Gita Study Mumbai 2012 06.35-41: Understanding the Gita flow from dhyana-yoga to bhakti-yoga.mp3

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
We are at the conclusion of the 6th chapter. Last time we discussed Arjuna’s first set of questions.
There is one question which is based on two verses. He says that this was so nearby, it’s not practical because I can’t see fully. Why I can’t see fully is because my mind is too restless.
Then this was on words. Now Krishna will answer in two verses. मनो दुर्णि ग्रांचलां अप्यासे नतु कौंतेय वैराखेन चत्रुवियते वैराखेन चत्रुवियते So Krishna’s word is sympathetic to Arjuna’s principle.
He says, it’s not about Arjuna. Mind is very difficult. मनो दुर्णि ग्रांचलां दुर्णि ग्रांचलां rephrases Krishna’s words for Arjuna’s words.
Sometimes in communication seminars they say that you have to have effective communication on a very tense issue. First, first person has spoken and the second person should have revered it, not just revered and rephrased it but also expressed the emotion so that the other person can be assured that I have understood. After he has understood, then he will answer.
Then the other person can give me answers. So Krishna answers that over here. Yes, I agree with you.
असंच्यमाहाभाव In fact, असंच्यम is a very strong word. Where does Krishna use the word असंच्यम? अनितकालेजिमामेवा प्रयार्थिसमाहाभाव प्रयार्थिसमाहाभाव यत्रसंचेव असंच्यम So असंच्यम, there is no doubt, it is a very strong form of assertion of the mind. There is no doubt about it.
So when he says that that means he fully agrees that the mind is a challenge. In fact, the proper writing of the essence of the is to control the mind. इपन्धसित्तु नित्रहं चरं स्याम नित्रहं मन्ये वायो रिवसिविष्ट So अर्जाने विद्धवर्ड, same word, नित्रहं It is as difficult for me to control as it is to control the reaching mind.
तुर्विविविर्व पायो रिवसिविष्ट पायो So you know that when there are big big hurricanes and the best government can’t do much about it. So all this military and all other forces so what is the use of controlling the wind? And now there are subtle weapons which can induce storms. There is that means there are not subtle weapons in modern science but in the Mahabharata if a weapon is used to invoke storms then another weapon can be used to invoke a mountain.
So वाय व्यास्त्र So then when the mountain is invoked and storm collides with the mountain what happens? The wind just gets stopped. It can’t go any further. It just gets stopped over there.
So that way the wind weapons are also known in Vedic times but still creating a mountain is no easy task. so controlling the mind in that sense is like controlling the reaching mind. It is extremely beautiful.
पायो इवसुदुष्ट so दुष्टरम itself doesn’t mean impossible but it is extremely difficult. करम is to do. दुष्टरम is very difficult to do.
There is a similar bit. दुर्णेक्रम it is very difficult to do. So the first two lines he sympathised with Arjuna and he restated for Arjuna’s sake.
Next two lines he brings back his original mind. Yes it is possible Arjuna. if you do Arjuna, you will be able to control the mind.
practise and detachment. so, interestingly here, Sri Aditya has often posed this section in his books which say how the process of Ashtanga Yoga is impractical for Karma Yoga and that is rejected even by Arjuna. so, some yogis, also Tibetan teachers, they protest this rendition of Srila Prabhupada by saying that actually Arjuna doesn’t reject it, Arjuna says it is difficult and Krishna actually reiterates it.
Krishna does not agree with Arjuna’s rejection. Therefore, Srila Prabhupada is not faithfully representing the Kundalini when he says that only Arjuna rejects what Krishna reiterates and therefore the Bhagavad Gita never rejects the path of Kundalini. and that is true.
In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna doesn’t immediately reject the path of Kundalini. If you see what he is saying over here, he is neither explicitly recommending the path of Kundalini. What he is saying is, there are two questions of Arjuna.
He says, I feel the process is impractical. The second is, the third one says the process is impractical. The fourth one says that the mind is uncontrollable.
Now, Krishna agrees with the second, not the first. That means, or rather Krishna addresses the second question. What is it? The mind is uncontrollable.
Yes, it is very difficult to control. But it is possible to control. And Krishna teaches two broad principles.
Abhyasa and Vairagya. Now, what he is referring to is not at all clear. Abhyasa is practise and Vairagya is detachment.
So, this verse in and of itself is not an endorsement of the Kusumakshanam. Because Abhyasa and Vairagya have to requite with Bhakti. I have to practise in remembrance of Krishna.
