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अहं क्रतुरहं यज्ञ: स्वधाहमहमौषधम् ।
मन्त्रोsहमहमेवाज्यमहमग्निरहं हुतम् ॥ १६ ॥
पिताहमस्य जगतो माता धाता पितामह: ।
वेद्यं पवित्रमोङ्कार ऋक्साम यजुरेव च ॥ १७ ॥
गतिर्भर्ता प्रभु: साक्षी निवास: शरणं सुहृत् ।
प्रभव: प्रलय: स्थानं निधानं बीजमव्ययम् ॥ १८ ॥
I am the Kratu, I the Yagna, I the Swadha, I the Aushadham, I the Mantra, I the Ajyam, I the fire, and I the Oblation. I am the Father of the world, the Mother, the Sustainer, the Grandfather; the Purifier, the (one) thing to be known, the (syllable) Om, amd also the Rg, Saama and Yajus. The Goal, the Supporter, the Lord, the Witness, the Abode, the Refuge, the Friend, the Origin, the Dissolution, the Substratum, the Storehouse, the Immutable Seed.
(IX – 16, 17, 18)
Even mundane worldly activities demand total focussing of mind and lack of it results in failure. Then, is it OK to perform Divine activities like Yagya etc. merely as ritual, mechanically, without applying mind to it? The various instruments used in Pooja, namely the bell, seat, conch, lamp, the hands and fingers of the performer, are all worshipped as part of Pooja. These are all regarded as forms of Paramaatman, worthy of being worshipped. What Shri Krishna says here is the same. There is nothing lowly or ‘non-divine’ in creation. Everything is Divine and His form. Anything that we see, hear, understand or percieve as cause or effect, is Divine. There is nothing other than Him.
Yagya is a Smartha ritual (offering to Fire), called Krathu in Vedik tradition. Swadha is the same wherein offering is for the Pitru (ancestors). All these three rites are Me, says Shri Krishna. Herbs, twigs, roots and seeds used in these rites are Aushadhi. These are also Me. The Vedik Mantra recited therein are Me. The Fire is Me. Ghee offered into the Fire is also Me. The digestion of Ghee in fire is also Me. Similar idea was propounded earlier in the 24th shlokam of the fourth chapter to emphasis that ‘Yagya performed with Brahma bhava will not bind’. Here, He emphasizes that ‘everything Is, but manifested form of Paramaatman’.
I am the source for all the objects and lives. Hence, I am the Father of this Creation. I give the lives their bodies and births and hence I am the Mother. (All the lives acquire bodies and are born in the world according to their respective Karma, but the guidelines have been framed by Me. Hence, I am the cause for their bodies and births.) I am the Sustainer, again as I originated all the regulations for sustenance. The lives have been created by Brahma, who is My creation. Hence, I am the grand parent of lives.
(The act of) Knowing is Me. Rig, Yajur and Sama Veda, which are to be known, is also Me. The Pranava mantra or Omkara, the prominent among Vedik Rchas, is Me. (In fact, Veda is expansion of Om and Om is the essence of Veda.) I am the letter. The guide to the letter is Me. Learning is Me. The desire to learn is Me too and the learner is Me.
The Ultimate Goal is Me. There may be many goals, some petty and others lofty. But, the final, the Supreme Goal, that on attaining which there is nothing else to attain, is Me. I feed and nourish all. I am the Lord. Everything goes on as per My plan and design. I am the Witness to everything. I appear to be doing everything, but, I do not. I am a mere witness. I am the shelter, as every life is rooted in Atman, a drop of Me. I am the Ultimate Refuge. These may surrender before smaller powers. What is the use in surrendering before anyone, who has no potential and power of his own and derive whatever power from Me? It is wisdom to surrender to One who has total power, reign and authority. I am the Friend. Human friends do good, but get tired too soon. They boast much more than their actual deeds. The Paramaatman is the real Friend, never tired of benevolence.
Creation is Me, the act of creating and the Creator is me too. That which was before creation started is Me. I permeate in all. Disolution is Me. The whole creation dissolves unto Me. Dissolution, the solvent and the soluble are all Me. What remains after total dissolution is Me alone. Everything stays in Me during the time gap between dissolution and the next round of creation.
The seed is destroyed as plant sprouts from it. The pots are created from clay and clay disappears as more and more pots are created. Similarly, gold deminishes as ornaments are created. But, the Seed, Me, is not affected, deminished, or destroyed despite so huge a creation. I am beyond change and destruction. Hence, I am the Avyaya Beeja, the seed which is never destroyed.
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तपाम्यहमहं वर्षं निगृह्णाम्युत्सृजामि च ।
अमृतं चैव मृत्युश्च सदसच्चाहमर्जुन ॥ १९ ॥
(As Sun) I give heat; I withhold and send forth rain; I am immortality and also death; being and non-being am I, Oh Arjuna!
(IX - 19)
This shlokam has to be read together with the next two verses. Here, He says that all those pairs appearing as opposites are Me. In the next two, He says that all those who see not Me, but the opposites return to this mortal world again and again.
