Gita Acharan

Bhagavad Gita is a coherent blending of two levels and we need to be aware of this to understand the Gita.  Sometimes Krishna comes as a friend or a guide to Arjun explaining the daily issues faced by humans. Sometimes he comes as Paramatma (super-soul) and in that state he says (4.1) that I gave this imperishable Yoga to Vivasat, which was handed down in succession to raja-rishis (royal rishis) and its sight was lost with time (4.2).  Vivasat is translated as Sun-God, which is a metaphor for light and Krishna is indicating that he was before the light. It is accepted that this universe started with light and matter formed subsequently.  Krishna refers to raja-rishis who are nothing but enlightened ones at various points in time. The sight of this knowledge was lost because over time it got relegated from an experiential level to ritualism; less of practice and more of preaching, taking the shape of religions and sects.  Arjun questions (4.4) as to ho...

A desire filled Tulsidas was desperate to meet his newlywed wife. He crossed a river at night mistaking a corpse to be a wooden log; used a snake as a rope to climb up the wall to meet his wife, only to be rebuked by her that he would be better off with an equal passion for Lord Rama. He was transformed that very moment and he went on to author the revered ‘ Ram Charit Manas’ . Tulsi’s story helps us better comprehend Krishna’s advice (3.41) to destroy desire by disciplining the senses.  Desire has two aspects. The first is the energy of courage, determination and passion that is generated in us and the second is its direction. Outwardly directed, it is dissipated in seeking sensual pleasures and possessions. When Krishna asks us to destroy desires, he doesn't want us to destroy this energy, but only wants us to direct it inwards like Tulsidas. This energy is essential for the demanding spiritual journey, like a satellite needing energy from its rockets in the beginning...

Krishna clarifies that just like fire is enveloped in smoke; a mirror by mal (dirt); an embryo by the womb; Wisdom is covered by desire that is an insatiable fire, which is the constant enemy of the wise (3.38-3.39). Earlier, Krishna had said that gunas have the capacity to hypnotise (sammohit) us. Desire, born out of rajo guna does the same. He further elaborated (3.40) that the senses, mind and intellect are said to be the seat of desires and through these, desires hypnotise our soul by eclipsing its wisdom.  A mirror is the perfect example of a sakshi (witness). Its wisdom is to reflect both situations and people brought before it without any labelling. It doesn't have the burden of the past nor any expectations from the future and is always in the present. Its effectiveness reduces when this wisdom is covered by dust.  While the metaphorical mirror is our true nature, the dirt is our past accumulations gathered because of our previous motivated actions an...

Arjun enquires, (3.36) "How can a man perform evil even against his will as if he is compelled." This is the most common question that arises when the first ray of awareness sets in.  Krishna says (3.37) kaam and krodh (anger) are born out of rajo guna and are great evils full of insatiable craving. Beware of them to be the foulest enemies here on Earth. Krishna uses the word kaam which is an extreme form of desire like lust.  Attachment to action is the hallmark of rajo guna (quality), which happens because of desire. As in the case of a car, the movement or speeding up is a quality born out of rajo guna and the accelerator is an instrument to achieve this. Similarly, slowing down or inertia is the nature of tamas and the brake is an instrument. The driver represents satva guna which is the balancing of acceleration and braking for a smooth and safe ride. The speedometer is an instrument for awareness. If the balance is lost, an accident is inevitable....

Krishna says that (3.35) swa-dharmam (own-nature or reality) is superior to well accomplished para-dharmam (others nature or reality) even when the former is devoid of merit. It's better to die in swa-dharmam than to be fraught with fear in para-dharmam . This intricate verse creates more doubts than clarity in our minds. In a sense, this verse is purely contextual for Arjun in the Kurukshetra war. Arjun has warrior dharmam till that moment and desires to be a saint in the next one. The chances for this change are bleak and Krishna is indicating the same in this verse. While Dharma or reality is ONE, we perceive it in different ways like how the proverbial five blind men perceive the same elephant differently through their touch. If one of them perceives it as a tusk, that is his reality or swa-dharmam . The verse further indicates that one who perceives it as a tusk should keep pursuing his path rather than trying to adopt the beautifully presented version of the ...

Krishna says (3.31) that anyone who follows this teaching with sraddha will be joyful and will be liberated from karma bandhan (bondage of action). Sraddha is usually thought to mean belief or faith, but it is something beyond and the closest meaning is trust. In this state, we are free of doubt and all our questions dissipate.  Humanity believed that the Sun was rotating around the earth until it was realised that it's the other way around. Thus belief is dependent on external things while sraddha is an internal quality.  Secondly, belief exists along with its polar opposite of disbelief, whereas sraddha transcends both. Thirdly, sraddha is different from blind faith where one is unwilling to listen to the other side. Sraddha is the assimilation of everything to oneness. While belief and faith can be borrowed, sraddha is purely experiential. To realise the whole, it is essential to understand the contrast. That's why Krishna immediately gives contrast and ...