And then I have to detach with everything else. So, a yogi also, Abhyasa, he has to practise to turn the mind into words. He has to first fix the eyes on the two words, Bhakti, Pranam, Aveshya, Samyama.
And then he has to practise to say the right things. He has to practise to turn his vision into words. And then he also has to detach from worldly things.
He has to take Bhutya and go to the forest. So, Abhyasa and Vairagya are two broad principles. So, here Krishna does not endorse any particular process.
But he endorses the broad principle that mind can be controlled by these two principles. He gives the broad statement that the mind can be controlled by these two principles. And in fact, next verse, before we discuss this verse further, let’s recite the next verse, which is even more indicative that Krishna has something up his sleeve, which he is not releasing right now.
Asanyata Atmana. Asanyata Atmana means Sanyam is control. Atmana here is mind.
Without controlling the mind, Yoga Dushyaprapa, to attain Yoga is very difficult. Yoga means success. It is connection.
Connection with the spiritual. It is very difficult to attain all three. But Ashyatmanatirtha.
If one controls the mind, Ashyatmanatirtha, by controlling the mind if one can never attain Nirtha, it is possible to obtain Upayanaha. Upayanaha is the right process, the right means. If you have taken the right upaya, then it is possible.
Now, what is the right upaya is not told by Krishna. It is not told by Krishna. I will just write down this in the book.
Because this is a very important point to understand. The overall development of the thought of the Bhagavad Gita. Peace and Beauty.
Tavusarva Ashram Yoga’s Peace and Beauty. So, let us see what exactly is happening over the three verses. So, 6.34. Arjuna says processes impact.
6.35. 25, 26. 27 is the next question. 25, 26.
These two are the questions. Then he says, mind is uncontrollable. Now, in the first verse also he says something like this.
But the emphasis is more on the second. I don’t think it goes in that context. Now, what is Arjuna’s answer? 6.35. He says that mind is controllable by practise and detachment.
And then 6.36. He will say, by right process, mind can improve and do the right thing. Here what does Yoga refer to? Here Yoga refers to what he has told in 6.28. You remember in the second chapter, we discussed several definitions of Yoga. Samatvam Yoga Ujjati.
Yoga Karma Sukha Ushadam. We discussed three definitions of Yoga in the second chapter. So, in the sixth chapter, Krishna has given another definition of Yoga.
In this point, he is telling, tam nitya tuksa-yogam viyogam yogasamhitam For Arjuna, no, that is separation from all misery. That actually is Yoga. tam nitya tuksa-yogam viyogam yogasamhitam So, yogasamhitam, this is defined as Yoga.
This is called as Yoga. What is Yoga? Tam nitya, no, that, which is tuksa-yogam viyogam. Separation from all contact with misery.
That means, freedom from misery. So, here Krishna has defined Yoga as freedom from all misery. So, when we are disconnected from material world and reconnected with Krishna, we become free from all misery.
In the example, one of the characteristics of devotional service is kleshagni-sukhda kleshagni, all misery is gone. That is one of the first characteristics of the order of renunciation. Then, Krishna is defining Yoga as freedom from misery.
So, Krishna is telling here in this verse that by right process, what will happen? vasyatmanat nivrtta, kshatriya-mahaprabha, by right process, you can attain mind control and by mind control, you can attain Yoga. Yoga means all six points, freedom from misery. So, Krishna in the 26th point is answering, 6.35-36, Krishna doesn’t endorse, endorse means want support, recommend, doesn’t endorse Bhajan Yoga, but endorses the broad principles that underlie all yogic processes.
What are the broad principles? abhyasa, vairagya, and madhya-samhita-atma. Atma-samhita, controlling of the mind. So, what is Krishna doing here? Yes, physical control of the mind, you can control the mind with practise and attachment.
So, he doesn’t recommend any particular process. So, Krishna is neither recommending nor rejecting the Atma-samhita. This is outlining the broad principles.
And actually, what was Krishna’s objection? Why? Krishna’s objection, is very important to understand. Now, Krishna is, before we can talk any further over here, Arjuna will ask another question. And that question, Krishna will answer from here till 6.45. From 6.45-6.47, Krishna will tell about how yogi is better than all other transcendentalists.
And then among the yogis, the yogi in the 10th Samadhi, the yogi is the best. Then, from the 7th chapter, first verse onwards, Krishna will start addressing Arjuna’s concern. Arjuna has said, control your mind is very important.
