Gita 08.24 – Astrological positions and psychological dispositions contribute to the soul’s liberation
Bhagavad Gita 8.24 Here Krishna begins the description of the processes of one of the means of departure. Now, this verse can be understood at various levels and we look at some of the ways of understanding this verse.
Literally, Agnir Jyotir Ahashukla. So Agni at the time of the fire, light, day, the waxing fortnight, Shanmasa Uttarayanam. So when all these are there and at that time when a person departs from the world.
So what happens at that time? Krishna is speaking that such a person, Brahma Brahma Vidho Janaha, such a person will attain the supreme destination. Now, Brahma Brahma Vidho, he is saying that those who are knowers of Brahma, those Janaha, those people, they will attain Brahma. Tatra Prayata Gacchanti, Prayata, on departure from this world, Gacchanti, they will go to.
Agnir Jyotir Ahashukla. Now literally, this can refer to time. Shanmasa Uttarayanam.
So we know that Vishwapitama, he had the capacity of Iksha Mrityu. Accordingly, he could die at any time. But he waited for the Uttarayan to begin.
Uttarayan. So Uttarayan means moving. So Ramayan is the journey of Ram.
Uttarayan is the journey towards the Uttar, the north. That means we know there are different ways of looking at the cosmology. But from the cosmology that we are familiar with through our education system, basically it appears to the observer on the earth that the sun moves towards the north for six months, north in the sky and sun moves towards the south for six months.
Now, in the Vedic conception from which the Bhagavad Gita is derived, the astrological positions are intimately connected with psychological dispositions. The astrological positions are intimately connected with psychological dispositions. Thus it is that we see that, for example, now we have the English word lunacy.
Lunacy means madness. Somebody is a lunatic. That means that person is a madman.
So now if we see the adjective for the moon is lunar. Thus we have lunar valleys or we have lunar eclipse. These are all words related to the moon.
And this word lunar is coming from the same root as the word lunacy. So the underlying idea is that there is the widespread notion that the moon is somehow connected with human psychological conditions. So because of lunar influences, sometimes people become lunatics.
Now, in the age of science, we may say this is just nonsense that how can human behavior be affected by anything like this? But we all know that when it comes to human behavior, especially in terms of what prompts our emotions in what ways, modern science is actually very, it has its limitations. The brain is like a big black hole. And although a lot of light has been put in the black hole, but that has only shown how big the hole is.
And further, even if we could say painstakingly and exhaustively document the various correlations between the firings of neurochemicals and experience of emotions, still how those chemicals generate emotions would be a question that would be outside the jurisdiction of science. So the movement of our emotions is often affected by mysterious forces beyond human understanding, quite often beyond human comprehension. And one of those forces is the astrological positions.
So this whole chapter has been about cultivating appropriate psychological disposition at the time of death. And for that purpose, cultivating, striving for that appropriate psychological disposition throughout one's life also. So antakalichamameva was 8.4. Smaranmuktuakalevaram, Krishna said that if you remember me at the time of death, you will attain me.
And for doing that, practically, that was 8.5. In 8.7, Krishna said that, tasmat sarvesu kalesu mamanasmarayantichit, therefore, always remember me. And the whole process of yoga also is ultimately for cultivating an appropriate psychological disposition. So here, Krishna is saying that, actually, if we cultivate this proper psychological disposition, if we cultivate this proper mood of understanding things, then if we can strive for the remembrance of Krishna, we can attain Krishna.
And the psychological dispositions, the way we think, what sort of emotions are generated in that, what sort of drives we feel, these have a strong connection with the astrological positions. Because ultimately, the astrological positions are not just the results of impersonal mechanical forces. Yes, they are there.
But those impersonal mechanical forces are the tools which personal beings use. And those same personal beings also control the psychological mechanisms, the psychophysical mechanisms of the body. So thus there is a correlation.
This is within our frame of understanding, we can understand this correlation through this example that there are correlations, there are connections like this. And the whole subject of astrology is based on analyzing these connections so that one can make certain predictions. And with those predictions, one can move onwards in seeking and achieving a deeper understanding of things.
And especially the patterns of one's behavior, the kind of events that may befall one in the future, and best responses to those. So, of course, at present, astrology is not the discussion. And we will discuss the specifics about this phenomena in the next verse.
But here, the key point for us to recognize is that we are not isolated in our struggle to control the mind. There is a whole cosmic system. And to the extent we can plug into the system, to the extent we can channel this energy for our benefit, and to the extent we are plugged out of the system, to that extent, we are all alone in dealing with the plethora of forces that operate within the cosmos.
Both the dark forces that drag us down, as well as the bright forces that bring us up. The influence of these forces comes to a head during the moment of death. And at that time, if you have cultivated the proper consciousness, if the yogi who has learnt to discipline one's psychophysical movements can time one's departure from this world because of the capacity to control one's body to some extent, so accordingly the yogis also develop the proper capacity to choose the time of departure from one's body.
And if one can time one's departure appropriately, when the astrological positions are aligned favorably for the elevation and liberation of the soul, then those astrological positions combined with the appropriate psychological disposition propels the soul towards spiritual liberation. Thank you.