Gita Acharan

K rishna 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 virtues 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 outlined the qualities which can act as milestones to guide us on 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 ( vair...

K rishna 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 offers a solution to come out of this bondage and advises us to wield the ‘axe of non-attachment’ (15.3). Non-attachment is one of the foundational principles of the Bhagavad Gita. Krishna has referred to this teaching on many occasions. Broadly, we have attachments to people, things, feelings, thoughts and beliefs. Many of our beliefs are based on unscientific myths, irrational assumptions, or unverified information. By cultivating the quality of ‘questioning’, which was given by Krishna to be a good learner, one can attain non-attachment to them (4.34). When we are told about non-attachment, we tend to gravitate towards detachment or even hatred. That’s why Krishna categorically told us to drop hatred (5.3) by inculcating the divine quality of forgiveness (16.3). We find it very difficult to shed attachme...

T he 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 Ashvattham (Peepal) 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 s 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, Ashvattham means ‘that which doesn’t remain the same tomorrow’. But the tree is described as eternal. ...

  T he fourteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is called ‘ Guna Traya Vibhag Yoga’ (Union through transcending three gunas -modes of nature) where gunas and guna-atheeth are explained. Krishna concludes the chapter by offering a solution to transcend gu n as and says, “Those who serve Me with unswerving ( a-vyabhicharen ) devotion rise above the three gunas ( guna-atheeth ) and come to the level of the Brahma (14.26). For, I am the basis of the Infinite, the Immortal, the Indestructible; and of eternal dharma , formless Brahma and absolute bliss” (14.27). Krishna uses the word vyabhicharen , which means multiple desires. ‘ A-vyabhicharen devotion’ is 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-atheeth . Firstly, the guna-atheeth drops the sense of doership by realising that there is no karta (doer) for any k...