So, Krishna is telling, now I will tell you another way to make your mind engaged. The perfect yogi is one who has attached his mind to the mind. 7.1 starts with Mahi-asit-vana-apartha, yoga-mukha-mukha-darshan.
I will tell you now how you can make your mind engaged. And then Krishna will start outlining the concept of bhakti-yoga. And in the 8th chapter, Krishna offers an exquisite comparison of Ishtamya-yoga and Bhakti-yoga.
And when he offers the comparison of Ishtamya-yoga and Bhakti-yoga, that time is the only time in the Bhagavad-gita where Krishna uses the word to describe the spiritual path. So, 8.14 is One who constantly remembers me and serves me, for him I am easily attained. So, 8.14 su-labhah is the answer to Arjuna’s question in 6.34, that is dushkara So, Arjuna said, basically, there is a flow of thought in the mind.
And as far as the flow of thought goes, Krishna doesn’t here explicitly reject the path of Krishnamurti. But he addresses Arjuna’s concern, and after describing the process, then there is an exquisite comparison in Ishtamya-yoga and Bhakti-yoga. And then he clearly says, this is easy, this is easy to do.
And of course, we have the concluding declaration of Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita, that is the Vajrabhanu in the Bhagavad-gita. That means he is telling, now Sharana is directly Bhakti. Shraddhimanthi, Kambodhi, is where actually Krishna rejects.
Other processes, yes, that is what he says. So, what Sri Adi Prabhupada is doing is, Sri Adi Prabhupada is certainly faithfully representing Krishna’s teachings, but Sri Adi Prabhupada is giving us the conclusion of his teachings every day, as we have discussed earlier. So, Sri Adi Prabhupada and Krishna says, and Prabhupada says, Arjuna has rejected this path, this is true.
Arjuna said, this is difficult. And Krishna did not insist you practise this. Krishna went on this road and then offered Arjuna an alternative.
And then he said, yes, you said that was difficult. He does not mention that directly over there. But he said, this is difficult, yes, this is easy.
And compare that and this, that should be easy. And that’s what finally he says, this is the best. So, there is his own thought-flow in the Bhagavad Gita movement.
We understand this, and we understand that Sri Adi Prabhupada has made complex subjects very easily accessible for us. But in bringing about easiness and complexity, he has not distorted the Bhagavad Gita. He has only made the conclusion accessible to everyone.
So, some people will be like, okay, different people will be doing your commentaries on Bhagavad Gita from different directions. So, because Bhaktivedanta Swami is a Bhakta, so he gave up Bhakti. No, it is not like that.
Yes, Sri Adi Sri Adi Prabhupada is a Bhakta. But Bhagavad Gita itself is talking for us. So, it is not that Sri Adi Prabhupada’s commentary is biassed from the Bhakti perspective.
Actually, Bhagavad Gita itself is endorsing Bhakti as the best. But it is doing it in its own flow gradually. Sri Adi Prabhupada is giving us consistently few options.
So, let’s come back to the flow of the Gita. Is this point clear? The flow and the development of the Gita? How does it happen? So, let’s look at these two verses now. Abhyasinthu Kaunteya Bhairavye Shuddhi Vihini So, Prabhupada will explain Abhyasinthu Kaunteya Bhairavye Shuddhi Vihini Chanting of the holy names Bhairavya means everything that is unfavourable in the devotional path Bhairavya, Abhyas and Bhairavya essentially are similar to the two principles of Sharanagati taught by the Guru Swami Anukulyasvankalpa and Abhyasa is practise consistent study practise and it is Anukulyasvankalpa trying to fix the mind on Vishnaya is favourable, so let me keep trying to do it So, in that sense Prabhupada Swami is explicating and making more clear what is the interest in the Bhagavad Gita This is what this sounds like Now, here Tushkarapati Nirmati This is my opinion also You said Tushkaram I also said Tushkara It’s not possible, it’s very difficult So, Krishna is saying without mind control success in yoga is not possible So the Bhagavad Gita is not wishy-washy about the necessity for mind control and as devotees in the process of sadhana we have to practise it regularly it forces us to control our mind sometimes some people ask what is the use I see that you are just sitting here and there some people are just beating when the mind in the wrong way to work generally, I don’t see one person who is a yogi I don’t see anybody absorbed in chanting either people are distracted or people are struggling to be attentive but nobody is absorbed in chanting so, on the other hand I see people going for yogasana they close their eyes and they are completely absorbed now whether they are in samadhi or sapna I am not sure but they seem to be absorbed so, actually what is the actual fact the point is the quantity itself why do we chant 60 rounds 2 hours every day actually the important thing is to fix the mind so, yes it is true but actually the quantity forces the quality how does that work see the quantity, how does it force the quality, because if every day we are going to chant 2 hours then we are going to get the mind even if the mind is resisting and going here and there everyday I am spending 2 hours as it is I am spending the time let me put some effort also so that I get some returns from the time and gradually if we had not the regulation of chanting 60 rounds then we would never have made my effort to control