Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7- The Yoga of Wisdom and Realization

The Yoga of Wisdom and Realization is the heading of Chapter 7 in the Bhagavad Gita.



In the Bhagavad Gita - Text and Commentary by Sri Sivananda (Sivananda Press Durban SA) the discourse (summary) is as follows:

Sri Krishna tells Arjuna that the supreme Godhead has to be realised in both its transcendent and immanent aspects. The Yogi who has reached this summit has nothing more to know.

This complete union with the Lord is difficult of attainment. Among many thousands of human beings, very few aspire for this union, and even among those who aspire for it, few ever reach the pinnacle of spiritual realisation.

The Lord has already given a clear description of the all pervading static and infinite state of His. Now He proceeds do explain His manifestations as the universe and the power behind it. He speaks of these manifestations as His lower and higher Prakritis. The lower Prakriti is made up of the five element, mind, ego and intellect. The higher Prakriti is the life-element which upholds the universe, activitates it and causes its appearance and final dissolution.

Krishna tells Arjuna that whatever exists is nothing but Him. Krishna is the cause othe appearance of the universe and everything in it. The example is given that everything is strung on him like gems on a string. He is the essence, substance and substratum of everything that exist, whether visible or invisible. And although everything is in Him, He transcends it all and is the actionless Self. Prakriti or Nature is made up of the three Gunas or qualities - Sattwa [purity], Rajas[activity - passion] and Tamas [inertia]. These three qualities delude the soul and make it forget its true nature, which is one with God. This delusion termed Maya can only be removed by the Grace of the Lord Himself.

Thus Arjuna has been taught the highest form of devotion that leads to union God. There are other forms of devotion which are inferior since they have done or performed with various motives. Examples given are the distressed, the seeker of divine wisdom, the desirer of wealth, those who worship Him and the wise. Of these various motives, the Lord deems the wise dearest to Him, since such worship is directed at Him only.

7.1- sri-bhagavan uvacamayy asakta-manah parthayogam yunjan mad-asrayahasamsayam samagram mamyatha jnasyasi tac chrnu - "The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Now hear, O son of Pritha, how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt."

7.2 - jnanam te ’ham sa-vijnanamidam vaksyamy asesatahyaj jnatva neha bhuyo ’nyajjnatavyam avasisyate - "I shall now declare unto you in full this knowledge, both phenomenal and numinous. This being known, nothing further shall remain for you to know."

7.3 - manushyanam sahasresukascid yatati siddhayeyatatam api siddhanamkascin mam vetti tattvatah- "Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth."

7.4 - bhumir apo ’nalo vayuhkham mano buddhir eva caahankara itiyam mebhinna prakritir astadha- "Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego—all together these eight constitute My separated material energies."

7.5 - apareyam itas tv anyamprakritim viddhi me paramjiva-bhutam maha-bahoyayedam dharyate jagat - "Besides these, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is another, superior energy of Mine, which comprises the living entities who are exploiting the resources of this material, inferior nature."

7.6 - etad-yonini bhutanisarvanity upadharayaaham krtsnasya jagatahprabhavah pralayas tatha - "All created beings have their source in these two natures. Of all that is material and all that is spiritual in this world, know for certain that I am both the origin and the dissolution."

7.7 - mattah parataram nanyatkincid asti dhananjayamayi sarvam idam protamsutre mani-gana iva - "O conqueror of wealth, there is no truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread."

7.8 - raso ’ham apsu kaunteyaprabhasmi sasi-suryayohpranavah sarva-vedesushabdah khe paurusam nrsu- "O son of Kunti, I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man."

See the rest of the verses for chapter 7 here.

Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 4 - The Yoga of Wisdom

In the Bhagavad Gita - Text and Commentary by Sri Sivananda (Sivananda Press Durban SA) Chapter 4 is The Yoga of Wisdom. (Reference of transliteration is also taken from Bhagavan Sri Krishna) Chapter 4 commences with:

Lord Krishna declares that He is born from age to age, in order to raise mand and take him to the Supreme. Whenever there is a prevalence of unrighteousness and the world is ruled by the forces of darkness, the Lord manifests Himself to destroy these adverse forces and to establish peace, order and harmony. Hence we see the appearance of the great saviours of the world.

What is Yoga in action? This the Lord proceeds to explain to Arjuna. Even though one is not engaged in action, but if the mind is active with the idea of doership and egoism, then it is action in inaction. On the other hand, though engaged physically in intense action, if the idea of agency is absent, if one feels that Prakriti does everything, it is inaction in action. The liberated man is free from attachment and is always calm and serene though engaged in ceaseless action. He is unaffected by the pairs of opposites like joy and grief, success and failure.

One who has true union with the Lord is not subject to rebirth. He attains immortality. Such a union can only be achieved when one is free from attachment, fear and anger, being thorouhghly purified by right knowledge. The Lord accepts the devotion of all, whatever path they may use to approach Him.

