Gita 18.40 – The universality of the malady underscores the necessity of the remedy

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
thank you so here Krishna is talking about how the bondage of the modes is universal no one is free from this bondage there is no one on the whole earth or for that matter even in the heavens even among the gods refers to here not the mode of goodness but to existence the word has both meanings and here Krishna is saying anywhere in existence no one is free from what these three modes which are which are born of material nature and no one is free from the bondage these modes because prior to this from verse 20 onwards Krishna has discussed how the modes pervade not just all of material nature that he has discussed in 14th chapter and how specific human actions fall in the three modes has been discussed in the 17th chapter in the 19th chapter Krishna here in the 18th chapter rather Krishna discusses how the various factors of action jnana, karma, karta dhruti, buddhi, dhruti and sukha these six components from verses 20 to 39 Krishna discusses how they all fall within the three modes and in this way Krishna is concluding that the influence of the modes is universal and no one is free from their binding influence now what is the implication of this the implication is that actually it is impossible to be freed from this bondage as long as we are in material existence we are within the modes so by understanding the universality we understand the gravity now if a disease is there all over the world then we understand it is a big big disease Ebola for example in recent times is there in Africa that is a bad problem but from there if it spreads everywhere then it becomes an even more alarming problem so here Krishna is saying that all of material existence is pervaded by the infection of the modes and this is supering analysis of the extent of the influence of the modes will be used by Krishna as a launching pad for discussing the process by which we can transcend the modes so from the next verse from 41st onwards where Krishna talks about Varanashram and within that Bhagwatarpit Karma Yoga he talks about Karma Yoga then Gyan Yoga then Bhakti Yoga talks about ladder and then in 18.56 it marks a significant transition that Bhakti Yoga is not just the top yoga as is mentioned as this hierarchy demonstrates as the seeker goes from Karma Yoga through Gyan Yoga to Bhakti Yoga but he says Bhakti Yoga can be practiced to wherever a person is so whatever work one may be doing still one can become elevated so here Krishna is telling that actually whatever be the extent of the infection by the modes Bhakti Yoga is the cure all for all levels of infection so the karma that people do are determined by their modes those who are in goodness have Brahmanical duties Brahma Karma 18.42 for those who are in passion now if we move downwards from wherever we are we are currently in a mixture of various modes with the lower modes which are predominant in today’s culture often becoming dominant in our conditioned nature also so they often make us behave in non-devotional or anti-devotional ways by dragging us towards sense objects and worldly things in general but along with that the modes also check our journey towards Krishna so by knowing that the influence of the modes is pervasive we can seek to transcend through the appropriate process and the best process is Bhakti Yoga but we cannot take Bhakti Yoga seriously as long as we think that the problem is not very serious so by remembering that the modes are deluding and binding everyone and even we even if we feel that I am not subjected to the modes right now we can become subjected at any moment and we can become dragged down therefore we need to fight such influence by consistent practice of Bhakti Yoga so when we pray, when we chant at that time remembering that our perceptions of Krishna and Bhakti Yoga are often distorted by our conditionings so remembering that when we don’t feel like chanting when we don’t feel like doing Bhakti at that time if you remember these feelings are coming because of the modes and if I just persevere in connecting with Krishna the infection of the mode will subside and my the natural attraction of the soul, of my soul for Krishna will manifest so this understanding enables us to march steadily on our devotional journey even when our feelings are leading us away or holding us back so our feelings lead us elsewhere when they create attraction for sense objects within us and they hold us back when they make Krishna seem not so attractive but either way instead of feeling resentful why am I not feeling devotional we should think that yes actually this is the proof that the mode bondage is there and if I just keep persevering then I will also get the demonstration the empirical confirmation that the practice of Krishna Bhakti does transcend the influence of the modes and my feelings change the same apathy what was there towards Krishna and Krishna Bhakti sometime ago had come from the modes will go if I persist in practicing bhakti consistently and that will demonstrate to us the illusoriness of the perceptions created by the modes and reality and the potency of bhakti in delivering higher illumination and higher taste so chanting is an opportunity for us to break free from this bondage that universally binds all living beings in material existence so that which is binding all living beings we have an opportunity to escape by cultivating remembrance of Krishna Thank you