them so, certainly the 2 hours chanting mandatorily can be distracting and for many of us it is distracting but still because it is mandated in us it forces us to try at least to concentrate and certainly even if we are not very attentive the very act of verbally uttering the holy name is purifying and gradually that contact with Krishna through the utterance of his holy name as it purifies the mind it will gradually re-energise the mind from the material point of view and as the mind becomes completely re-energised it will become more focused so the quantity also to some extent forces quality of course when will the quantity forces quality when there is sincerity so if there is no desire to control the mind then it is not possible then the quantity will just be focussing so I am chanting 16 rounds, I am chanting 32 rounds I am chanting 64 rounds whatever, so what we are discussing here is quantity and quality so what does the quantity do quantity forces quality when there is sincerity so how does it work because I am not only spending time I am going to spend time everyday throughout my life I have taken a vow for this so I am going to spend that time so therefore actually the quantity is important although it is not all important it is not unimportant the quantity is important and the quantity will gradually force us to do more and more and in general what will happen as we keep chanting we by practise by abhyas so actually why is this connected commitment to quantity is itself an application of abhyas and vairag, what Krishna is saying over here abhyas and vairag because even the quantity chanting I am doing some of this I am doing some practise and a mind says go do that, think of that, speak that but not I will chant Krishna this itself is an application of abhyas and vairag, what Krishna is saying over here and over a period of time by this commitment to quantity what will happen is the mind will become purified and materially de-energised de-energised means that the mind has so much lust, so much greed, so much anger so it just goes on with one thought so when it becomes de-energised the frequency and the duration of the distractions will be there frequency and duration sometimes we sit down and chant and we chant and something happens and we chant and the mind went how the mouth was uttering it was going down what happened we really chant the distraction is so much that sometimes we don’t even realise what is happening so but over a period of time when the distraction happens the mind will break in sometimes the devotee is asked how can we understand I am different from the body how can I understand I am different from the mind it is better to control the mind we try to control the mind and the mind resists mind doesn’t want to do anything mind doesn’t want to do anything there is my will and there is something else also going on that I have to control so as frequency duration distractions naturally a connection with Krishna and we are forming there for two minutes this is how slowly mind will become focused so how it is right now when we are chanting Krishna is here our mind keeps wandering all around but even it is wandering it is wandering around Krishna in the sense that because the holy name is there so what happens is we are still chanting the holy name so even if the mind is wandering it is still wandering around Krishna something connected with Krishna even if it goes off what happens if suddenly it comes back it is wandering around Krishna and as we keep chanting the circle of wandering will become smaller and smaller and smaller it will become close to Krishna so during chanting our mind wanders but it wanders around Krishna and gradually the orbit of wandering decreases that’s why it is a timeless process mind wanders but around Krishna so actually what is happening during chanting our mind is doing production of Krishna which is good even if the mind is looking here and there at least it is doing production of Krishna and slowly orbit of wandering decreases till the mind becomes fixed on Krishna so it is a time honoured well thought process and all that we need to do is keep practising so I won’t go too much into details of chanting over there that is in the full seminar nothing new, let’s focus on what is happening so now at this point Krishna says that yes by the right process it is possible but Krishna still has another apprehension his first apprehension is I don’t think this is effective so Krishna says no it is possible when he signals to any others it is effective but what if I am not able to succeed in it so if I am not able to succeed that means I die before I succeed or if I am unable to persevere in the process till it makes me successful and I abandon the process because of difficulty what will happen to me so that is the question that Krishna has asked Arjun Vachan Arjun Vachan Yati Shatyopetho Yati Shatyopetho Yogachalitamanasa Yogachalitamanasa Naktayogasamsithe Naktayogasamsithe Kamgati Krishna Lakshati Kamgati Krishna Lakshati Kamgati what would be his study one who is Yogachalitamanasa so Jalitala Jalitala means goes here and Jalitala means goes there Jalitalamanasa, from yoga the mind becomes Jalita in boudhari Yati Shatyopetho so Yati is the Nanci Aayati means when we are not successful in the nancis Yati Shatyopetho So, here the important point is he is Shraddhaya, he has faith, he has faith, he has to follow this process and he has such faith, but somehow he is not able to maintain his faith.