4.1- sri-bhagavan uvacaimam vivasvate yogamproktavan aham avyayamvivasvan manave prahamanur iksvakave ’bravit- "The Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna, said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvan, and Vivasvan instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ikshavaku."

4.2- evam parampara-praptamimam rajarsayo viduhsa kaleneha mahatayogo nastah parantapa- "This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost."

4.3- sa evayam maya te ’dyayogah proktah puratanahbhakto ’si me sakha cetirahasyam hy etad uttamam - "That same ancient Yoga has been today taught by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend; it is a supreme secret."

4.4- arjuna uvacaaparam bhavato janmaparam janma vivasvatahkatham etad vijaniyamtvam adau proktavan iti - "Arjuna said: The sun-god Vivasvan is senior by birth to You. How am I to understand that in the beginning You instructed this science to him?"

4.5- sri-bhagavan uvacabahuni me vyatitanijanmani tava carjunatany aham veda sarvanina tvam vettha parantapa - "Lord Krishna said: Many, many births both you and I have passed. I can remember all of them, but you cannot, O subduer of the enemy!"

4.6- ajo ’pi sann avyayatmabhutanam isvaro ’pi sanprakritim svam adhisthayasambhavamy atma-mayaya - "Although I am unborn and My transcendental body never deteriorates, and although I am the Lord of all living entities, I still appear in every millennium in My original transcendental form."

4.7- yada yada hi dharmasyaglanir bhavati bharataabhyutthanam adharmasyatadatmanam srjamy aham- "Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself."

4.8- paritranaya sadhunamvinasaya ca duskritamdharma-samsthapanarthayasambhavami yuge yuge - "To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium."

There are 42 verses in this chapter. See the video link for the rest of the transliteration on the Yoga of Wisdom.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 - Yoga of Action

In the Bhagavad Gita - Text and Commentary by Sri Sivananda (Sivananda Press Durban SA) Chapter 3 is The Yoga of Action. It commences with

3.1 - arjuna uvacajyayasi cet karmanas temata buddhir janardanatat kim karmani ghore mamniyojayasi keshava- "Arjuna said: O Janardana, O Keshava, why do You want to engage me in this ghastly warfare, if You think that intelligence is better than fruitive work?"

3.2- vyamisreneva vakyenabuddhim mohayashiva metad ekam vada niscityayena sreyo ’ham apnuyam - "My intelligence is bewildered by Your equivocal instructions. Therefore, please tell me decisively which will be most beneficial for me."

3.3- sri-bhagavan uvacaloke ’smin dvi-vidha nisthapura prokta mayanaghajnana-yogena sankhyanamkarma-yogena yoginam - "The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O sinless Arjuna, I have already explained that there are two classes of men who try to realize the self. Some are inclined to understand it by empirical, philosophical speculation, and others by devotional service."

3.4- na karmanam anarambhannaishkarmyam purusho ’snutena ca sannyasanad evasiddhim samadhigacchati - "Not by merely abstaining from work can one achieve freedom from reaction, nor by renunciation alone can one attain perfection."

3.5- na hi kascit ksanam apijatu tisthaty akarma-krtkaryate hy avasah karmasarvah prakriti-jair gunaih- "Everyone is forced to act helplessly according to the qualities he has acquired from the modes of material nature; therefore no one can refrain from doing something, not even for a moment."

There are 43 verses to this chapter. The following is from the Summary of the Third Discourse on chapter 3:

In order to remove Moha or attachment, which was the sole cause of Arjuna's delusion, Sri Krishna taught him the imperishable nature of the Atman, the realisation of which would grant him freedom of the Eternal. A doubt therefore arises in Arjuna's mind as to the necessity of engaging in action even after one has attained this state.

Sri Krishna clears his doubt by telling him that although one has realised his oneness with the Eternal, one has to perform action through the force of Prakriti or Nature. He emphasises that perfection is attained not by ceasing to engage in action but by doing all actions as a divine offering, imbued with a spirit of non-attachment and sacrifice.

Krishna goes on to explain that a man of God-vision need not engage in action, since he has attained everything and is always absorbed in the calm and immutable Self. However, performing action for the good of everyone and for the education of the masses is superior. Action is necessary for the ones striving for perfection as well as the one who has already attained it. An example of the great King Janaka ( a sage king), ruled his kingdom even after attaining that state of perfection.

Prakriti or Nature is described as being made up or three qualities - Rajas, Tamas and Sattva. The Atman or the Self is beyond these qualities. Only when knowledge of this fact dawns in man does he attain perfection.

Finally, Krishna informs Arjuna that everyone should do his duty according to his nature or temperament, and that doing duty that is suited to one's inherent nature in the right spirit of detachment and devotion will lead to perfection and freedom.