I am the scorching Sun as well as cooling shower of rains. These two are extremely divergent. Lives long and pray for rains during summer. In fact, summer with its extreme and unbearable heat is unwelcome for lives. The reality is that good rains are linked with and are result of a hot summer. The more the summer heat, the more lavish are the rains.
I am Death as well as the Nectar which gives Deathlessness. I am Sat (the Real, that whch Is) as well as Asat (the Virtual, that which appears to be). These appear as two but is One. One is not there without the other. The manas sees as two. Manas being a fraction, itself can not see the Whole. The Manas, with all its likes, dislikes, preferrances sees as diverse, opposites. It seeks one and wants to avoid the other. These are not two or many, but One. These are not opposites but the same. This can be realized only when the manas is extinguished. Extinction of Manas is Manonasham. This is essential in the journey towards the Paramaatman.
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त्रैविद्या मां सोमपा: पूतपापा यज्ञैरिष्ट्वा स्वर्गतिं प्रार्थयन्ते ।
ते पुण्यमासाद्य सुरेन्द्रलोकमश्नन्ति दिव्यान्दिवि देवभोगान् ॥ २० ॥
ते तं भुक्त्वा स्वर्गलोकं विशालं क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति ।
एवं त्रयीधर्ममनुप्रपन्ना गतागतं कामकामा लभन्ते ॥ २१ ॥
The knowers of three Vedas, worshipping Me by Yagnya, drinking the Soma, and (thus) being purified from sin, pray for passage to heaven; reaching the Holy world of the Lord of the Devas, they enjoy in heaven the Divine pleasures of the Devas.
(IX - 20)
Having enjoyed the vast Swarga world, they enter the mortal world, on the exhaustion of their merit; Thus, abiding by the injunctions of the three (Vedas), desiring desires, they constantly come and go.
(IX - 21)
Somavalli is a creeper. It has fifteen leaves. It is leafless on the dark night (new moon). One leaf sprouts everyday during the bright half of the lunar month and during the dark fortnight the leaves fall, one each day and the creeper becomes leafless again on the new moon day. The juice of these leaves is Soma Rasam.
The common man goes after pleasures from worldly objects. The learned ones are no different. They religiously perform all the rites prescribed in the Veda only for fulfillment of desires and to attain Swarga. They worship Gods through various Yagyas, performed with total faith. They get what they sought. They reach swarga, enjoy divine pleasures, drink Somarasam. They return to the cycle of births and deaths as soon as their kit of Punya is exhausted.
If unholy acts (Paapa) are avoided or reduced and holy acts (Punya) performed, attainment of swarga is possible. Attainment of Paramaatman is not. Enjoyment of pleasures, more pleasures is possible. Bliss is not. One has to return to the world of pain and pleasure. Soma rasam can not stop this. So long as pain and pleasure, swarga and naraka, paapa and punya appear as two, so long as likes and dislikes persist, so long as efforts to get the ‘liked’ and to avoid the ‘disliked’ continue, birth and death can not be avoided; Paramaatman can not be attained. As soon as one realizes that both birth and death are His game; that the flower and the thorn are manifestation of the same life source; that scorching sun and shadow are effects of the same Sun; he is ready for to reach the Paramaatman. Otherwise, he continues in this trap of twin opposites.
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अनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जना: पर्युपासते ।
तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम् ॥ २२ ॥
Persons who, meditating on Me as non-separate, worship Me is all beings, to them thus ever zealously engaged, I carry what they lack and preserve what they already have.
(IX - 22)
‘If you feed and take care of the child on the street, your child will be taken care of’,’ is a proverb in Tamil. There was one Dr Yerkuntwar in Nagpur. He lived a meditative life of ninty years. Veda was the suject of his meditation. He was an MBBS and attended to the patients approaching him. He was not interested in making money. Payment of even the monthly rent was a problem. His wife and a daughter suffered. ‘I take care of him, who does not live for himself’, says Shri Krishna. Shri Mohan came into the life of Dr Yerkuntwar. He offered his first floor portion to Yerkuntwar family. He took care of Dr Yerkuntwar more than even a son would. Mohan paid for medical education of his daughter. This is all the more surprising considering the fact that Shri Mohan was a ‘drunkard’ ‘dramatist’ not regarded with respect in the society. Dr Yerkuntwar spent more than forty five years in Mohan’s place. His room became a ‘cave of a Yogi’. He used to be ever plunged in thoughts, reading or writing. Shri Mohan also benefitted in Dr’s company and was elevated. The town never knew about such a great soul living among them till he was alive. Almost fifteen years after he was dead, his books are being published and have brought his greatness to limelight. Shri Mohan has been maintaining Dr’s room as if it was a temple. ‘You do not worry. I will take care’, assures Shri Krishna.