Yoga changes the governance. Now, Aprabh, like what? So, Arjuna Krishna had this idea of Pushpabdhini. It is difficult to understand.
So, he says, he does not retain. Aprabh me yoga samsiddhini. So, Krishna will use the same word yoga samsiddhini by answering Arjuna’s question.
What do you mean is the theme? So, these are the few, okay, these are the few verses where Krishna is addressed as Krishna by Arjuna. Then the word Madhava comes, where Arjuna comes. So, Krishna.
This word is not very frequently used in the Bhagavad Gita. In general, in Mahabharata, it uses the word Keshava to refer to Arjuna, to Krishna, sorry. So, now, we will discuss these verses when we come to the, when we recite the verses.
Let me sing this. Chinnobhaya viprashtas, Chinnobhaya viprashtas, Chinnabhramiva dashyati, Chinnabhramiva dashyati, Prathishtho mahabaho, Prathishtho mahabaho, Vimurha brahmanapati, Vimurha brahmanapati. So, brahmanapati.
Pati is, and we call it a path. So, the word patha in Sanskrit and the word path in English are not only similar in terms of meaning, but they are almost identical in terms of sound also. Patha is path.
Right? It’s also the same translation. So, pati, only in the path. So, brahmanapati, not brahmana, not the person brahmana, it is brahmana.
So, on the path spirituality, on the path to brahmana, person becomes, we go, he becomes refuted. So, when he becomes refuted, what will happen to him? Krishna is sitting on, Krishna is sitting at the samuna. So, bhubhaya viprashtas.
Bhubhaya means to, second. So, of both. So, bhubhaya viprashtas becomes viprashtas on both paths.
Chinnabhramiva dashyati. So, of brahmana he refers to a chinna of brahmana. Chinna is separated.
Brahmana is a cloud. So, dashyati is lost. So, here Krishna is being asked by Arjuna that there is a path of gradual elevation.
There is a path of rapid elevation. There is a pravrtti marga and there is a nivrtti marga. So, by the pravrtti marga, one will go to swarga.
By the nivrtti marga, one will go to moksha. But when one takes up the nivrtti marga, one gives up the pravrtti marga. One gives up the pravrtti marga.
And generally speaking, giving up the pravrtti marga means giving up the duties which one is supposed to do. And giving up the duties is sinful. So, because the person is not doing the use of pravrtti marga, he will not get swarga.
So, even the duties of pravrtti marga are done properly, one gets swarga. On the other hand, because he has not done the nivrtti marga successfully, he will not get moksha. So, therefore, he will be lost both ways.
He will either get swarga or he will get moksha. So, nivrtti marga ka pravrtti marga. Oh, he will.
What will he get out of it? He will not have any support. He will not have any destination. And to emphasise his anxiety, Arjuna would ask one more verse, which is more an expression of anxiety than the earlier question.
So, again the word Krishna comes. As I said, why the word Krishna doesn’t come so many times in the Mahabharata? Because Krishna is a very intimate form by practise. Krishna is a more formal name.
Although they are all primary names. So, here, because of the affection and the anxiety and the emotion that is there, Arjuna gives the word Krishna twice a week. Ketan means, very simple, this is my anxiety, this is my doubt.
Kshetra, you deserve to be released. Kshetra, destroyed. Kshetra makarse, vashiye kshetra.
Destroyed community. And I don’t think anybody apart from you can destroy it. Because you know everything completely.
So, here, Emphasising, you alone can solve this problem. Nobody else can solve this problem. So, when the disciple expresses confidence in his future master, then, with all good sides, which master also will be comfortable this time, you reduce the pressures.
So, if somebody thinks, okay, I will just find out what answer you give. And then what happens is, some devotees want to do a particular thing. And what happens is, they have already decided, I want to do this thing.
But they just want somebody to certify that. So, you go to one authority and say, somebody says, somebody wants to decide whether I can do this or that. The person decides, I want to do this.
So, you go to some senior devotee and say, this is my situation, this is my situation, what should I do? And that devotee says, actually, you can continue on doing this. And go to some other devotee. And ask that devotee.
And go on asking, asking, till somebody gives the answer that you want to give. And then you say, yes, I got the answer from this devotee. So, actually speaking, if you want to, if you have decided to do something, then be honest about it and seek guidance about how to go about it.
