो गच्छन्ति तामसा: || 18||", "transliteration": "ūrdhvaṁ gachchhanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣhṭhanti rājasāḥjaghanya-guṇa-vṛitti-sthā adho gachchhanti tāmasāḥ", "word_by_word_meaning": "ūrdhvam—upward; gachchhanti—rise; sattva-sthāḥ—those situated in the mode of goodness; madhye—in the middle; tiṣhṭhanti—stay; rājasāḥ—those in the mode of passion; jaghanya—abominable; guṇa—quality; vṛitti-sthāḥ—engaged in activities; adhaḥ—down; gachchhanti—go; tāmasāḥ—those in the mode of ignorance", - "translation": "Those who are established in sattva go upward; those who are moved by rajas remain in the middle; and those who are steeped in tamas, being weighted by the tendencies of the lowest guna, go downward.", - "commentary": "Sattva-guna takes man to the higher worlds, and Rajo-guna to the middle worlds, and Tamo-guna plunges man into the lower worlds. So it is the duty of man to take refuge in Sattva and ascend to the purer worlds of light and knowledge.", + "translation": [ + "Those who are established in sattva go upward; those who are moved by rajas remain in the middle; and those who are steeped in tamas, being weighted by the tendencies of the lowest guna, go downward." + ], + "commentary": [ + "Sattva-guna takes man to the higher worlds, and Rajo-guna to the middle worlds, and Tamo-guna plunges man into the lower worlds. So it is the duty of man to take refuge in Sattva and ascend to the purer worlds of light and knowledge.", + "Question:After death where do the Sattvic people go?", + "Answer:To the higher worlds of light and knowledge.", + "Question:Where do the Rajasic stay?", + "Answer:They dwell in the middle world (of men).", + "Question:Where do the Tamasic go?", + "Answer:To the lower worlds." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-14-Verse-18.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b14v18/" }, @@ -203,8 +378,28 @@ "sanskrit": "नान्यं गुणेभ्य: कर्तारं यदा द्रष्टानुपश्यति |गुणेभ्यश्च परं वेत्ति मद्भावं सोऽधिगच्छति || 19||", "transliteration": "nānyaṁ guṇebhyaḥ kartāraṁ yadā draṣhṭānupaśhyatiguṇebhyaśh cha paraṁ vetti mad-bhāvaṁ so ’dhigachchhati", "word_by_word_meaning": "na—no; anyam—other; guṇebhyaḥ—of the guṇas; kartāram—agents of action; yadā—when; draṣhṭā—the seer; anupaśhyati—see; guṇebhyaḥ—to the modes of nature; cha—and; param—transcendental; vetti—know; mad-bhāvam—my divine nature; saḥ—they; adhigachchhati—attain", - "translation": "When a man of insight beholds no agent other than the gunas, and also knows Him who is beyond the gunas, he attains My being.", - "commentary": "This verse and the next are very important. The seekers who are enquiring into Truth should understand the idea and keep it always in their mind. It is the direct path to Brahma jnana (Moksha), liberation from the bondage of samsara. Whatever actions are performed by man, the agent invariably, is the Gunas (i.e), the mind which is composed of the three Gunas. Except the three Gunas there is no other thing as the mind. The mind through the agency of the senses and the body, causes all actions. The senses and the body, are instruments. The mind is the directing agent. What is bound is the mind; and what attains liberation is the mind. There is no other agent or enjoyer. Atma is distinct from this mind.", + "translation": [ + "When a man of insight beholds no agent other than the gunas, and also knows Him who is beyond the gunas, he attains My being." + ], + "commentary": [ + "This verse and the next are very important. The seekers who are enquiring into Truth should understand the idea and keep it always in their mind. It is the direct path to Brahma jnana (Moksha), liberation from the bondage of samsara. Whatever actions are performed by man, the agent invariably, is the Gunas (i.e), the mind which is composed of the three Gunas. Except the three Gunas there is no other thing as the mind. The mind through the agency of the senses and the body, causes all actions. The senses and the body, are instruments. The mind is the directing agent. What is bound is the mind; and what attains liberation is the mind. There is no other agent or enjoyer. Atma is distinct from this mind.", + "Therefore, the seeker has to understand that he is entirely distinct and separate from the three Gunas, that he is Atma, and hence that he is not at all the agent (karta) or enjoyer (bhokta). When this distinction is clearly seen, man remains as the seer (Drik). He realises Atma. So the first step towards liberation is to know that the real man is the seer (neither Karta nor Bhokta). O Jiva! do not get mixed up with the three Gunas, which constitute the mind; keep aloof from them; see what they do; but never get confused with them; they are not you; you are distinct from and separate from them. You are in truth, Atma. This is Lord’s compassionate teaching.", + "In the spectacular drama of the universe, the real actor is the mind, the three gunas. And the Atma, like the lighting in the theatre, is shedding its light on all, while remaining unattached to anything that is taking place on the stage. He is like the screen of the theatre on which the picture is projected. The picture is constantly changing and displaying various colours, characters and actions. The screen is not affected by the picture, whether it is a tragedy or a farce or anything else. Even so, the Atma stands really unattached and unaffected by the wailings and laughters of the mind, by the functions of the senses, and by the activities of the body. This is the highest Truth. All that is considered happiness