Gita study Mumbai 2012- 02.48-54 Understanding and living the three definitions of yoga

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
In the first verse, Krishna gives a preliminary definition of yoga. He defines yoga in three verses, 48, 50 and 15. In 48, he defined yoga as samatma.
Krishna introduced the word yoga for the first time in verse 39. So now, he has given the first definition of yoga as samatma. Samatma is equal man in the team.
Then, in verse 15, he will give the definition of yoga. Yoga is the arc of all work. And then, in 53, he will give the highest definition of yoga.
In one sense, Krishna’s definitions are progressive. Here it is, samatma, that is, equal man in the team. Then in 53, it is karma-sutaushalam, that is, arc of work.
Then in 53, it is samadha-sachanadhi, that is, intelligence fixed in samadhi. So what does this mean, these three definitions? They are progressive levels. At one level, we want to become spiritually minded.
First, we have to become at least a little bit unexcited about complete loves and hurts. If we just think that emotional problems are so deep that they will be destroyed, then we can’t even think about Krishna. Because our true consciousness will be part of it when we solve the problem.
Or if we think spiritual pleasures are so wonderful, how can I live without them? Then also we will have no consciousness available to fix it in Krishna. So spiritual life in one sense begins with equal man in the team. And of course, at the pure and realised level also, we will be naturally equalised.
I mean ups and downs. But as sadhvikas, we need to have some level of equanimity. So equanimity is one level, which you can say is the starting level.
Then beyond that, it’s not that the equanimity is a frozen inactivity. It’s not that to be equanimous, a person is always going to be just sitting doing nothing. And he thinks that if I do something, then I’ll get some result, I’ll not get some result.
Then what is the use? Then I’ll lose my equanimity that in both ways. If I get a result, I’ll become happy. If I don’t get a result, I’ll become miserable.
So therefore, let me not do any activity. Then I’ll just be equanimous. That is not how Krishna is going to be.
The next level is a harmless equation. It is that Kaushalya is expert, artistic, art of work. That means there is a special way to do work.
Everybody is going to do work. If people have an idea, work is worship. So Jai Radha Maharashtra says that work is worship.
And the donkey is the greatest worshipper. He works harder than everyone. So it’s not that work in and of itself is worship.
Work can become worship. And when will work become worship? When it is done in a proper way. And what is that proper way? That proper way should be the state of consciousness.
So that is what Krishna is going to talk about here. How can you draw two circles over here? And say, see it’s right here. See, in one sense, work and worship are two distinct things.
Because work is in the material realm. And worship is connected with God. You see, this is the circle of… This is the circle of work.
And then you have the circle of worship. Work is what we do in this world. For the purpose of our bodily maintenance or for our mental prosperity.
Worship is what we do for God. So, when I say work is worship, the phrase itself is very ambiguous. Does that mean that work itself is the object of worship? Very difficult to agree with that.
If at all there is the object of worship, if there is the wealth that I get from work, that is object of worship. Because wealth, money is God. But if one is genuinely thinking that, yes, I want to worship God through my work.
Actually, if you look in the 18th chapter, where Krishna will describe, that, So, actually, This is often mis-translated as working worship. But what is the svakarmanam of worship? Actually, it is something substantially different. Svakarmanam, by one’s own work, come from worship, worship Him.
That means, the verse is telling, it is not that work is worship. Make your work into a worship. Or, worship Him with your work.
This is 1846. That means, that Krishna is telling, that it is not that automatically work will be worship Him. So, we have to do something special by which our work will become worship Him.
And what is that special? That is the art of worship. That is the consciousness. So, there is a circle of work, there is a circle of worship.
Now, we have to add the intersection of worship. If I only do worship, say, I am doing pity worship, I am chanting the holy names, then, actually speaking, yes, I am worshipping, but I am not doing anything directly in this way. Or, if I am going out and doing engineering studies, or I am going out and doing a software job, or I am running my own business, then I am doing my work.
But then, there is rarely what I am doing in worship. So, in one sense, work is what we do in the world. Worship is what we do for Krishna.
So, where is the intersection? Actually, the common element, then if I worship Him either in the temple or in the temple room of our house, work would be in our office. So, the venues are different. And largely, the activities are also different.