But if we really want to decide something, then we need to take the guidance as from God and see. There are both examples in scripture. Lord Maharaj had decided that I want to do this.
So, when Narada Muni told him, Narada Muni gave two reasons. First reason, he said, actually you are a child. And in childhood, people don’t take themselves so seriously.
Just like sometimes the children are playing and the children have a quarrel with their auntie. He said, I will never talk with you again. But that never doesn’t last for more than a few days.
So, he says, you are just a child. Why are you taking this so seriously? Children don’t take it seriously. And then Narada Muni anticipates our objection.
He says that, if you think you are not a child, if you think you are grown up, if you think you are mature and intelligent, then you should understand that actually, God only thinks of children. You are the Atma, and the Atma is not incited by you only in itself. So, therefore, if you are mature, then, neglect the insult and go back to the children.
So, both reasons go together. So, Narada Muni was very honest. What you are saying is true, but it is also true.
Because according to Kshatriya nature, I cannot tolerate insult. And I wanted to do it. So, it is not wrong if we are convinced that this is what I want to do.
That is fine. But we have to be honest in this encounter. Going around and trying to find somebody who will ratify what we want to do.
That is not a very good idea. So, when we are concerned about it, it is best to place our cards right on the table. This is what I am concerned about.
This is what I feel I should do. So, here what Arjuna is expressing is, whatever you tell me, I will do it. Whatever you tell me, I will do it.
And we have the example of this also in the scriptures. When a person has decided to do one particular thing, but at that time somebody else gives him some advice, he says no. So, the example of that is, there are several examples.
One is Kriyayoga. When Ramaji comes and tells him, please go back and do it, he immediately agrees. He doesn’t insist on it.
So, there are examples of Pruthu Maharaj. So, Pruthu Maharaj agrees to it. Don’t do that.
It’s fine. On the other hand, when Ramaji tells the Kumaras to beget children, he says no. But they are open about it.
So, it’s not necessarily, sometimes we may feel very strongly that this is what I want to do. This is what I feel is best to do. So, at that time, rather than asking for instructions, disobeying instructions, in the obvious sense, this is what I feel I should do.
Please tell me how I can go about doing this in the most graceful way. That is also fine. So, if we are undecided, then consult to make a decision.
But if you have already decided, then don’t try to find a rectification for the decision. Just be honest. This is what I want to do.
Please guide me as to how I can go about doing this. That may not be the highest level of surrender, but still, that is also within the ambit of guidance. Here, Krishna is being told by Arjuna, that I feel that nobody apart from you can solve this.
So, when Arjuna expresses such faith in Krishna, naturally Krishna responds by repeating it. So, Krishna offers what is one of the most reassuring verses of the Bhagavad Gita. Amutra Vinashastasya Vidyate Nani Kalyanakath Pashyat Durgathin Paath Lakshyate So, Paatha Naivemana Amutra Diva and Amutra.
In this word, Amutra is the next word. Durgathin Paath Lakshyate The conclusion is that there is no Durgathin. There never is a Durgathin.
That is a very affectionate word. This is the intimate form of address. This is the only time that this comes in the Bhagavad Gita.
There will never be no species. So, the whole time it says Durgathin and not me. So, the answer to the question is Kaamgadhin Krishna Lakshyate.
Durgathin Vinagakshyate. Very clear. Vinashastasya Vidyate There will never be Vinashastasya.
Vinashastasya Vidyate There will be no destruction. There will be no mal-destination. For whom? Kalyanakrati Lakshyate.
One who is Kalyanand. One who is engaged in auspiciousness. Now, in the purport of this verse, it is mentioned that all those who are seeking transcendence are Kalyanakrati.
So, it is an interesting proposal. Karmakandis, Jnanis and Bhaktas all three are Kalyanakrati. So, the followers of scriptures are the people who are enjoying middle-most life.
Even they are Kalyan. Why? Because they are in the house of scriptures. They are in the gradual path.
They may take Konam, Janman, Anandam. But they are on that path. They are on the path of gradual evolution.
Kalyanakrati Lakshyate. Durgathin Vinagakshyate. Of course, as we move forward, it will become very clear that what Krishna is emphasising on as per Arjuna’s question is that one who has given up the Dvaiti Varpan Vritti.
So, he says that one who has given up this duty, taken up that duty, what about him? But everybody who is in the house of scriptures is un-auspicious. So, they are not the most auspicious. And if somebody gets stuck over there, that can become un-auspicious also.
If somebody gets stuck at the level of animal sacrifices, talk about the scriptures. That’s what happened with the Jiva. That’s what happened.