or sorrow is only the modifications of the three gunas. Out of delusion, the Jiva identifies himself with the gunas, and attributes to himself what is Deha dharma and Mano-dharma. He says, ‘I am born; I am sick or healthy; I die; I am old or young;’ Thus he is clearly identifying himself with the body. He says again, “I am happy; I am sad; 1 am angry; I am calm; I am dull or I am bright.” Thus he is identifying himself with the mind and its changes. That is bondage. This idea of false identification is what is called ‘avidya’. The moment when the falsehood is found out, that very moment the Jiva knows that he is Atma, and there is no more a ‘Karta’ or a ‘Bhokta’ to be bound to the world. All bondage is shattered at one stroke.", + "Madbhavam so adhigacchati:Knowing that the gunas are the cause of all actions and knowing that he is the ‘drashta’ the Jiva becomes Siva, the nara (man) becomes Narayana, the Jana (man) becomes Janardana. So from this very moment onwards, the seeker should give up all foolish notions that he is this or that, and firmly fix himself in the state of Paramatma, beyond all the modifications of the body and the mind.", + "Adhi gacchati:The Lord declares that man attains God by this discrimination. Let the aspirants have faith in the Lord’s words, drive away all weakness and cowardice and attain the highest.", + "Anupasyati:The Lord uses this term to suggest that one should see clearly and doubtlessly that he is not the Karta (the doer).", + "The truth is that man is really free from all the actions of the body and the mind. They are all caused by Prakriti, the mind composed of the three gunas. But there is a danger here. Anyone, even a vile sinner, can claim guiltlessness or freedom from his criminal acts on the ground that he does not commit anything as he is only a ‘sakshi’ (witness). They do foul and filthy things in the name of religion and philosophy. Such imposters and pretenders suffer the fate that awaits them. Let it be known once and for all that the man of Self-ralisation can never indulge in any of the mean and wretched, foul and filthy things, pertaining to the flesh. He is pure like the Sun, pure like Ganges, pure like the purest that the human mind can conceive of. This purity in word, thought and deed is the hall-mark of the real Sadhu. He cannot cheat or hate anyone; he cannot be tempted by the attractions of the flesh; he cannot utter lies, he cannot injure others; he cannot be selfish in anything whatsoever. He is serene, calm, knowing, full of bliss, kind and compassionate, and his perfection is recognised by the wise, even as the bees recognise the honeyed flowers.", + "“I said to Keshab further:‘You should accept the Divine Mother, the Primal Energy. Brahman is not different from Its Sakti. What is Brahman is also Sakti. As long as a man remains conscious of the body, he is conscious of duality. It is only when a man tries to describe what he sees that he finds duality.’Keshab later on recognized Kali. (BG 7.14)", + "“One day when Keshab was here with his disciples, I said to him that I would like to hear him preach. He delivered a lecture in the chandni. Then we all sat by the bathing-ghat and had a long conversation. I said to him;‘It is Bhagavan alone who in one form appears as bhakta, and in another as the Bhagavata. Please repeat “Bhagavata — Bhakta — Bhagavan”.’ Keshab and his disciples repeated the words. Then I asked him to repeat ‘Guru — Krishna — Vaishnava’.Thereupon Keshab said: ‘Sir, I should not go so far now. People will say that I have become an orthodox Hindu.’", + "“It is extremely difficult to go beyond the three gunas. One cannot reach that state without having realised God. Man dwells in the realm of maya. Maya does not permit him to see God. It has made him a victim of ignorance.", + "“Once Hriday brought a bull-calf here. I saw, one day, that he had tied it with a rope in the garden, so that it might graze there. I asked him, ‘Hriday, why do you tie the calf there every day?’ ‘Uncle,’ he said, ‘I am going to send this calf to our village. When it grows strong I shall yoke it to the plough.’ As soon as I heard these words I was stunned to think: ‘How inscrutable is the play of the divine maya! Kamarpukur and Sihore (Hriday’s birth-place.) are so far away from Calcutta! This poor calf must go all that way. Then it will grow, and at length it will be yoked to the plough. This is indeed the world! This is indeed maya!’ I fell down unconscious. Only after a long time did I regain consciousness.” (Source:Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna)", + "Question:What is the real cause of all the actions that man does?", + "Answer:The three Gunas (the mind composed of the Gunas).", + "Question:What is the real nature of man?", + "Answer: As soon as man knows that the three Gunas are the cause of all actions, and that he is the Sakshi (witness) he attains Paramatma. He is liberated. He is a Jivanmukta.", + "Question:From this, what is the way to self-realisation, Moksha?", + "Answer:“The three Gunas are the real doers of all actions; I am different from them; I am Atma.” – This clear knowledge is the way to Moksha." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-14-Verse-19.