Arjuna questions why man commits such actions that cloud his mind and drag him downward, by force.It is here that Krishna tells Arjuna that it is desire that makes man lose his discrimination and understanding, thus performing wrong actions. Desire is the root cause of all evil actions. Once desire ( some translations refer to this as lust) is removed, divine power emanates fully and one enjoys peace, peace, bliss, light and freedom.


See related video clip:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 - The Yoga of Knowledge

In the Bhagavad Gita - Text and Commentary by Sri Sivananda (Sivananda Press Durban SA) Chapter 2 is The Yoga of Knowledge or Sankhya Yoga.

Sanjaya explains Arjuna's condition as being agitated by attachment and fear.

With Arjuna, being overcome by pity and and despondent, Lord Krishna rebukes him for his dejection, which was due to Moha or attachment, and exhorts him to fight. After failing to convince Sri Krishna through his seemingly wise thoughts, Arjuna realises his helplessness and surrenders himself completely to the Lord, seeking His guidance to get over the conflict of his mind.

Lord Krishna takes pity on him and proceeds to enlighten him by various means. He explains to Arjuna the imperishable nature of the Atman, for which there is no past, present or future. The Atman never dies, therefore Arjuna should not grieve. Krishna further explains that Atma or the Self transcends the five elements (earth, fire, water, air and ether); cannot be cut, burned or dried. The nature of Atma (the Self) is unchanging and eternal.

Arjuna is informed that pleasure and pain, hot and cold is felt by everyone because of the contact of the senses. The senses carries the sensations through the nerves to the mind and that one should be able to withdraw the senses from the objects. Krishna asserts that only one who has the capacity to be balanced in pleasure and pain alike is fit for immortality. Arjuna is told that if he does not fight and flees the battle, he will condemned as being coward ( action unworthy of a warrior).

After Arjuna is taught about the immortal nature of the Atman, he is then informed about the performance of action without the attachment to the fruit (like gain or loss, defeat or victory.) His actions should be perform with a balanced mind. Krishna advises Arjuna to fight, free from desire for acquisition of kingdom or preservation of it.

Arjuna wants to know the characteristics of the man with a stable mind. This person, Krishna says, will have no desires at all. This person is content, having realised the Self. Lord Krishna describes such a person as not being affected by adversity and will have no fear or anger. He takes things as they come. The stable minded man has perfect control of the senses, as the senses draw the mind outwards. The Yogi, having achieved a stable mind, remains steadfast even though all sense-objects come to him. He is unmoved and lives a life of eternal peace.

Finally, Krishna concludes that the eternal Brahmic state frees one from delusion forever. Even at the end of life, when one departs from this body, one does not lose consciousness of one's identity with Brahman.

See related video clip (the first part of Chapter 2):

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1 - The Depression of Arjuna

In the Bhagavad Gita - Text and Commentary by Sri Sivananda (Sivananda Press Durban SA) There are summaries of the Discourses (Chapters) which will be referred to in these post.

The great Mahabharata war between the Pandavas and the Kauravas took place on the holy plain of Kurukshetra. . After the failure of Lord Krishna's peace mission, when He Himself went to Hastipurna as the emissary of the Pandavas, there was no other alternative for the Pandavas but to engage in war for their rightful share of the kingdom.

All the famous warriors from both sides had assembled on the battlefield. Lord Krishna was acting as the charioteer of Arjuna who is one of the Pandava princes. This is the first discourse or chapter - The Yoga of the Despondency of Arjuna or The Depression of Arjuna. Dhritarashtra, the blind king is asking of Sanjaya to inform him of what happened when both sides assembled.

Arjuna asks Lord Krishna to bring the chariot between the two sides so that he can survey his opponents. He becomes bewildered, beholding on both sides the fathers, grandfathers, teachers and uncles, relatives and comrades. Arjuna becomes confused. He informs Krishna _ My limbs fail and my mouth is parched up , my body quivers, and my hair stands on end.! My skin burns, and the bow Gandiva has slips from my hand.I am unable even to stand; my mind is reeling.
Bhagavad Gita 1:28-30

Arjuna even speaks of seeing adverse omens, and does not see any good in killing his kinsmen in battle. He questions if it was proper to destroy one's relatives for the sake of a kingdom and some pleasures? Would it not be much better for him to surrender everything in favour of his enemies and retire in peace? With all of these thoughts, Arjuna becomes despondent and has not enthusiasm for the battle to take place. He lets the bow slip from his hands as he turns to Lord Krishna for enlightenment and guidance.

