Gita 11.55 – Absorption comes by harmonizing action and intention

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This can be stressed in the next verse. Thank you. Krishna is speaking in the last words of the 11th chapter and here he states how one can attain him.

This 11th chapter is called Vishwa Rupa, Vishwa Rupa Darshan. And Krishna has, after revealing the Vishwa Rupa, including the, it's called the Rupa Vinchar. Krishna is being requested by Arjuna, please show your soundly Rupa.

And Krishna fulfils Arjuna's anguished request, anguished because Arjuna was horrified by seeing the ghastly effects of the Vishwa Rupa. So now, here Krishna is telling how one can attain him. So in this verse it is, in this chapter, it has been conclusively demonstrated both through Arjuna's desire for no longer seeing the Vishwa Rupa and also from Krishna's own previous statements that his personal form is the highest revelation.

And now Krishna is telling over here how he can be attained in his personal manifestation. So, it is stated over here that by working for me, by doing my work, making me the supreme Lord, becoming my devotee and giving up material association and attachment, while not being individual towards any living being, such a person will surely be able to attain me. So in this verse, the Maam, self-reference, comes three times in terms of the instruction given to Arjuna and it comes once in terms of the assurance given by Krishna.

And it has a Maam-like point about it. So four times the word Maam is a good indicator that this verse is actually referring to an exalted state, a state of focused devotion to Krishna. It is the personal form of Krishna who is giving instructions.

Now moving onwards, we have here the understanding that Krishna himself is speaking about how to attain him. So let us look at the Maam self-references here. Mat-karma-kriya, doing my work, making me the supreme Lord and Mat-bhakta, becoming my devotee.

Now these three are distinct. Mat-karma-kriya means it is actually doing Krishna's work. Doing what Krishna instructs us to do for his pleasure.

Then sometimes we may do some other person's work but that person is not our goal. In fact in material life, a subordinate may do the work of the boss but the boss is not the goal. In fact often replacing the boss is the goal.

Often taking up the position of the boss is the goal. Mat-karma-kriya, Mat-bhakta. So in devotional life a devotee never wants to replace or displace Krishna.

A devotee wants to place themselves repeatedly and eternally at the feet of Krishna. So making Krishna the ultimate goal, that is indicated. What way to make Krishna our goal? By becoming his devotee.

So to the extent we recognize the fact that our goal is to become devoted to Krishna, to offer our heart to Krishna, to devote ourselves to him in his personal manifestation, to that extent, Mat-bhakta. Sanghavajita Sanghavajita refers to without any attachments. So as devotees, if we keep this in mind, usually we are habituated to doing one thing to get another thing.

We do our job to get money. Mostly students study to get marks. So because of this disconnectedness between the action and the intention, often there is the tendency to take or refuse to presume that disconnectedness in our bhakti also.

That means we strive to fix the mind on Krishna while expecting something else. What will happen by my fixing the mind on Krishna? That's what we often tend to think. And that disconnectedness prevents us from wholeheartedly fixing the mind on Krishna because we are expecting some other goal.

And further, we are unlike any other object. Our job may not be very interesting, studies may be monotonous or burdensome, whereas remembrance of Krishna is actually joyful. And that joyfulness of the remembrance of Krishna can be tasted to the extent we position ourselves as seeking only that.

To the extent we remind ourselves. There is nothing beyond Krishna. And the goal of Krishna Bhakti is further Krishna Bhakti.

By remembering this, we can absorb ourselves in Krishna with far greater dedication and devotion. And thereby get far greater taste in that devotional absorption.