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b14v19/" }, @@ -214,8 +409,24 @@ "sanskrit": "गुणानेतानतीत्य त्रीन्देही देहसमुद्भवान् |जन्ममृत्युजरादु:खैर्विमुक्तोऽमृतमश्रुते || 20||", "transliteration": "guṇān etān atītya trīn dehī deha-samudbhavānjanma-mṛityu-jarā-duḥkhair vimukto ’mṛitam aśhnute", "word_by_word_meaning": "guṇān—the three modes of material nature; etān—these; atītya—transcending; trīn—three; dehī—the embodied; deha—body; samudbhavān—produced of; janma—birth; mṛityu—death; jarā—old age; duḥkhaiḥ—misery; vimuktaḥ—free from; amṛitam—immortality; aśhnute—attains", - "translation": "When the embodied soul has risen above the three gunas of which its body is made, it gains deliverance from birth, death, old age, and pain and becomes immortal.", - "commentary": "Gunan:Sattva is included here, because it is also one of the Gunas. As it is pure and transparent, it allows us to perceive Atma through the thin veil. But even Sattva has to go, before man attains the Atmic state, which is above the functions of the mind and ‘Buddhi’.", + "translation": [ + "When the embodied soul has risen above the three gunas of which its body is made, it gains deliverance from birth, death, old age, and pain and becomes immortal." + ], + "commentary": [ + "Gunan:Sattva is included here, because it is also one of the Gunas. As it is pure and transparent, it allows us to perceive Atma through the thin veil. But even Sattva has to go, before man attains the Atmic state, which is above the functions of the mind and ‘Buddhi’.", + "Why are these Gunas, man’s enemies? They cause birth, and so they are enemies. They cause samsara, and man cannot free himself from bondage on account of them. If one body drops, another comes, and this goes one endlessly. Many millions of births have already come and gone from these Gunas as the seed. Many more will come unless the seed and the tree are totally destroyed by Jnana.", + "But what is the harm if birth comes to a person? There is the greatest danger. With birth comes death also. Who loves death? No one. With the body comes old age and disease. Who likes old age and disease? No one. With the body comes different kinds of sorrow. Who wants sorrow? No one. No man likes death, disease, old age and sorrow. And yet, with the birth of the body, all these evils come inevitably. When there is no body, these evils are not there. So to be perfectly free, man has to give up the attachment to the body. There is no other way. So, the aspirant is here taught, the way to attain the deathless and therefore birthless state of Paramatma. It is immortality (amritam).", + "Vimuktah:Freedom from the three Gunas should be complete and perfect. Hence the more emphatic form is used.", + "Question:By what is the body caused?", + "Answer:By the three Gunas.", + "Question:How can man attain Immortality?", + "Answer:By transcending the three Gunas.", + "Question:What is the harm of the birth of the body?", + "Answer:Old age, death, disease, pain suffering and sorrow are all caused by the birth of the body. So the aspirant should strive for Immortality by attaining the Atmic state.", + "Question:What is Moksha?", + "Answer:It is free from birth and death.", + "" + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-14-Verse-20.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b14v20/" }, @@ -225,8 +436,18 @@ "sanskrit": "अर्जुन उवाच |कैर्लिङ्गैस्त्रीन्गुणानेतानतीतो भवति प्रभो |किमाचार: कथं चैतांस्त्रीन्गुणानतिवर्तते || 21||", "transliteration": "arjuna uvāchakair liṅgais trīn guṇān etān atīto bhavati prabhokim āchāraḥ kathaṁ chaitāns trīn guṇān ativartate", "word_by_word_meaning": "arjunaḥ uvācha—Arjun inquired; kaiḥ—by what; liṅgaiḥ—symptoms; trīn—three; guṇān—modes of material nature; etān—these; atītaḥ—having transcended; bhavati—is; prabho—Lord; kim—what; āchāraḥ—conduct; katham—how; cha—and; etān—these; trīn—three; guṇān—modes of material nature; ativartate—transcend", - "translation": "Arjuna said: What are the marks, Ο Lord, of the man who has risen above the three gunas? What is his conduct? And how does he rise above the gunas?", - "commentary": "Arjuna naturally wished to know the qualities and conduct of the man who has transcended the Gunas. In the2nd Discoursealso, Arjuna wanted to know the manner and conduct of the Sthitaprajna, and the Lord gave an elaborate discription of the state of the Sthitaprajna. Here also, once again, Arjuna desired to know the character and conduct of the sage who has once ag gone beyond the three Gunas.", + "translation": [ + "Arjuna said: What are the marks, Ο Lord, of the man who has risen above the three gunas? What is his conduct? And how does he rise above the gunas?" + ], + "commentary": [ + "Arjuna naturally wished to know the qualities and conduct of the man who has transcended the Gunas. In the2nd Discoursealso, Arjuna wanted to know the manner and conduct of the Sthitaprajna, and the Lord gave an elaborate discription of the state of the Sthitaprajna. Here also, once again, Arjuna desired to know the character and conduct of the sage who has once ag gone beyond the three Gunas.", + "Kairlingaih:By what marks can he be distinguished from others? This is a necessary question. For, one comes across quite a good number of imposters and pretenders who are filled with all objective desires, attachments and tendencies any yet who claim to be free and perfect. Such spurious sages and prophets cannot betray the world anymore when we can test their conduct by the Lord’s measuring scale. Further, if the conduct of the real sage is clearly known, the aspirants may strive to follow their example in their own personal conduct and model their life accordingly. Arjuna desires to know the actual way of life followed by the sage who has transcended the three gunas. The description of the Sthitaprajna (Chp.12), of the Jnani (Chp.13), and now of the Gunatita, these are vivid