If somebody gets stuck at the path of impersonal realisation, that person has to transform. As Jagannath put it in Sarovartacharya. So, if one is moving forward in the circle within the house of Arjuna, house of scriptures, then that is un-auspicious.
If one gets stuck, then that is not so auspicious. But anyway, the point which Prabhupada is emphasising, that as soon as one starts seeking for spirituality, that is un-auspicious. That is un-auspicious.
So, let’s move on. So, sometimes when people ask questions, there is a philosophical doubt and there is an emotional burden. There is a philosophical question and there is an emotional burden.
So, often people’s emotions have been pacified before their questions can be answered. Because when a person is too emotionally worried, at that time, the answer cannot touch their heart. The person just has the calmness to think about it.
So, first Krishna had to offer a very reassuring voice. So, after giving this reassurance, then Krishna will spell out the doubts. How did he do that? Just like a patient goes to a doctor and the doctor’s conduct is pleasant, it is gentle, it is reassuring.
Then, that itself calms down the patient. You know, in medicine, there is something called as placebo effect. Placebo effect means you are given medicine.
Some pills are given, some non-medicine pills are given. And the doctor is told that actually, I have given you medicines. And what happens? Many times the patient gets cured.
So, how that happens is, when the patient is reassured, then the innate healing mechanism gets cured. So, that’s how the patient gets cured actually. So, one famous doctor said that a medical practitioner who is not a placebo, who does not have a placebo effect on his patients, should become a medical researcher and not a medical practitioner.
Actually, if a patient becomes agitated, then the patient will become more agitated. The doctor has to be calm. The doctor is calm, and the doctor is calm and the patient.
So, of course, from the spiritual point of view, the spiritual master is the doctor. And the patient is like the the seeker and the patient. The seeker understands too.
So, in that way, calm and calm. So, reassurance. Actually, there is no medicine to stop it.
And then the doctor will tell what the diagnosis is. Is this the disease? So, first there is reassurance, then the enlightenment. So, actually, I don’t think I discussed this in this.
Pitching has two parts. Did I discuss this about pitching? Encouragement and enlightenment? No. I discussed this in my Sunday piece over here.
If only encouragement without enlightenment. This is pep talk. You know what is pep talk? See, a doctor says, it will be fine.
And another friend says, it will be fine. There is a big difference between them. Because when a person is sick, the friend doesn’t have any capacity to materialise those words.
So, if there is just encouragement without enlightenment, it is just pep talk. It is not very valuable. If only enlightenment without encouragement.
It’s too forbidding. Forbidding means too difficult to be practical. Or, anybody who takes sannyas and keeps it sannyas, you know, he is repeating in one moment, come on, become sannyasi.
Who will want to become like that? So, it is true, if somebody is around the world, they have to come back in the world, isn’t it? But actually, there is not just enlightenment, encouragement has to be there. So, when there is enlightenment and encouragement, when there is true empowerment, then the person becomes empowered. So, Krishna is often having an example over here of both encouragement and enlightenment.
So, first you have encouragement. When you see this Krishna, when his name falls on the body, this is very dear to him. For Lord’s sake, I will speak to that.
This is the highest truth. He reassures him about love, about his concern, and then he resonates. So, our Lord often says that the biggest task of a preacher is to convince the audience that he is their religion.
Once you convince the people that they are their religion, people will hear what you want to say. So, that actually comes by the emotional connection, that comes by the encouragement, that comes by the sympathy. So, that’s why encouragement is very important.
And, Rupa went to America at that time, although his English pronunciation was perfectly comprehensive for him, but just his language was so much concerned with everyone. Even if you don’t understand what he is saying, even if you got to practise what he is teaching, you get a little like English and English. That’s how actually Rupa naturally transformed their hearts.
So, let’s see what Krishna tells them for the enlightenment. So, yoga-mrishta. So, one word is nrishta.
One word is deviated. Nrishta is corrupted. It is corrupted as a part of yoga.
One is distracted from the path of yoga. So, Abhijay is born. Where is he born? Pratya-punya-krtamdo.
So, Arjuna had thought that actually I can’t take the punya-krtamdo. Because I have not done punya. I have given up punya to try to settle.
I was pursuing that. So, Arjuna’s doubt was that I will neither get swarga nor get moksha. Krishna will answer that you will get both swarga and moksha.
Beautiful answer that Krishna gives. Because he says you will get swarga. Pratya-punya-krtamdo.
