Gita Acharan

K rishna mentioned that one realises Brahma when one strives for salvation by taking refuge in Him (7.29) and Arjuna enquires as to what is Brahma (8.1). Krishna says that Brahma is that which is 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. But 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, much like the story of the five blind men perceiving an elephant differently. Even our goals ev...

T he seventh chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is called ‘ Jnana-Vignana-Yoga ’ which can be interpreted as the understanding of manifested ( vyakta ) and unmanifested ( avyakta ). 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 unmanifested (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 unmanifested as...

P hysical entities like us (manifested) are invariably affected by two delusions. The first, yoga-maya , born of the three gunas , increases ahankaar ( aham-karta or the sense of “I am the doer”), though actions arise from the interactions among the gunas. The second is the delusion created by the polarities of longing and aversion, which leads to desires to possess things, influence people, and pursue pleasurable experiences, while developing aversion to anything contrary to them. These two complement each other. While ahankaar justifies desires; desires, especially fulfilled ones, enhance ahankaar . Gita encourages us to be a witness to actions created by gunas without longing or aversion. In this regard, Krishna says, “Those who strive for liberation from old age and death ( jara-marana-mokshaya ), taking asritya (refuge) in Me, they realise the Brahma (the whole/absolute), Adhyatma (spirituality/individual self) and akhilam-karma (all aspects of action) (7.29). ...

K rishna says, “All beings are subject to delusive ignorance ( sammohan ) by the delusion of the pairs of opposites ( dwandwa-moha ) springing from longing and aversion ( iccha-dwesh )” (7.27). There are two fundamental delusions we are subject to. One is caused by three gunas ( yoga-maya ) (7.25) and the other by polarities of longing and aversion. When one is transcended, the other is automatically surpassed. Ignorance is the first level of delusion and misery is its consequence. This misery is nothing but the pain one eventually experiences while chasing its polar opposite -pleasure. The next level of delusion is suppression where one gets trained to put up a pleasing personality 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 of witne...

K rishna says his lower nature ( apara-prakriti ) is manifested (man) and higher nature ( para-prakriti ) is the life-element which is unmanifested. 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), and knower of past, present and future (7.26). Yoga-maya is like being in a room full of mirrors, each reflecting us and making it impossible for us to see what lies beyond . 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 bless...

K rishna mentioned that four types of devotees worship him; to remove their difficulties ( aarta ), to attain success ( artharthi ), to obtain knowledge ( jigyasu ) and a jnani (wise) (7.16). He elaborates about the jnani and says that the jnani who is nitya-yukta (ever steadfast) with single pointed devotion is the best among all devotees. I am extremely dear to jnani and he is dear to me (7.17). At the end of many janma (births), such a person attains wisdom and reaches Me (7.19). The phrase ‘many janma ’ is usually interpreted to mean that we should go through many births to become the jnani . Another interpretation is also possible by taking ‘ janma ’ as a generic word rather than specific to the creation of our physical body. It can be ‘ janma ’ of a situation or circumstance around us which is a continuous process. These can be favourable or painful, but each of them has the potential to teach us something. It is about how quickly we learn without getting attac...

  E xistence is the coherence of manifested (man) and unmanifested ( Paramatma ). Basic interactions happen at a man-to-man level with disregard to Paramatma ; Krishna termed this as the path of demons (7.15). The next level of interaction is between man and Paramatma . This transition starts as one gets tired of chasing mirages or is vexed by misery. In this regard, Krishna says these interactions or worship between man and Paramatma are of four types. The first category of worshippers wants to get rid of their difficulties, the second want to attain wealth, success or peace of mind, the third want to attain knowledge and the fourth are jnani (wise) (7.16). He says that the first three, who are otherwise deprived of wisdom, approach different forms (Gods) to fulfil their desires (7.20). This is like consulting the concerned doctor based on the ailment. He further says that when they worship with shraddha (devotion or trust), He (Krishna) makes that shraddha unf...