pictures of the conduct of the great sages, bhaktas and Jnanis. By comparison and contrast, one may know where he stands in the scale of spiritual values. The real Sadhu is distinguished from the imposter. Dry philosophy is separated from direct experience. The false atmosphere of spirituality spread over the country shall be dispelled, and true devotion and Jnana shall reign supreme in the hearts of all men.", + "Kim acharah:A similar question was asked by Arjuna in thesecond chapterabout Sthithaprajna (Kim asita vrajeta kim. Chp. 2). Conduct, practical life is the essence of all religion and philosophy. The Gita particularly insists on practical life according to the highest Truth. This is very essential, for there is the delusion that mere reading of a few religious books is all that is needed to become a Jnani. Such false notions have left people mere theoreticians, who quail and fail by the least crisis of loss and bereavement. While asserting that Atma is deathless, people tremble at the thought of death. While asserting that the world is an illusion, people desperately cling to all their positions and possessions. This is not practical religion. In fact, religion is intended to lift man out of all the fearful delusions of life. When this is not realised, religion remains as mere talk and nothing more. That is why the Gita wants to test man’s wisdom or devotion by practical conduct in everyday life.", + "Moreover, while it is necessary to know the goal clearly, it is even more necessary to know the path leading to the goal with perfect clearness. When once the goal is fixed, all that is needed is practice (sadhana). When the place to reach is decided the next thing is to know the way leading to it. There is no use in thinking of the destination always without starting on the journey. When the journey begins and continues the destination is reached automatically. When the Sadhana is sincere and truthful, the Sadhya is realised of its own accord. So the Gita lays more emphasis on Sadhana than Sadhya. The supreme goal is stated briefly, and the path leading to it elaborately. This is the special distinction of the Lord’s teaching.", + "The Lord’s answer to Arjuna’s question is one of the most illuminating parts of the Gita. Those who aspire for liberation should study, understand and practice this aspect of the Gita message.", + "Question:What did Arjuna want to know from the Lord?", + "Answer:1. The marks of the Gunatita, and 2. his conduct." + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-14-Verse-21.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b14v21/" }, @@ -236,8 +457,39 @@ "sanskrit": "श्रीभगवानुवाच |प्रकाशं च प्रवृत्तिं च मोहमेव च पाण्डव |न द्वेष्टि सम्प्रवृत्तानि न निवृत्तानि काङ् क्षति || 22||उदासीनवदासीनो गुणैर्यो न विचाल्यते |गुणा वर्तन्त इत्येवं योऽवतिष्ठति नेङ्गते || 23||समदु:खसुख: स्वस्थ: समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चन: |तुल्यप्रियाप्रियो धीरस्तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुति: || 24||मानापमानयोस्तुल्यस्तुल्यो मित्रारिपक्षयो: |सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी गुणातीत: स उच्यते || 25||", "transliteration": "śhrī-bhagavān uvāchaprakāśhaṁ cha pravṛittiṁ cha moham eva cha pāṇḍavana dveṣhṭi sampravṛittāni na nivṛittāni kāṅkṣhatiudāsīna-vad āsīno guṇair yo na vichālyateguṇā vartanta ity evaṁ yo ’vatiṣhṭhati neṅgatesama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ sva-sthaḥ sama-loṣhṭāśhma-kāñchanaḥtulya-priyāpriyo dhīras tulya-nindātma-sanstutiḥmānāpamānayos tulyas tulyo mitrāri-pakṣhayoḥsarvārambha-parityāgī guṇātītaḥ sa uchyate", "word_by_word_meaning": "śhrī-bhagavān uvācha—the Supreme Divine Personality said; prakāśham—illumination; cha—and; pravṛittim—activity; cha—and; moham—delusion; eva—even; cha—and; pāṇḍava—Arjun, the son of Pandu; na dveṣhṭi—do not hate; sampravṛittāni—when present; na—nor; nivṛittāni—when absent; kāṅkṣhati—longs; udāsīna-vat—neutral; āsīnaḥ—situated; guṇaiḥ—to the modes of material nature; yaḥ—who; na—not; vichālyate—are disturbed; guṇāḥ—modes of material nature; vartante—act; iti-evam—knowing it in this way; yaḥ—who; avatiṣhṭhati—established in the self; na—not; iṅgate—wavering; sama—alike; duḥkha—distress; sukhaḥ—happiness; sva-sthaḥ—established in the self; sama—equally; loṣhṭa—a clod; aśhma—stone; kāñchanaḥ—gold; tulya—of equal value; priya—pleasant; apriyaḥ—unpleasant; dhīraḥ—steady; tulya—the same; nindā—blame; ātma-sanstutiḥ—praise; māna—honor; apamānayoḥ—dishonor; tulyaḥ—equal; tulyaḥ—equal; mitra—friend; ari—foe; pakṣhayoḥ—to the parties; sarva—all; ārambha—enterprises; parityāgī—renouncer; guṇa-atītaḥ—risen above the three modes of material nature; saḥ—they; uchyate—are said to have", - "translation": "The blessed Lord said: O Arjuna! He (the Gunatita) does not hate when the three Gunas bring happiness (from Sattva), action (from Rajo-guna), and delusion (from Tamo-guna): nor does he long for them when they are absent.", - "commentary": "He sits like one unconcerned, unaffected by the Gunas, knowing that the Gunas are functioning, and is not moved.", + "translation": [ + "The blessed Lord said: O Arjuna! He (the Gunatita) does not hate when the three Gunas bring happiness (from Sattva), action (from Rajo-guna), and delusion (from Tamo-guna): nor does he long for them when they are absent.", + "He sits like one unconcerned, unaffected by the Gunas, knowing that the Gunas are functioning, and is not moved.", + "He is equal-minded in joy and sorrow, established in Self; regards a clod, a stone, and gold alike; the same in pleasant and