Worship, we have generally, I’ll say, just the small devotional activities. So, if we see, the venues and activities, both are different. So, here, actually, both of them have their distinctive places, venues, and activities.
But what is common, definitely, is the consciousness. The same person, who is having his consciousness here, and his consciousness here, the same person who is doing this, and who is doing that. So, if our consciousness is fixed in Krishna, then that work will become worship.
So, what is common is consciousness. And only when, that means, I am physically in my world, but my heart is still in my worship, that means, I am physically in this world, is going to Krishna. Then that work will become worship.
So, work and worship, the places and actions, are different. The consciousness can be the same. Now, the consciousness can be the same.
Now, which consciousness should be there? Should the work consciousness come to worship, or should the worship consciousness come to work? Yeah. Now, for most people, the work consciousness comes to worship. What does that mean? That means, I come to worship, I think, oh, this problem is there, okay, this problem is there, I have solved that, I have solved that.
So, then, even the worship becomes a work. So, work doesn’t become worship. Worship becomes a work.
That means, worship is something to be called and get it done. So, if work consciousness comes to worship, then even worship becomes work. By work, I mean mundane.
And if worship consciousness comes to work, then even work becomes, even work becomes worship. So, work is mundane, worship is divine. This is implicitly possible.
This is implicitly possible. But it is not automatic. That is to be conscious, and to know it well.
And what is that I taught? That I’ve got to say, I’ve gone in sadhana, I’ve got to do education, I’ve got to understand it. The spiritual goal of life is to understand it. And now that I’m trying to achieve it in this world, I’ve got to achieve something beyond this world.
And this world is the means to achieve that. This world is the arena for my service. This world is not the goal of my service.
What is the difference between arena and service? Arena is the thing something is done. This person is the arena for my service. It’s not that I want to win this world as a goal of my service.
This world is the arena of my service. The next world is the goal of my service. Only when that is there together, then actually the work will be accomplished.
So this world is the arena of our service. Arena means the place where actually we are done. And the next world is the goal of our service.
So otherwise, if this world is the arena and this world is the goal, then that work did not work. That work is simply work. Only when there is a proper balance of both, then the work will be done.
So, in the last definition, which I have given, it is said, In the last definition, it explains that actually, when a person is completely fixed in consciousness, completely fixed in consciousness, then he is achalabh. He is fixed. That is, in the achieving of his state of fixation.
This is the beginning of Krishnananda Swamsh. So, what is he telling in this particular world? Arjuna resituated in India. And resituated in India, that means, someone dead brought.
Shiva, that has to be replaced. And he makes it more clear, what does it mean? Siddhya, Siddhya, someone will be brought. That is, being equal to all is not happening in this world.
It is mid-day and late. And this is the planning mechanism called as yoga. Now, what is the result of this? Before telling that, Krishnananda pointed out, I will present to you some other kind of thing.
In this world, what is he recommending? Catastrophe. And the next word is to be more explicitly contrasted with detachment. Always contrasted with earlier.
Earlier, in 41, 42, 43, 44 million, 24 million, Bodhisattva, he had not positively described how to perform karma. Or how to do away with that. He just glorified it.
Which is one-pointed in this. I can determine this. I am talking about this.
How to do it? So now, he is talking about the difference not in theory, but in practical action. What is the difference in this kind of an instance? In this kind of a life, in this kind of a life. The ever-disturbing senses.
What are the different senses? Ever-disturbing. It is not that the senses are going to come to rest. Only when they become purified and they have won the war.
Till then, it will be like ever-disturbing senses. Let’s go to the next verse. दुरे यवरं कर्मा दुद्धि योगा धनं जया दुद्धव शर्णमन्विच्छा तुपना पलहे तवा दुद्धव शर्णमन्विच्छा अवरं कर्मा So वरं means blessing.
अवरं means that is not blessed. That is cursed. Inauspicious.
दुरे यवरं कर्मा अवरं दुद्धि योगा धनं भवान दुद्धि लगे Why do you do that? Practise it with me. That is दुद्धि योगा. Now दुद्धि योगा, Arukshana has used it several times.
दुद्धि योगे जना दुद्धि योगा Actually दुद्धि योगा is not a specific type of yoga. There is no yoga sadhana called दुद्धि योगा. There is कर्मा योगा, जञा योगा, भान योगा, पत्ति योगा.
