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212. Rules of Rebirth

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  Krishna gave a blueprint of life when he said that a part of HIM manifests as an individual soul and attracts the senses which are a part of prakriti (nature). Essentially, it is desire that attracts senses. For example, the desire to see or hear attracts the sense organs of the eye or ear. He further explains about the process of the embodied soul leaving the body and entering a new body. Krishna says, "As the air carries fragrance from place to place, so does the embodied soul carry the mind and senses with it, when it leaves an old body and enters a new one (15.8). The deluded do not perceive the soul residing or departing or experiencing the world of the gunas . Those with the Eye of Wisdom see (15.10). The yogis striving for liberation see Him existing in themselves; but those who are unpurified and undisciplined are unable to perceive Him even when they struggle to do so" (15.11). Purity is nothing but the balance between pleasure-pain; profit-loss; victory-defeat (
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211. Blueprint of Life.

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The creation is said to be HIS leela or divine play and there is nothing to be taken seriously here. This play follows some rules. Krishna explains these rules and says, "A part of My eternal self manifests as a living soul in the world of beings and attracts six senses and the mind which are a part of Prakriti (15.7). Presiding over the mind and the senses of hearing, sight, touch, taste and smell, he (the embodied soul) experiences the objects of the sensory world" (15.9). Krishna earlier talked about prakriti (nature) and purush (spirit) as beginningless. Gunas (qualities) and vikar (evolution or change) are born of prakriti (13.20). Prakriti is responsible for cause and effect; Purush is responsible for experiencing the polarities of sukh (pleasure) and dukh (pain) (13.21). Together, these verses present a blueprint for life.  Firstly, a part of HIM is inside each living being which we call the soul and in that sense we are never separate from HIM.
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210. Keys to HIS Abode

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Krishna says, "Those freed from pride and delusion, evils of attachment conquered, ever established in the Self, desires having completely gone, well-liberated from pairs of opposites of pain and pleasure, such un-deluded reach My eternal Abode" (15.5). Essentially, these are the qualities of HIS Abode and once we attain even one of them, we are in HIS abode. Another indication is that HIS abode is not somewhere out there but is here and now waiting to be discovered.  Krishna gave qualities or benchmarks to help us in the journey to HIS abode. These include being friendly and compassionate; being nir-mama (sans-I) and nir-ahankaar (sans -I am doer); not hating any being; balanced in pleasure and pain (sama-sukh-dukh) and forgiving (kshami) ; being ever-content and free of agitation; being free from jealousy, fear and anxiety; being free from expectations and selfishness in all undertakings (12.13 to 12.16). Being humble, forgiving; being dispassionate (vairagya
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209. Axe of Non-Attachment

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Krishna spoke about the inverted tree of life where human beings are bound by roots hanging downwards and these roots are nothing but karmas (actions). Krishna immediately gives a solution to come out of this bondage and advises us to use the 'axe of non-attachment' (15.3). Non-attachment is one of the foundational principles of the Bhagavad Gita. On many occasions, Krishna has referred to this aspect. Broadly, we have attachments with people, things, feelings, thoughts and beliefs. In the case of our beliefs, many of them are based on unscientific myths, irrational and unverified facts etc. Using the quality of 'questioning', which was given by Krishna to be a good learner, one can attain non-attachment to them. When we are told about non-attachment, one tends to gravitate towards detachment or even hatred. That's why Krishna categorically told us to drop hatred.  One finds it very difficult to shed attachment as it has been nurtured by us for a long t
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208. Inverted Tree of Life

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The Fifteenth Chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is called Purushottam Yoga -Yoga of the Supreme Being. Krishna begins the chapter by describing the inverted tree of life and says, "The wise speak of an eternal ashvattha (pipal) tree, with roots above, branches below, whose leaves are hymns of Vedas. He who knows this tree gains the wisdom of Vedas (15.1). Nourished by the three gunas , the branches of the tree extend upward and downward; its buds are the sense objects; the roots hang downwards as actions and bind the humans" (15.2).  Firstly, those who know this tree gain the wisdom of the Vedas. The literal meaning of Veda is knowledge. One possible interpretation is that one doesn't have to take the pain of reading the Vedas to attain the wisdom presented by them. Once this tree of life is understood at the existential level, the same wisdom is attained.  Secondly, ashvattha means 'that which doesn't remain the same tomorrow'. But the tree is descr
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207. Single Pointed Devotion

  The Fourteenth Chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is called Guna Traya Vibhag Yoga (Union through transcending three gunas -modes of nature) where gunas and guna-ateeth were explained. Krishna concludes the chapter by giving a solution to transcend them and says, "Those who serve ME with unswerving (a-vyabhi-charen) devotion rise above the three gunas and come to the level of the Brahman (guna-ateeth) (14.26). For, I am the basis of the Infinite, the Immortal, the Indestructible; and of eternal Dharma , formless Brahman and absolute bliss" (14.27).  Krishna uses the word vyabhi-charen , which means multiple desires.  ' A-vyabhi-charen devotion' is sans-multiple or single pointed devotion. In a similar context, Krishna used a-vesya (12.2) to indicate the same. Essentially, it is transcending from multiple minds to single pointed devotion to HIM which will make us guna-ateeth .  Firstly, the guna-ateeth drops the sense of doership by realising that there is no k
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206. Conduct of Guna-Ateeth

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Krishna explains about the conduct of the guna-ateeth who transcended three gunas (modes of nature) and says, "Those who are alike in happiness and distress; who are established in the self; who look upon a clod of earth, a stone, and a piece of gold as of equal value; who remain the same amidst pleasant and unpleasant events; the wise who accept both criticism and praise with equanimity; who remain the same in respect and insult; who treat both friend and foe alike; and who abandoned all delusions of doership –they are said to have risen above the three gunas" (14.24 and 14.25). The indication is that the guna-ateeth is also equanimous and transcends polarities (dwandwa-ateeth) .   Polarities of pleasure and pain are generated in us when senses meet sense objects. Krishna earlier advised to learn to ignore them as these are transient (2.14). Life experiences tell us that these are not only transient but also change their nature with time. The pleasure of marri
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