unpleasant things; heroic, equal in censure and praise.", + "He is the same in honour and dishonour; the same towards friends and enemies; abadons all actions; he is said to be Gunatita." + ], + "commentary": [ + "In the 22nd verse, it is declared that the Gunatita is indifferent to the functioning of three qualities. Sattva may bring happiness; Rajas may bring action; Tamas may cause delusion. When these effects are produced, he does not hate them. Nor does he long for them, when they are absent. In other words, he is indifferent whether the Gunas are existing or not. They may function or they may cease to function; he is not at all concerned. He does not hate them when they function, nor does he long for them when they cease to function.", + "The effects of the three Gunas are mentioned here to lend force to the idea that the Gunatita is above the Gunas, and so their functioning or non-functioning is no concern for him. We have to understand that the Gunatita would not be subject to the power of the Gunas like the common people. Otherwise, he would not be a Gunatita. The point is that one should be regardless of these qualities, and their functions, having established himself in the Self. Whether it is the knowledge of Sattva, or the activity of Rajas, or the delusion of Tamas, he (the Gunatita) neither hates nor longs for them. He has nothing to do with them at all.", + "The permanent characters of the Gunatita strike our attention. 1. Immovable firmness (Nischalatvam), 2. Equal-mindedness (samatvam).", + "(1) The difference between the Yogi and the common man is seen in critical moments. Small things perturb the common man. Little disappointments, worries, anxieties, throw him off the balance. He becomes restless, discontented, and dispirited by any kind of adversity. The Gunatita is exactly the opposite type. He is imperturbable, undaunted by anything that may happen. The waves may dash against the mountain endlessly, but the mountain remains immovable. So, difficulties and dangers may come to the Gunatita but he remains immovable. Is the sun in any way troubled by the storms and tempests, the thunders and lightning that occur under him? So is the Gunatita. He is above these storms and tempests, resting firmly in Atma. He does not move away from Atma. He knows full well that whatever happens in the world is only a mental phenomenon with which he has no contact whatsoever. Such a man is the very embodiment of courage and boldness. It is not the bravado of the ordinary mortals, but the courage that comes from Brahma Jnana. This is the first and the greatest mark of the Gunatita. The Gunatita is in this sense a Sthithaprajna.", + "(2). Equal-mindedness is the next distinguishing quality of the Gunatita. Towards friends and enemies, in pleasure and pain, honour and dishonour, censure and praise, toward worthless and valuable things like stone or gold, he is equal-minded. Suka, when he visited the Court of Janaka, was put to severe test by the latter. He was made to stay without food for some days, he was not even recognised for some days, he was provided the highest luxuries for some days, – in these ways, his equanimity was tested by the King. Suka stood the test, because he was a perfect Jnani, a Gunatita. Such great sages have their life and being in Atma and so they do not recognise the objective world and react to it in the way that common people do. To them, the objective world and all that is occurring in it, is merely a grand show without any reality in it. They are only reflected images of the mind. The pairs of opposites can touch the mind, but they cannot touch Atma, which is beyond Buddhi (Yo buddheh paratastu sah).", + "Sarvarambhaparityagi:It would be appropriate to interpret this as a person who has given up the sense of doership in all undertakings, a person who has given up all desire-prompted actions. (Kamya Karma) or a person who is in constant absorption in the Self, and so does not act in any way.", + "Yah:The state of Gunatita can be achieved by anyone who possesses the above-mentioned qualities. There is no bar for any earnest soul to attain this state by the accident of birth or wealth or position. In fact, the aim of the Gunatita is to transcend all distinctions caused by Prakriti. Such a man who has gone beyond the three Gunas is the Gunatita.", + "MASTER (to the devotees):“Why shouldn’t one be able to attain spirituality, living the life of a householder? But it is extremely difficult. Sages like Janaka entered the world after attaining Knowledge. But still the world is a place of terror. Even a detached householder has to be careful. Once Janaka bent down his head at the sight of a bhairavi. He shrank from seeing a woman. The bhairavi said to him: ‘Janaka, I see you have not yet attained Knowledge. You still differentiate between man and woman.’“If you move about in a room filled with soot, you will soil your body, however slightly, no matter how clever you may be. I have seen householder devotees filled with spiritual emotion while performing their daily worship wearing their silk clothes. They maintain that attitude even until they take their refreshments after the worship. But afterwards they become their old selves again. They display their rajasic and tamasic natures.“Sattva begets bhakti. Even bhakti has three aspects: sattva, rajas, and tamas. The sattva of bhakti is pure sattva. When a devotee acquires it he doesn’t direct his mind to anything but God. He pays only as much attention to his body as is absolutely necessary for its protection.