So what exactly is दुद्धि योगा? So दुद्धि योगा is a sort of is a stretchable term. Stretchable term. Stretchable means what? Like a rubber band stretches.
So it is a stretchable term. And it has different agendas of meaning. Different conjugations and everything else.
Stretchable term that literally means, what does it literally mean? It’s connection to intelligence. That’s what it literally means. And it practically means for example in chapter 2 in Krishna Goswami’s it refers to कर्म योगा.
Then in chapter 10 he refers to it in 10.10, famous verse. Then again in 18 he refers to it एनि पित्व समस्थमः तर्मानि सन्यसि मत्परा तुद्धियो रुपाशित्य मचित्ता सच तन्दा भावनुभी 7 There it refers to तुद्धियो. So you know the योगा letter is कर्म योगा, जञा योगा, जञा योगा, समगम जञा योगा.
They are like steps in the yoga. So दुध्धियोगा is a stretchable term that can refer to the कर्म योगा letter or it can refer to the दुध्धियोबरना. So the words, only missionaries have proven use.
In sentences in real language, in real life. Words have always found just used. So depending on what Krishna is talking about, according to Krishna we use specific words.
Now in principle, Buddhi yoga is the conjunction, is the compound word. There are two parts of Buddhi yoga. Yoga is connection.
Connection with the Absolute Truth. So connection with the Absolute Truth. 5,6,7,8,9,10,11,6.
So our intentions can be at the Atma level. That I understand I am on the body and the soul. Therefore, I want nothing to do with my feelings.
And therefore, let me be detached from my feelings. So when does Buddhi yoga mean Karma Yoga? When the Buddhi refers to Atma Jnana. And when the Buddhi is based on Bhagwat Jnana.
Knowledge of God. Then it will refer to Bhakti Yoga. So for Yoga, I have to connect.
What do I have to connect with? To connect with some higher Jnana. If my knowledge of the higher Jnana is right from the Atma. Then I will be trying to connect with the Atma.
To connect with which I am actually the Atma. But I am trying to connect my consciousness. I am trying to realise that I am the Atma.
So in Karma Yoga, a person is trying to realise that I am the Atma. He has erotical knowledge. He is trying to do sadhana by which he realises that he is the Atma.
So when the Buddhi is at the level of Atma Jnana. Then the Yoga that will perform with that Buddhi will be Karma Yoga. When the Buddhi is at the level of Bhagwat Jnana.
Knows God. Knows Krishna. Then what is performed is actually to please Krishna.
To realise Krishna. And to love Krishna. At that level, Buddhi Yoga will be Karma Yoga.
So that is why it is a stretching rhythm. In this context, it is better to do primary Karmic Yoga. So while Buddhi Yoga is open Jnana.
Keep in auspicious birth pattern. Udbhava, Krishna Veda and Anubhava Jnana. Now see the difference.
When Krishna Veda raises to 66. Mom take my Shravanam. Surrender unto me.
But Krishna has not yet revealed himself. In that world. Therefore he is saying surrender to the intelligence.
Take shelter in wisdom. Shravanam means surrender. Surrender and then change goals.
Go and surrender to wisdom. Take shelter in wisdom. What does that mean? Without wisdom I will just be chasing on the path of wisdom.
When I take shelter in wisdom. Then I will not chase up to do something. I will work with a long term interest in that.
Udbhava, Shravanam, Anubhava. And he said if you don’t do this. For those who don’t do this.
What is the nature? Tukpanama, Pallagi, Tukpanama. Those who work for Palla. For the fruits.
They are Tukpanama. They are. What is the meaning of Tukpanama? How is Tukpanama related? Mindfulness.
You know. Mindfulness is a very interesting word. In the sense that.
We know that Mindfulness are. People who don’t spend money. So now what is the profile of this Tukpanama? If you remember in 2.7.4. 2.7.4. And 2.7.4. From the.
Dhritarashtra Upanishad. Lok Gargi. I mean.
Tukpanama. That one who. In the case of Gargi.
His wife. That one who departs. From this world.
Without doing good deeds. He is a Tukpanama. So.
What is. For a Tukpanama. Exactly got to do with the miser.
Miser. Contains the idea. Of a person who has a lot of money.