Vishitva-shrama-shruti. For a long time, it was a mystery. For how long? You know, for a little enjoyment only.
He said, I have some there. I have to enjoy. A grand enjoyment only.
Generally speaking, mental enjoyment in and of itself does not lead to realisation. Mental enjoyment in and of itself does not lead to realisation. But, when mental enjoyment is done within the precincts of dharma, then gradually it is realised.
So, it means, just like a person throws swarga and coming back, throws swarga and coming back, over a period of time, he will get realisation. So, enjoyment and enjoyment and realisation. And the greater the dharma that one is practising, the faster he will get realisation.
So, by karmakanda also one will get realisation, but gradually. If one is doing bhakti, then also one will get realisation, but much faster. On the other hand, when one is not practising dharma, one will never get realisation.
So, Ravana, he was ravishing, beautiful, beautiful, all over the world, all over the universe. But still, he never got satiated. This has only one acronym.
On the other hand, we have a such example of Pururava and Priyatika. Both of them are here, but in their enjoyment, they never met the precincts of dharma. They never crossed the borders of dharma.
And that’s why what happened? Both of them got realisation. This is a significant point where the enjoyment leads to realisation. Gradually, they get done within the precincts of dharma.
Precincts means, well, it’s the one premises, let me say. So, what are the two examples for this? Pururava and Priyatika. And never, or rarely, get done without dharma.
So, let me go on. What Krishna is talking about over here is who is the person you are going to marry? And then you will come back. Where will you be born over here? In the house of a of either a wealthy person or a brahminical person.
Krishna Prabhupada explains that if the person is wealthy, then he doesn’t have much struggle for existence. So, he can focus on spirituality. And if the person is intelligent, one can see that actually, even after the struggle, there is not much struggle.
So, Shuchi and Srimad both offer advantages and disadvantages. Shuchi, see, the main distraction in material life is the struggle for existence. It’s minimised for Brahminism.
So, how is it minimised? If the person is Shuchi, then if the person is born in a Brahminical, clean family, one sees that it is unnecessary. I don’t have to get indulged in danger in this. And if one is born in a Srimad family, it is mostly inevitable.
One doesn’t have to struggle for the basic necessities of life. So, what is it? The struggle increases in proportion to our desire to live literally. How is that? Nowadays, it’s never so cutting.
Long ago, 10 years ago, he was living in Uttar Pradesh. So, he asked this question, do all of you think that you will become happy if you marry the most beautiful woman in Uttar Pradesh? So, now, obviously, nobody will say yes, because it’s a Sanyasi asking. But, the Maharaj said, no.
Because, if you marry the most beautiful woman in Kolhapur, all the men of Kolhapur will become your enemies. So, what happens is that in this material world, when a person gives his enjoyment, whatever form it is, to his competitors. And there are competitors that increase the struggle for existence.
There is that example of Bhagavad Gita. Guru Ravabal, when he had a piece of flesh, flesh in his mouth, and all the other birds were pecking, pecking, pecking. And he just gave up the bird, gave up the flesh, and all the other birds went away with that and he became peaceful.
So, like that, to the extent a person sees self-love, it doesn’t make sense. To the extent a person sees enjoyment, wealth, to the extent the struggle for existence doesn’t make sense. So, the wealthy person, because he already has wealth, if he goes on the path of greed and trying to be crazy, more and more, he will also be propagating the struggle for existence.
But, if he is satisfied, even then there is no struggle. And if a person is born in a culture, a family, that person gets habituated to living in simplicity. If a person is glued in simplicity, then a person doesn’t have much problem of wanting more and more things.
That’s how the struggle is minimised. And a person can cope with those things. So, certainly, Shriji and Srimad are not guarantees of living in simplicity.
So, actually, a person can be born in a Shriji and Srimad family in two ways. One is, by good karma. Second is by distraction in the path of God.
It’s equivalent to good karma. So, we don’t see that all people who are born in intellectual or cultural families or are born in wealthy families, they don’t have this. They don’t have that.
Because they did not have that spiritual life. They may have, they may not have. And, they have just come back.
If they have come back to that wealthy stage now, then, that wealth may not be there. Of course, even those who have that wealth, we can also live with that wealth. Krishna described in a later verse that there is a higher place which pulls a person there.
Which pulls a person towards Krishna. So, that’s why, Nityananda says, So, actually, so, So, Shriji and Srimad. So, if one becomes intoxicated by this, we will give him instructions.
But for us, we will choose this. There is a taste. Taste is what protects us.
So, this is this. So, thank you very much.