“But a paramahamsa is beyond the three gunas. Though they exist in him, yet they are practically non-existent. Like a child, he is not under the control of any of the gunas. That is why paramahamsas allow small children to come near them — in order to assume their nature.“Paramahamsas may not lay things up; but this rule does not apply to householders. They must provide tor their families.”TANTRIK DEVOTEE:“Is a paramahamsa aware of virtue and vice?”MASTER:“Keshab Sen also asked that question. I said to him, ‘If I explain that to you, then you won’t be able to keep your society together.’ ‘In that case we had better stop here’, said Keshab.“Do you know the significance of virtue and vice? A paramahamsa sees that it is God who gives us evil tendencies as well as good tendencies. Haven’t you noticed that there are both sweet and bitter fruits? Some trees give sweet fruit, and some bitter or sour. God has made the mango-tree, which yields sweet fruit, and also the hog plum, which yields sour fruit.”TANTRIK:“Yes, sir. That is true. On the hill-top one sees extensive rose gardens, reaching as far as the eye can see.”MASTER:“The paramahamsa realises that all these — good and bad, virtue and vice, real and unreal — are only the glories of God’s maya. But these are very deep thoughts. One realizing this cannot keep an organization together or anything like that.”TANTRIK:“But the law of karma exists, doesn’t it?”MASTER:“That also is true. Good produces good, and bad produces bad. Don’t you get the hot taste if you eat chillies? But these are all God’s lila, His play.”TANTRIK:“Then what is the way for us? We shall have to reap the result of our past karma, shall we not?”MASTER:“That may be so. But it is different with the devotees of God. Listen to a song:", + "O mind, you do not know how to farm!Fallow lies the field of your life.If you had only worked it well,How rich a harvest you might reap!Hedge it about with Kali’s nameIf you would keep your harvest safe;This is the stoutest hedge of all,For Death himself cannot come near it. …..(Source:Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna)", + "—–", + "Sri Ramakrishna became conscious of the outer world and began to converse with Narendra, Bhavanath, and the other devotees. They were talking about the sadhaka.BHAVANATH (smiling):“What kind of man is he?”MASTER:“He is a tamasic devotee.”BHAVANATH:“He can certainly recite Sanskrit verses.”MASTER:“Once I said to a man about a sadhu: “He is a rajasic sadhu. Why should one give him food and other presents?’ At this another sadhu taught me a lesson by saying to me: ‘Don’t say that. There are three classes of holy men: sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic.’ Since that day I have respected holy men of all classes.”NARENDRA (smiling):“What? Is it like the elephant God’? All, indeed are God.”MASTER (smiling):“It is God Himself who sports in the world as both vidya and avidya. Therefore I salute both. It is written in the Chandi: The Divine Mother is the good fortune of the blessed and the ill fortune of the unlucky.’(To Bhavanath) Is that mentioned in the Vishnu Purana?”BHAVANATH (smiling):“I don’t know, sir. The devotees from Konnagar did not understand your samadhi and were about to leave the room.”MASTER:“Who was it that asked them to remain?”BHAVANATH (smiling):“It was I.”MASTER:“My child, you are equally good in bringing people here and in driving them away.”The conversation turned to the argument that Narendra had had with the musician from Konnagar.MUKHERJI:“Narendra didn’t spare him.”MASTER:“That’s right. One needs such grit. This is called the influence of tamas on sattva. Must a man listen to everything another man says? Should one say to a prostitute, ‘All right, you may do whatever you like’? Must one listen to her? At one time Radha was piqued. A friend said, ‘Her ego has been roused.’ Brinde, another friend, said: ‘Whose is this ego? Her ego belongs to Krishna alone. She is proud in the pride of Krishna.'”", + "….He who relieves us of sin is Hari. He relieves us of our three afflictions in the world. (Source:Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna)", + "—–", + "MASTER:“Mental renunciation is the essential thing. That, too, makes one a sannyasi.”", + "Sri Ramakrishna kept silent a few minutes and then went on.", + "MASTER:“But one must set fire to one’s desires. Then alone can one succeed.”", + "M:“You said to the pundit of the Marwaris from Burrabazar that you had the desire for bhakti. Isn’t the desire for bhakti to be counted as a desire?”", + "MASTER:“No, just as hinche greens are not to be counted as greens. Hinche restrains the secretion of bile.", + "“Well, all my joy, all my ecstasy — where are they now?”", + "M:“Perhaps you are now in the state of mind that theGitadescribes as beyond the three gunas. Sattva, rajas, and tamas are performing their own functions, and you yourself are unattached — unattached even to sattva.” (BG 14.23)", + "MASTER:“Yes, the Divine Mother has put me into the state of a child. Tell me, won’t the body live through this illness?”", + "The Master and M. became silent. (Source:Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna)", + "Question:What are the marks of the Gunatita?", + "Answer:The Gunatita does not hate when the three Gunas bring happines, action and delusion; nor does he long for them when they are absent. He sits like one unconcerned, unaffected by the Gunas, knowing the Gunas are functioning and is not moved. He is equal minded in joy and sorrow, in a stone and gold alike; the same in pleasant and unpleasant things, heroic, and equal in censure and praise. He is the same in honour and dishonour, the same towards friends and enemies; He abandons all action. Such a person is said to be Gunatita.", + "" + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-14-Verse-22-25.