Gita Acharan

Krishna mentioned that one realises Brahma when one strives for liberation by taking refuge in HIM (7.29) and Arjun enquires as to what is Brahma (8.1). Krishna says that Brahma is that which is the aksharam (imperishable or indestructible or permanent) and paramam (supreme) (8.3). This implies that there is nothing beyond it and it's not dependent on any external factors. On the contrary, we only know about those things which are changing, impermanent and perishing.  Our own physical body constantly changes. It is estimated that 95 percent of it gets replaced in about 7 years without our knowledge while our DNA remains constant. The solar system would perish in 4 billion years and the universe in about 150 trillion years. Similarly, our thoughts keep changing. Opinions about things, people and situations vary with time; people form diametrically opposite opinions based on the same facts as we see things differently like how the five blind men perceive the elephant...

The seventh Chapter of the Bhagavadgita is called ' Jnana-Vignana-yoga ' which can be interpreted as the understanding of manifested (vyaktha) and un-manifested (a-vyaktha) . Krishna gives two assurances in this Chapter. Firstly, once 'this' is known, nothing is left to be known (7.2) and secondly, if 'this' is understood even at the time of death still they attain ME (7.29). Manifested (perishable) is eightfold (7.4) and un-manifested (eternal) is the life element which is beyond senses but supports the manifested like a string in an ornament of pearls (7.7). Manifested is under the influence of delusions caused by the three gunas(7.25); and by polarities of longing and aversion (7.27) which can be crossed by seeking refuge in HIM.   Science concludes that this entire universe (manifested) was formed from a single point and all we see around us is connected to that point which once held near infinite capacity. A similar analogy will hold for un-...

Physical entities like us (manifested) are invariably affected by two delusions. The first one, yoga-maya , born out of three gunas, leads to ahankaar ( aham-karta or I am doer) whereas 'actions' happen because of interactions between gunas . Second is the delusion brought by polarities of longing and aversion which leads to desires to possess things, people and feelings; and develop an aversion to others whereas it's about witnessing 'actions' without longing or aversion. These two complement each other. While ahankaar justifies desires; desires, especially fulfilled ones, enhance ahankaar. In this regard, Krishna says, "Those who strive for liberation from old age and death (jara-marana-mokshya) , taking asritya (refuge) in Me, they realise the Brahman (the whole/absolute), Adhyatma (spirituality/individual self) and akhilam-karma (all aspects of action) (7.29). Those who know Me as Adhibhuta (above elements), Adhidaiva (above God's) ...

Krishna says, "All beings are subject to delusive ignorance (sammohanam) by the delusion of the pairs of opposites (dwandwa-mohana) springing from longing and aversion (iccha-dwesha) " (7.27). There are two fundamental delusions we are subject to. One is caused by three gunas (yoga-maya) and the other by polarities of longing and aversion. When one is transcended, another is automatically crossed.  Ignorance is the first level of delusion and misery is the consequence. This misery is nothing but the pain one gets -maybe with a time lapse while chasing its polar opposite of pleasure. The next level of delusion is suppression where one gets trained to put up a brave or borrowed face to show the outside world that one is free of polarities of longing and aversion. They even look down on others and Krishna earlier termed them as hypocrites (3.6). But the reality is that these suppressions are hidden inside and come out at a weak moment.  To attain the final state o...

Krishna says his lower nature ( apara prakriti) is manifested (man) and higher nature ( para prakriti ) is the life-element which is un-manifested. He says that ' yoga-maya ' (illusion born out of three gunas) separates them and prevents us from knowing HIM (paramatma) as unborn, imperishable (7.25), knower of past, present and future (7.26). Yoga-maya is like a room full of mirrors which reflect us and it is impossible to know what is beyond it. This inability limits us to conclude that every entity is 'manifested' without realising the life-element behind everyone and Krishna calls this foolish (7.24). This is nothing but man-man interaction with disregard to paramatma which is the path of demons (7.15).  Electricity (energy) flows from a higher voltage point to a lower voltage point energising electrical appliances along the way. Metaphorically, if we take paramatma as a point of infinite voltage, the energy flow is nothing but the blessings we recei...