Who is not spending it. So then. What does it mean? Does it mean? See.
In the human life. The. Wealth that we have.
Is of importance. What is that humans have higher value. Is of importance.
So. Shankaracharya says that. Kama.
Roh. Vishwa. Noh.
Devhe. Vishwati. Askarata.
Kama. Roh. Vishwa.
Noh. Vishwa. Devhe.
Vishwati. Askarata. Jnanatma.
Apaharaya. Asma. Jagrata.
Jagrata. This is. Devhe.
Vishwati. Askarata. Askarata means.
The most greedy. In the world. You are the.
Kama. what do they do? naam rathu apaharaya they steal away the jewel of knowledge tasma jantrute jantruta like if there are if there are thieves today and the villagers might have chowkidaks, guards going on jantrute ho, jantrute ho they say like that jantrute jantrute you are missing something so the bell what they are trying to do here is so here we have krupana and here we have materialist so what exactly is common between the two so krupana, what is his he has money is his bell so what is the bell over here money for the materialist what is his bell it is his, not for materialist this is a materialist materialist means he is a non spiritual person so what is his bell it is the intelligence non spiritual human being so the bell is the intelligence now what does the krupana do with the bell he keeps it locked in a chest he doesn’t use it for his the principle is no use of bell so what does he do he keeps it locked in a chest and unlike the krupana what they do is what they do is they sometimes tie a whole cloth around their stomach so that they digestify so that they don’t feel too hungry if they don’t feel too hungry then why they spend so much money to eat so they say i don’t need to spend money they have bell but they keep it locked in a chest and they don’t use it so like that what does a non spiritual human being do he keeps his intelligence locked in, he keeps sleeping writing differently he has intelligence and he will surely use it but he will use it only for this purpose what does he do he is not intelligent there are two kinds of intelligence the people are extremely intelligent the people are extremely intelligent it’s not like say mobile and cell phone and everything else a lot of intelligence but unfortunately they can’t get intelligence locked into their own keeping sleeping in a chest that’s what they ultimately do to themselves and don’t think about anything else and then now for a krupana if he doesn’t use his bell he keeps it locked in a chest and what is going to happen the end result he is going to die without any happiness similarly so what is the end result over here for a krupana the end result is death without any enjoyment similarly for non spiritual that is death without any spiritual credits what he could have got he doesn’t get death without any spiritual and that’s why a person is condemned so this is the meaning of krupana krupana for the people for the people one chases after the fools now what are the fools doing here the fools are going to be eating people eating their own food and aspects led with that so when he is caught up in that then he can’t even think of eating and then too there is a bit of atma dhyana people are krupana don’t be like that and what is avaram karma avaram karma is non spiritual which this verse is going to just see for the confusion for Arjuna based on which he will ask a question in the bhajans so avaram karma means inauspiciousness so krishna is saying what is inauspicious to the human karma but going to heavens and enjoying over there there is also going to be avaram karma because there will be one bound cycle of heaven but Arjuna thinks avaram karma will be unthinkable so because of this ambiguity because of this ambiguity of what is avaram karma avaram karma for Arjuna and for krishna is different so for krishna it is what he is talking about is karma karma that keeps one bound in samsara and for Arjuna it is fighting a war that brings sinful relationships so basically what has happened is krishna is talking at a high level but Arjuna has not ascended to that level and that’s why there will be a confusion after this that for krishna and for Arjuna same word is used but the meaning is different so we will resolve this confusion we will come to the solution of this confusion I will now question 3.1 and 2 right here this is what krishna has said the word which will keep you bound is karma take away your intelligence let it be your species then what does krishna say after that what should you do so take shelter of your spirit understand your atman know your passions how should one work in this relationship so to be active in this world we will be able to get rid of jahanis to be a super we are good and bad krishna is not giving you a path he is giving you a punya avaram karma means anything that you take away from krishna even punya is a good it will be bound to exist we have an example of somebody who is so attached to punya that they invented krishna avaram and to baba punya so attached to punya is it virtuous it will be good to krishna so punya is good krishna so now krishna expanding on 39.1 he says krishna is karma krishna is krishna therefore arjuna and yoga so now what is art of work art of work is to liberate and now here we will be able to come to the dialogues or to the results what will happen after that what will be the result of practise of karma yoga remember in verse 15 krishna repeated but now we will elaborate it once again karma janmabhuti uttahi karma janmabhuti uttahi earlier krishna had told long sword now here krishna is giving higher resolution long sword how long would it take to attain when will i attain that krishna is telling in the next two verses prasad prasad prasad prasad prasad prasad prasad prasad so this is slightly graphic or metaphoric language prasad What does this refer to? Shota vesu means past, promises and hopes of the future. It refers to future promises and hopes of the future.
