Gita 14.14 – Our mental condition is consequential, as is the meditation for improving it

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
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He talks about how the situation within the modes determines the destination after death. So depending on which mode we are situated in, at the time of death, accordingly, we will get a different destination. So here he states, यदा सत्त्वं प्रवृद्धेतो When the mode of goodness is prominent, at that time, तू, certainly, प्रलयम् याति देहभ्रेत प्रलयम् प्रलयम् means destruction, it also means death.
Death is bodily destruction. So याति देहभ्रेत, याति attains, देहभ्रेत, the embodied soul. The embodied soul attains while dying when the mode of goodness is prominent.
तद उत्तम विदाम लोकान उत्तम विदाम लोकान विदाम means know. उत्तम विदाम means those who know well, those who know higher truths beyond the darkness of material existence. लोकान, therefore, अमलान प्रतिपत्यते, अमलान spotless, such souls are pure-hearted and one attains that destination.
So essentially Krishna is saying that departure, death in the mode of goodness grants an auspicious destination. This is not necessarily a transcendental destination but it is certainly a destination which is very close to transcendence and very suitable for propelling one onwards faster to transcendence. So उत्तम विदाम लोकान actually refers to a destination higher even than Svarga.
Of course, people can go to Svarga and Svarga also, the residents have goodness combined with passion. Their goodness is that they follow Vishnu, they follow Shastra. Their passion is that they have abundance and gratification available over there.
But it is all dharmic sense gratification. It is earned by doing punya and it is engaged in by the practice of, it is engaged within the dharmic principles, within the dharmic sanctions, whatever is given for Svarga. So, those who live in goodness, they actually attain an auspicious destination.
If that’s the consciousness they are having at the time of death also. So essentially, Krishna is in this verse stating that we all are products of the modes that we situate ourselves in. That is on a moment to moment and on a lifetime to lifetime basis both.
On a moment to moment basis, if we, for example, are sitting on a chair, slouch and lean back on the backrest or the headrest and close our eyes, then that position is in the mode of ignorance and that position will attract further the mode of ignorance and soon we’ll find ourselves asleep. Now, of course, if the body is weak, the body is exhausted and it needs rest and sleeping is is necessary for the body. But often, if we have had adequate rest and we slouch in the chair because of lethargy, then that initial action of lethargy invites a further stronger attack of the mode of ignorance, which then controls us and drags us deeper into the mode of ignorance.
Similarly, this is a moment to moment variation in our consciousness which is determined by our choices and the mode’s influences. And this dynamism between our choices and the mode’s influences works out from a moment to moment basis and even from a lifetime to lifetime basis. So if at the moment of death, we have situated ourselves in the mode of goodness, then we will attain an auspicious destination and that is assured in this verse.
Now, of course, Krishna has told earlier in 8.5 and 6 the general principle and also the specific application that whatever we remember at the time of death, that’s what we attain. And he said, if you remember me, you will attain me. If you remember me, you will attain me.
Now here, Krishna is giving the same principle but phrased in the terminology and the context of the modes. So, that came in the 8th chapter. Whatever is our bhava, whatever is our mental disposition, that will become our physical condition.
So Krishna is now telling that if our mental condition was in the mode of passion, mode of goodness, then we will get transported to a destination that is largely in the mode of goodness. Uttam Vidham Lokaan So, this analysis helps us understand how consequential our mental condition is. We often think that as long as I am having good money, good house, good position, then how my thoughts are doesn’t matter so much.
But actually our thoughts do matter. And whatever financial, social, cultural position we might be in right now, that is not permanent. And what position we will get in future will be dependent not on the level of our finances or the level of social esteem that we enjoy in society but it will depend on the level of our thoughts, the level of our consciousness.
And our practice of bhakti yoga, our chanting of the holy names is meant primarily to elevate our consciousness, our level of thoughts from a lower level to a higher level. So even if we sometimes feel discouraged, we think that, oh, I am far, I am a long, long way away from pure devotion. And there is no way I can remember Krishna at the time of death.
But still, even if we feel that success is very far away, actually by Krishna’s mercy, that which is far away can come close by in one moment also. Krishna can help us to scale huge distances by helping us make giant leaps on the journey to Him. But even if that doesn’t happen, still if we keep practicing bhakti and we keep contacting Krishna through His various manifestations such as the holy name, then we will be raising our consciousness upwards towards Krishna, towards at least goodness and eventually transcendence.
And even raising our consciousness towards goodness will ensure that we have a good destination and future. So, rather than feeling discouraged, if we are not, if we feel as if we are not going to achieve the goal of pure devotion, we can still keep persevering and try to approach that direction, that destination. And even partial progress on that journey will also grant auspiciousness for us as this verse demonstrates.
So, the attempt to be attentive in our chanting, even if it is not successful, is not in vain. Because even a partial, partial, fractional momentary contact with the holy name will also be raising our consciousness upwards and that raised consciousness will benefit us both in this life and the next.