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b14v22/" }, @@ -247,8 +499,17 @@ "sanskrit": "मां च योऽव्यभिचारेण भक्तियोगेन सेवते |स गुणान्समतीत्यैतान्ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते || 26||", "transliteration": "māṁ cha yo ’vyabhichāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevatesa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate", "word_by_word_meaning": "mām—me; cha—only; yaḥ—who; avyabhichāreṇa—unalloyed; bhakti-yogena—through devotion; sevate—serve; saḥ—they; guṇān—the three modes of material nature; samatītya—rise above; etān—these; brahma-bhūyāya—level of Brahman; kalpate—comes to", - "translation": "And he who worships Me with the yoga of undeviating love rises above the gunas and becomes fit to be one with Brahman.", - "commentary": "Paramatma is beyond the three Gunas. To go beyond them is the way to become Brahman. But how to cross over the Gunas? A great deal of enquiry, self-control, meditation is necessary for it. But here, the Lord declares that self-realisation is possible for one who is devoted to Him with single-minded devotion (Bhakti). Bhakti helps the devotee to transcend the Gunas. It is to be noted that in every Discourse, whatever may be the yoga taught in it, the Lord emphasises Bhakti as the universal element in all kinds of practices. In this Discourse in which pure knowledge is taught, the Lord introduces the idea of Bhakti and the need for devotion at the end.Whether man takes to Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga or Dhyana Yoga, he should cultivate Bhakti, devotion to the Lord. This devotion is the life-force for all yogas. Without it, no spiritual progress is possible.Bhakti of the lower type is not enough. It should be ‘avyabhicharini‘ (i.e.) undivided, not attached to anything else except the Supreme Lord. Pure Bhakti requires the highest renunciation. The mind should be centred in the Lord totally and completely. The world has no place in the mind of the true devotee. The Lord only and nothing else that is the devotee’s attitude. When this attitude – is confirmed, the devotee easily goes beyond the Gunas, and the Brahmanubhuti comes to him of its own accord. To be constantly thinking of the Lord, his wonderful power, beauty, joy, peace, bliss and blessedness, to love Him as the life of his life and the soul of his soul, to see Him in all beings, in all actions, and thoughts, to sing His name and glory, to offer up everything to Him,- this is Bhakti. As Bhakti is more congenial for embodied human beings, the Lord emphasises the need for it in attaining the highest state of the Gunatita and Brahmajnana.", + "translation": [ + "And he who worships Me with the yoga of undeviating love rises above the gunas and becomes fit to be one with Brahman." + ], + "commentary": [ + "Paramatma is beyond the three Gunas. To go beyond them is the way to become Brahman. But how to cross over the Gunas? A great deal of enquiry, self-control, meditation is necessary for it. But here, the Lord declares that self-realisation is possible for one who is devoted to Him with single-minded devotion (Bhakti). Bhakti helps the devotee to transcend the Gunas. It is to be noted that in every Discourse, whatever may be the yoga taught in it, the Lord emphasises Bhakti as the universal element in all kinds of practices. In this Discourse in which pure knowledge is taught, the Lord introduces the idea of Bhakti and the need for devotion at the end.Whether man takes to Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga or Dhyana Yoga, he should cultivate Bhakti, devotion to the Lord. This devotion is the life-force for all yogas. Without it, no spiritual progress is possible.Bhakti of the lower type is not enough. It should be ‘avyabhicharini‘ (i.e.) undivided, not attached to anything else except the Supreme Lord. Pure Bhakti requires the highest renunciation. The mind should be centred in the Lord totally and completely. The world has no place in the mind of the true devotee. The Lord only and nothing else that is the devotee’s attitude. When this attitude – is confirmed, the devotee easily goes beyond the Gunas, and the Brahmanubhuti comes to him of its own accord. To be constantly thinking of the Lord, his wonderful power, beauty, joy, peace, bliss and blessedness, to love Him as the life of his life and the soul of his soul, to see Him in all beings, in all actions, and thoughts, to sing His name and glory, to offer up everything to Him,- this is Bhakti. As Bhakti is more congenial for embodied human beings, the Lord emphasises the need for it in attaining the highest state of the Gunatita and Brahmajnana.", + "Samatitya:This term is used to show that the devotee can transcend the Gunas, totally and completely.", + "This verse is the Lord’s answer to Arjuna’s question “Katham chai tam stringunan ativartate” (How can a person go beyond those three Gunas?). By firm devotion, man acquires knowledge which takes him beyond the Gunas to Paramatman. This is the way to transcend the Gunas.", + "At the sight of Shivanath the Master cried out joyously: “Ah! Here is Shivanath! You see, you are a devotee of God. The very sight of you gladdens my heart. One hemp-smoker feels very happy to meet another. Very often they embrace each other in an exuberance of joy.” The devotees burst out laughing.", + "….. “Worldly people will never listen to you if you ask them to renounce everything and devote themselves whole-heartedly to God. Therefore Chaitanya and Nitai, after some deliberation, made an arrangement to attract the worldly. They would say to such persons, ‘Come, repeat the name of Hari, and you shall have a delicious soup of magur fish and the embrace of a young woman.’ Many people, attracted by the fish and the woman, would chant the name of God. After tasting a little of the nectar of God’s hallowed name, they would soon realise that the ‘fish soup’ really meant the tears they shed for love of God, while the ‘young woman’ signified the earth. The embrace of the woman meant rolling on the ground in the rapture of divine love.", + "“Nitai would employ any means to make people repeat Hari’s name. Chaitanya said: ‘The name of God has very great sanctity. It may not produce an immediate result, but one day it must bear fruit. It is like a seed that has been left on the cornice of a building. After many days the house crumbles, and the seed falls on the earth, germinates, and at last bears fruit.’ (Source:Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna)" + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-14-Verse-26.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b14v26/" }, @@ -258,8 +519,19 @@ "sanskrit": "ब्रह्मणो हि प्रतिष्ठाहममृतस्याव्ययस्य च |शाश्वतस्य च धर्मस्य सुखस्यैकान्तिकस्य च || 27||", "transliteration": "brahmaṇo hi pratiṣhṭhāham amṛitasyāvyayasya chaśhāśhvatasya cha dharmasya sukhasyaikāntikasya cha", "word_by_word_meaning": "brahmaṇaḥ—of Brahman; hi—only; pratiṣhṭhā—the basis; aham—I; amṛitasya—of the immortal; avyayasya—of the imperishable; cha—and; śhāśhvatasya—of the eternal; cha—and; dharmasya—of the dharma; sukhasya—of bliss; aikāntikasya—unending; cha—and", - "translation": "For I am the Abode of Brahman, the Immortal and the Immutable, and of the Eternal Dharma, and of Absolute Bliss.", - "commentary": "Having declared that His devotee crosses the three Gunas and attains Paramatma, the Lord here reveals his true nature as the Supreme Brahman Himself. Lord Krishna, the teacher of the Gita is not a mortal, but Paramatma Himself, the Supreme Brahman. Sri Krishna is not simply the son of Yasoda, the cow-herd boy of the Brindavan, He is verily Paramatma. He is the eternal Dharma; He is bliss Absolute; He is the Immortal and the Immutable. Therefore who worships Him with undivided mind, by the law (Yadbhavam tadbhavati) – that man becomes That which he contemplates, transcends the Gunas and becomes one with the Lord. What is that Paramatman? The Lord explains by three attributes :", + "translation": [ + "For I am the Abode of Brahman, the Immortal and the Immutable, and of the Eternal Dharma, and of Absolute Bliss." + ], + "commentary": [ + "Having declared that His devotee crosses the three Gunas and attains Paramatma, the Lord here reveals his true nature as the Supreme Brahman Himself. Lord Krishna, the teacher of the Gita is not a mortal, but Paramatma Himself, the Supreme Brahman. Sri Krishna is not simply the son of Yasoda, the cow-herd boy of the Brindavan, He is verily Paramatma. He is the eternal Dharma; He is bliss Absolute; He is the Immortal and the Immutable. Therefore who worships Him with undivided mind, by the law (Yadbhavam tadbhavati) – that man becomes That which he contemplates, transcends the Gunas and becomes one with the Lord. What is that Paramatman? The Lord explains by three attributes :", + "By the first (Immortality and Immutability), the ‘sat’ aspect of Brahman is stated; by the second (Eternal Dharma), the ‘chit’ aspect of Brahman is stated; and by the third (Bliss absolute), and ‘ananda’ aspect of Brahman is stated. Thus the Lord declares that He is Brahman, Existence Absolute, Knowledge Absolute, and Bliss (Ananda) Absolute.", + "For the sake of easy forms of worship, the Lord appears as the son of Yasoda, as the Cow-herd boy of Brindavan, as the lover of the Gopis, as the Charioteer of Arjuna (Parthasarathi) and in a hundred other detectable forms. He, the Lord, is again all the ‘Avataras’. He is Rama, the son of Dasaratha; He is Narasimha, the destroyer of Hiranyakasipu and the saviour of Prahlada; He is Vamana; He is all this Universe, and all its spectacular manifestations. There is nothing beyond Him. He is all. The devotees should always remember that whatever form they may worship, the Lord is the supreme Sachidananda Brahman.", + "By this verse, Dualism, Qualified monism and Advaita are declared to be One in the end. The end is the same though the means are different. The Lord whom the Dualists worship as the repository of all blessed qualities (Ananta kalyana gunabhirama) is not different from the Brahman of the sages. While the ‘Sat’ aspect of Brahman is common to both, the devotee emphasises the ‘ananda’ aspect of Brahman, and the Jnani the ‘chit’ aspect. But it is declared here that ‘Chit’ (Knowledge) is not separate or distinct from Ananda’ (bliss). There is no essential difference between Jnana and Bhakti; for, both types of sadhana culminate in the realisation of the Supreme. Each man can choose his own method and form of worhsip and reach the goal.", + "Question:Who is Lord Krishna?", + "Answer:He is the Supreme Brahman.", + "Question:What is the nature of Brahman?", + "Answer:" + ], "audio": "https://cdn.vivekavani.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bhagavad-Gita-Chapter-14-Verse-27.mp3", "source": "https://vivekavani.com/b14v27/" }