The Gita Mahatmya

As stated in the last part of previous post regarding the Bhagavad Gita , (Introduction to the Bhagavad Gita) The Gita opens with the question of the blind king to Sanjaya regarding what happened on the battlefield when the two armies faced each other in battle array. But before even commencing on the first chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, it is noted that there is a Gita Mahatmya in the Bhagavad Gita - Text and Commentary by Sri Sivananda (Sivananda Press Durban SA) [Please note that not all the Bhagavad Gita translations I have reviewed have this section]

This Gita Mahatmya (Glory of the Gita) begins with Sri Ganeshaaya Namah! Sri Gopaalakrishnaaya Namah! - Prostrations to Sri Ganesha! Prostrations to Sri Krishna, the lover of Radha! This is an honoring and invoking of the Lord of the Beginnings and Remover of Obstacles (Ganesh) and Lord Krishna (the Supreme Being). The Gita Mahatmya consists of 23 verses. A summary of the verses is the great benefits that are received by by studying the Gita.

It is stated in verse 21 that:
Geetaayahpathanam kritwaa maahaatmyam naiva yah pathet; Vritha paathobhavet tasya srama eva hyudaahritah. - He who fails to read this Glory of the Gita (the Gita Mahatmya), after having read the Gita, loses the benefit thereby, and the effort alone remains.

The 23 verse is :
Suta Uvachaa: Maahaatmyam etat geetaayaaa mayaa proktam sanaatanam; Gitaanate cha pathedyastu yaduktam tatphalam labhet.- Suta said: This greatness or Glory of the Gita, which is eternal, as narrated by me, should be read at the end of the Gita, and the fruits mentioned therein will be obtained.

The Bhagavad Gita

Having completed the review of the Yoga Sutras has moved me to look at another great scripture that can help enlighten our lives. The Bhagavad Gita is a great yogic scripture to become familiar with and study. It is larger work than the Yoga Sutras. The following is an excerpt from Wikipedia, the free
encyclopedia Wikipedia.

The Bhagavad Gita (Sanskrit भगवद् गीता, Bhagavad Gītā, "Song of God") is an important Sanskrit Hindu scripture. It is revered as a sacred scripture of Hinduism,[1][2] and considered as one of the most important religious classics of the world.[3] The Bhagavad Gita is a part of the Mahabharata, comprising 700 verses. The teacher of the Bhagavad Gita is Krishna, who is regarded by the Hindus as the supreme manifestation of the Lord Himself,[3] and is referred to within as Bhagavan—the divine one.[4] The Bhagavad Gita is commonly referred to as The Gita for short.

The content of the Gita is the conversation between Krishna and Arjuna taking place on the battlefield before the start of the Kurukshetra war. Responding to Arjuna's confusion and moral dilemma, Krishna explains to Arjuna his duties as a warrior and prince and elaborates on different Yogic[5] and Vedantic philosophies, with examples and analogies. This has led to the Gita often being described as a concise guide to Hindu philosophy and also as a practical, self-contained guide to life. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi describes it as a lighthouse of eternal wisdom that has the ability to inspire any man or woman to supreme accomplishment and enlightenment. [6] During the discourse, Krishna reveals his identity as the Supreme Being Himself (Svayam bhagavan), blessing Arjuna with an awe-inspiring vision of his divine universal form.

See Sanskrit Spiritual Scriptures

Siddhis from Many Methods YS IV - 1 (continued)

Yoga Sutra IV - 1 - is translated by "How to Know God - The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali" translated and commented on by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood as:


Translation:
The psychic powers may be obtained either by birth, or by means of drugs, or by the power of words, or by the practice of austerities, or by concentration.

Commentary:

Some are born with psychic as a result of their struggles in previous lives. And not psychic powers merely, but real spiritual genius. Such are those most mysterious of all human beings, the "natural" saints, who are filled with the knowledge and love of God even in early childhood and grow up seemingly untouched by the temptations of worldliness.

The Bhagava Gita is referenced where Arjuna asks the question of what happens to a man who has faith and does not struggle hard enough, thus his mind wanders away from practicing yoga and fails to reach perfection? "Sri Krishna answers: 'Even if a man falls away from the practice of yoga, he will still win the heaven of the doers of goo deed, and dwell there many long years. After that, he will be reborn into the home of pure and prosperous parents....He will the regain that spiritual discernment which he acquired in his former body; and so he will strive harder than ever for perfection. Because of his practices in the previous life, he will be driven on toward union with Brahman, even in spite of himself.' "

We are informed that certain drugs may produce visions, however, these are psychic and not spiritual. Also the drug use can lead to prolonged spiritual dryness and may even damage the brain permanently. Mantram or repetition of spiritual words, are an invaluable aid to spiritual progress; special mantrams can produce psychic powers. Practicing austerities, enormously strengthens the aspirant's will power and psychic powers might be gained.

The commentary is concluded with "concentration is the surest of all means of obtaining the psychic powers."

See the previous post of Siddhis from Many Methods YS IV - 1