Gita Acharan

K rishna says, “The Supreme Lord dwells in the hearts of all living beings, and by His maya (cosmic delusion) makes all beings revolve as if attached to a yantra (machine)” (18.61). This is another way of saying that we are just a nimitta-maatra - an instrument in the hands of the Almighty. Krishna explained the same differently when He said that even if Arjuna, out of ahankaar , thinks that he will not fight, his nature will still compel him to fight (18.59). We will be driven to do karmas , even when we don’t want to, out of our swa-bhaav (material nature) (18.60). ‘Existence’ is the coherence of the manifested, like the perishable physical entities, and the unmanifested which is eternal but can’t be perceived by our senses. Krishna earlier explained this through the example of a string of pearls. The pearls represent the manifested and the invisible string represents the unmanifested. Together, they form a beautiful necklace. Krishna called this invisible force as ‘Supreme Lor...

  T here are adverse consequences when we don’t follow natural laws. For example, if someone jumps from a height ignoring gravity, the consequences are inevitable. Similarly, Krishna cautions about the consequences of violating the principles of existence or natural laws as explained by Him in the Bhagavad Gita. He says, “Fixing your mind on Me you shall overcome all obstacles and difficulties by My grace. You will perish if you do not listen to My advice due to ahankaar ” (18.58). Perishing is inevitable like falling from a height when we are driven by ahankaar ( aham-karta ). Krishna says, “Because of ahankaar if you think ‘I will not fight’, your resolution will be in vain. Your nature will compel you to fight” (18.59). Firstly, even if Arjuna had left the battlefield, the war would not have ended. Secondly, Arjuna wouldn’t have sat passive when the battle was going on where his immediate family is facing danger. This verse indicates that governed by his swa-dharma (own natur...

  V erses 18.41 to 18.57 of the Bhagavad Gita describe the contours of the confluence of karma yoga, jnana yoga and bhakti yoga . In the often-debated verse 18.41, Krishna states that He created four varnas (social classifications) based on gunas springing from their nature. He further explained about different types of karmas performed by them in day-to-day life (18.42-18.44). He reveals a secret that with devotion to swa-karma (one’s deed) one attains siddhi (perfection or freedom) as this devotion towards karma is nothing but worshipping Him (18.45-18.46). This clarifies that it doesn’t matter what we do but what matters is the devotion with which we perform our karmas or responsibilities. This is the path of attaining the eternal siddhi through devotion to karma which is nothing but the pinnacle of karma yoga . Krishna continues to guide those on the path of awareness or jnana yoga and declares that all the karmas are marred by blemishes (18.48). Hence, He advises us...

  K rishna says, “Serene in the self by being engrossed in the Brahma (the eternal), neither grieves nor desires and beholds equality in all beings, such a yogi attains parama bhakti (supreme devotion) to Me (18.54). By that supreme devotion he knows My essence - what and who I am; after knowing these truths, he quickly makes his entry into ‘That’ (‘ tat’ )” (18.55). ‘ Tat ’ is interpreted as the ‘All’, the All-pervading Reality. Firstly, these verses indicate that parama bhakti is beholding equality in all beings which transcends our general understanding of bhakti as devotion to Gods. Bhakti is unconditional love towards all beings by beholding equality. Secondly, parama bhakti is a state of desirelessness, not a ritual to fulfill our desires by satisfying our beloved Gods. Thirdly, this equanimity leads to the understanding of who He really is. It is like a salt doll dissolving in the ocean and becoming one with the ocean by shedding the illusion of its own existence. Kri...