We go beyond the goal. Shota vesu means future. Shota vesu is the past, shota vesu is the future.
That means, specially, that the deep intentions, as long as the intention is in the forest forest of delusion. What is this movement coming up? What is forest of delusion? So when the intelligence is trapped in this forest, it thinks matter can provide enjoyment to the soul. When intelligence comes out of this forest, it realises that no matter can ever provide any enjoyment to the soul.
So, all of us right now are trapped in a deep forest of delusion. In fact, Aliv Gandhi’s mode of life is becoming much, much, much thicker and deeper. So when our intelligence is trapped in the forest of delusion, we think that delusion is a new enjoyment.
And we think that the purpose of intelligence is to get better and better enjoyment. What is the purpose of intelligence? To get better and better enjoyment. That means, as ordinary person who want to educate a teenager, he goes on Baba on the seaside.
I am a software engineer. I will go and eat in the myself. So, the idea is, my intelligence is for getting better and better enjoyment.
Do you remember the song Vidhyaar Gaurave last time? Vidhyaar Gaurave, Vrami Deshe Deshe, Anampajana Gauri, Sojana Pagana, Kovi Ekadama Gauri, Bhulim Kamare Gauri. What is the name? Vidhyaar Gaurave. What was the name of Vidhyaar Gaurave? Vrami Deshe Deshe.
Power. Genome of Gauri. So, to get well, I went here and there.
And what was the ultimate result of that? Sojana Pagana. Kovi Ekadama Gauri. At one point, I was just trying to take care of my family.
Basically, it’s acting at the level of peace, making it happy. So, the intelligence must be seen through with all its promises and dreams. So, when, as you know, you can benefit to the possible level of enjoyment, then you have, the power of superstition.
The first characteristic is by the one who has attained the perfection. Who is ready, you can liberate it from the existence. In the next verse, he describes the next characteristic.
Now, Srila Prabhupada talks about it. So, now, this Mohakarita, what else can refer to advertisements, we can refer to magazines, and books we shop about in Hindu genre. In Arjuna’s cultural contents, it refers to the various pictures which promise heavenly enjoyment.
And Krishna is telling you that you have to go beyond the Shruti. Shruti here refers to the Karmakand pictures, which in Hindu happen in Hindu genre. So, he is talking over here about Madhavendra Guru’s example.
How is a person, he is inclined to all the dharmic rituals. He says, it’s only the spiritual, I don’t want to. Sandhya, Vandana, Atharvastu, very good.
Or the most, Sanatubhyamana, Sandhya Vandana is in the right wing. Sanatubhyamana, yes, I don’t sanatubhyamana, no, but I want to do the sanatubhyamana, I just offer obeisances to you. Pidrashtakarapandino namah shivam shivam All the literals, they have to be worshipped.
I offer obeisances, but forgive me, I don’t worship. Why I am not worshipping? Yadava-puduttisya, comes in this. Nishah, smaran smaran dumdurami.
Just like when I am doing the Yajna Purana, at the time, I repeat the nonsense, and I don’t mean anything. So, what he is saying over here, I had scriptures from the school, you do this, because people dismiss this. You do this, you get so much enjoyment.
So, here, Prabhupada is giving a particular example of a person who has gone beyond the level of human. That’s why he is putting this verse here. He got attracted to NUV, very virtuously after this.
And Prabhupada explained that, shakta-dandana he got, this is in tamasic chapter, person who is transcending the limit of shakta-dandana, shakta-dandana is the very literature, he can do whatever he wants, he can do for that you need to get chitra-bhakti. And I tell you, most of the people are higher level, but not beyond the level of generosity. So, Krishna made it clear in this verse.
