Gita 14.01 The Gita uses diverse frames of analysis to reiterate its consistent conclusion

Transcript

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Thank you Param Bhuya Pravaksham Gyananam Gyanam Uttam Udhyatvam Naya Sarve Param Siddhim Bhagavad Gita 14 chapter 1st text Here we see that Krishna is describing the modes of material knowledge which is the title of this chapter and he is prefacing the description by talking about the three modes by this knowledge as he is glorifying the knowledge in the previous chapter in 13.22 he had talked about how in this world there is only so much that needs to be done so much that can be done but the soul is entangled that and the soul is entangled by the modes so the soul is entangled because of the three modes of material nature and trying to enjoy the products of the modes the concept of the modes has been talked repeatedly in the Bhagavad Gita but here Krishna is going to elaborate specifically what the modes are and how they function and then he’ll preface that knowledge in the first and second verse by talking about how special, how important this knowledge is so Param Bhuvya Pravakshami, he says that Param it is transcendental, it is supreme Bhuvya Pravakshami I am speaking this once again Bhuvya although the specific knowledge about the three modes has not been spoken so much in detail but this specific knowledge of the three modes culminates in knowledge of Bhakti and that has been spoken before so Krishna is going to speak that and that conclusion of Bhakti which is what knowledge is about that is going to be the stress Gyananam Gyanam Uttamam among all forms of knowledge this is the most important knowledge ultimately it is knowledge about our self and our connection with our supreme self with Krishna Gnatvam Unaiya Sarve Param Siddham Itogataham and having acquired this knowledge Gnatvam Unaiya Sarve all the great features they attained perfection Param Siddham Itogataham they attained the supreme perfection of their lives so Krishna is talking here about the feature of life wherein we all can move towards Krishna and we all can attain him so we need to see the connection with the knowledge about the specific features of material existence and the purpose of that knowledge which is not specific which is universal so actually if we do not see this connection between the specific and the universal then we end up caught we feel as if we are not doing anything worthwhile or rather we feel that things are fragmented so sometimes we may read the Bhagavad Gita and it may cover so many diverse topics and sometimes if we read we hear classes on the Bhagavad Gita and they may also go in many diverse directions so unless we have some sense of coherence in what we study we may wonder what exactly is going on over here and the sense of coherence comes when we appreciate that actually the Gita’s knowledge is driven by one common purpose that is to inspire Arjuna to harmonize with Krishna and that harmonization comes through purification that harmonization comes through education education is what can be provided and purification of course one has to strive for it education also one has to strive but it’s more of education can be given externally this is right this is wrong purification, wanting to do that which is right that is something which has to be that inner change of heart has to happen largely through one’s own convictions one’s own decisions but here Krishna is leading to the point of devotional service of focus on pure devotion to Krishna through the analysis of the three modes indeed these last six chapters of the Bhagavad Gita chapters 13 to 18 they are often considered the gyana section of the Gita and these are sections wherein actually the Gita culminates in bhakti so it’s not just gyana but how gyana culminates in bhakti and that is what Krishna is going to talk about the way he talks about it is by encouraging us to purify ourselves giving us the intellectual conviction to purify ourselves through the practice of bhakti without this intellectual conviction we may do certain things but we may not be able to focus we will not be able to sustain those things so especially for those who understand how the modes entangle us and how entrancing and entangling they are then it becomes at that time they get the conviction that actually there is actually no possibility here that one may have to purify oneself there is no question rather that one has to purify oneself in order to apply the conviction or conclusion of that knowledge but that conclusion is something which comes through philosophical conviction or the illusion which the modes create that it’s not easy to overcome them if I do wish to overcome them I have to do something seriously tangible and it’s like when we some people they go to a doctor they understand the medicine this is the medicine the doctor has told me to take it I will take it but some people may not be convinced why do I need to take this medicine? what exactly is wrong with me? how is this medicine going to work? so for them to apply themselves to the treatment sometimes they may need that education and conviction and then especially if the treatment is also demanding if the treatment is something like chemotherapy for cancer where the patient is also going to face some significant consequences then in such a situation it is best that the patient actually it is best the patient get educated the doctor provide the education so that the patient can apply oneself with conviction about how firstly about how they how dangerous the disease is and how it is going to eventually create trouble more and more pain and misery and also how the medicine is going to work so similarly in this chapter when Krishna is saying I am giving the same knowledge again he is giving the same knowledge which is the conclusion that is bhakti which he has talked about earlier the build up to that knowledge has not been spoken before the build up is that he is giving it through the framework of the analysis of the three modes of material nature especially for people who need intellectual conviction in order to take up anything then when they understand how entangling and entrancing and entangling the modes are then they understand how Krishna exists above the three modes of material nature and therefore he can free us from them when somebody is bound and then they understand that somebody is liberated and that liberated person can liberate me so with that understanding they can get more conviction and then they can actually practice bhakti and when they practice bhakti idam so that then they become liberated parambhuya pravakshami jnananam jnanam jnanatva munaya sarve that by knowing this that means my knowledge is not just theoretical its application by applying what has been taught over here param siddhi mitho gatha attain the supreme destination, the word para is used twice over here for the knowledge and for the destination provided by