Shruti-viprati-pannate Shruti-viprati-pannate yadah saasyati nishchana yadah saasyati nishchana nama vachana buddhi nama nama vachana buddhi yadah yoga namah akshasi yadah yoga namah akshasi So, Shruti, Shruti-viprati-pannate is the viprati-pannate now, that which is different kinds of you hear it, but you are not influenced by it. Yadah saasyati situated nishchana un-unshaked then samadhi Samadhi 2.43 is related with 2.44 samadham There you cannot attain Samadhi, it is 100% Samadha, Ajna. That is unshakeable, non-reversible process.
Then you attain Jyotindra. So, Prabhupada explains how to attain Samadhi means once you have actually attained, realisation of Jyotindra. And this is attained by carrying the instruction of the spiritual master.
So now, at this point, Arjuna, as a questioner, he is hearing this, he has heard about this perfection, beyond Hyderabad, he has been there. And then he is in Hyderabad, he has got an unrestricted line of promises. Now Arjuna, Krishna has got a lot to learn about Ramayana and Jyotindra.
Arjuna is thinking, if Krishna wants me to become a contact person, then he is such a person, I don’t want that. Because in the English context, it is pointing, isn’t it? So it is said that when a speaker speaks, the audience hears only 20%. That means they are right.
And God knows which 20% they will take. So out of that, everybody will take 20%, whatever they like. So what is happening is, and generally the 20% that they take is based on what is written in their mind.
So what does Arjuna write? Therefore we ask, and to answer that question, we ask, because here, the description is a little abstract. The person will not be disturbed by any practise, any promises, any enjoyment. But how can I recognise the person? That is what Arjuna asks in the next question.
Here, Krishna has concluded that he is not a yoga. He is not in a sense exhausted. But this particular answer is confusing.
And Arjuna asks the question, what can we do? What can we do? Krishna says, Now if you look at the language, what is this Bhashna? What is, how does he, how does he speak? How does he say? How does he walk? Now, obviously, Arjuna is not asking Krishna, about a model walking in a fashion brand. Isn’t it? What is his style of walking? What is his style of sitting? Now, it’s obvious. In some situations, the literal meaning is clearly not there.
And that’s why the deeper meaning is true. So the literal meaning, in some cases, it’s so obvious that it doesn’t work over there. That you have to go there.
But when the literal meaning works, then you should not go there. So, let’s go to the meaning over here. Mukhyamukhi was a non-mukhi.
We have already discussed about this. So when should non-mukhi be used? Non-mukhi only when mukhyamukhi contradicts other major mukhi statements. That means, when mukhyamukhi is a direct meaning, non-mukhi is a indirect meaning.
If you look at mukhyamukhi, it is certainly already Krishna has told you about the body also. It’s certainly, the subject here is not about body, walking style or sitting style. Therefore, mukhyamukhi will directly contradict the essential thing that is being talked about.
And overall, the frequency of the use of mukhyamukhi will be far, far greater. It is not that in every verse, Arjuna is trying to go to Gaurav. What is the meaning of this? No.
That was if you look at the direct meaning. And when the direct meaning doesn’t work, then, therefore, the mukhyamukhi, it should be used mindedly. Occasionally, gaurav mukhyamukhi is used.
Till now, in the Bhagavad Gita, there is no reason to use gaurav mukhi. Primarily, just to understand that Arjuna represents us and gaurav is like a child. At least in music, for a broad setting, but not in general.
Now, what do these questions mean from this point of view? bhasha, now, in our normal, bhasha means language. But, actually, what about vandana-yajna-mukhi for instance? Bhashyati is bhasha. Like we have bhashya.
Bhashya means commentary. So, bhasha refers to that which describes, bhashyati, that which does bhashya, describes, elaborates, or characterises. So, therefore, bhasha refers to can and speak.
What are the characteristics of this? The prabhamshe, that refers to speech. How does the person speak? And asi refers to conscious physical sitting. It refers to how does he control his senses? And vrajye refers to move about.
That means, how does he engage his senses? These four questions can be answered in the remaining chapters of the Vedanta. So, the ka-bhashya can be answered in one verse in 55-58. In 56-57, we answer the bhashya term.
How is this person involved? And 58-65 we talk about how does the person sit? How does the person control his senses? Keep his senses inactive when they are not required to be engaged. And when they are required to be engaged, how does he engage them? That we talk about in 64-57. So, we discuss this in the remaining chapters.