Yoga is to get and Kshema is to preserve. Almost the whole time in a man’s life is consumed in these two pursuits, viz,. procurement and maintenance. He purchases a vehicle and spends a lot of time and money in maintaining it. He invests his life time savings to construct a house and spends the rest of his life in maintaining. ‘I take care of both Yoga and Kshema. The devotee does not have any priority and desire. His wants are decided by God and fulfilled. Dr Yerkuntwar did not have any. He did not aspire to own a hospital, nor did he wish to see his daughter graduate as a doctor. Similarly, he did not have anything to be preserved. His life was one of total surrender. Anything was preserved, if it was in his interest and destroyed, also if it was beneficial to him. The Lord decided. Even a prayer asking Him ‘to decide and bless accordingly’ was not put forward by the Dr. He was not concerned. He plunged himself in a noble thought. The Lord took complete care of him.
“One who is devoted to Me in ‘Ananya Bhava’ or ‘Nishkaama Bhava.” This is the essence of Gita. If there is Kaama (desire) in worship, it is mere ‘Vasana’. It becomes ‘Upasana’ only in the complete absence of Kaama, only if the worship is nishkaama. There is a beautiful incident in the life of Swami Vivekananda. He was Narendra then. His family faced acute paucity of funds after his father’s death. His father had left a huge debt. The creditors harassed for repayment. Mother was in tear. Even minimum daily food was a problem. Narendra approached Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Paramahamsa said, “Narendra! Go to Mother Kali and pray. She will solve your problems”. Narendra went to the temple, stood in front of the Deity, hands folded with tears in eyes, and returned. His eyes glowed in happiness. “Did you tell Her?” asked Paramahamsa. “I forgot” replied Narendra. “You are fool. Go again. Do not forget this time. I assure you, She will definitely take care of your problems”, said Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He forgot again. He was sent again for a third time. It was the same story. “No. I do not forget. Nothing else comes between two of us, when I stand in front of Her”, said Shri Narendra. “I merely wanted to test whether any vasana remains. I wanted to know if Upasana is possible. That is hence I sent you again and again”, said Shri Paramahamsa. Upa is near. Asana is seat. Upasana is to be seated near Him, to be in Divine proximity. It is blissful. Demands and protests sours this Blissful experience. Demand denies plunge into His Divine presence. The person with a demand stands aloof in His court and is denied the Joy of complete oneness with Him. Devotion is deep plunge into His presence. Worship is loss of ‘me’ and total merger with Him. ‘I take care of Yoga and Kshema of such a devotee.’
I spent a couple of years in nursing and care taking of my wife who was critically diseased. “Why is He always so harsh (cruel) and gives so much trouble to a good soul?” This used to be the words of many of my friends. (These are not words, well thought and spoken. These are words of mere formality, used on such occassions to console.) We decide that so and so is a good soul. We decide that He is being cruel by giving a disease or death. Then where is the need for prayer? We know and He is ignorant. We are noble and He is cruel. Unfortunately, the power to corect a disease is not with us. It is with Him and hence a prayer to Him, a petition or a prayer with many conditions. These are ‘if and hence’ prayers. ‘You are without blemishes. hence I am drawn towards You’; ‘You are powerful and Omnipotent. Hence I pray to You’; “You protect me and provide food to me. Hence, I offer my thankful prayers’; These are all conditional prayers. Will the prayers continue even if it is otherwise?
There is an imaginary story. Once Shri Ram was on the sea beach cleaning His arrows. He removed the arrows from the sill and planted in the sand. He took those one by one, cleaned and replaced in the sill. One of the arrows had pierced a frog. Shri Ram was very much pained to see the bleeding frog. He said, “Why didn’t you raise your voice as soon as the arrow touched you?” The frog was smiling and said, “I have always been taking your name and have been well fed by you. If the hands that gave me food and nourished my body gives an arrow tip, why should I protest. I accepted it silently and gleefully.” At home, the mother or wife cooks and serves tasty food. We enjoy her preparations. Why should we protest and fight, if once a while the food becomes more salty or is over roasted?
‘Stop begging. I will take care of your Yoga and Kshema’.
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येsप्यन्यदेवता भक्ता यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विता: ।
तेsपि मामेव कौन्तेय यजन्त्यविधिपूर्वकम् ॥ २३ ॥
Even those devotees, who endued with Shraddha, worship other Gods, they too worship Me alone, Oh Son of Kunti! (but) by the wrong method.
(IX - 23)
This is a beautiful shlokam, a deep one. Is Shri Krishna speaking the words of Jesus? Does He mean ‘I am the only God?’ Does He suggest that ‘I am Jealous God’ by wanting us to abstain from worshipping ‘other Gods’? No.
Goddess Lakshmi has eight prominent forms. The seeker of wealth woships Dhanalakshmi. He may not be worshipping in the usual sense, with flowers and Mantra. Every bit in him is filled with thoughts of Dhanam or wealth. All his efforts are directed at gaining wealth, more wealth. These are essential qualities of a devotee. The devotee is in Divine thoughts every moment, in wakeful state and sleep. The wealth chaser is also ever engrossed in thoughts of wealth. The devotee sees the Paramaatman in every act and experience. The later also sees wealth, nothing but wealth in every one of is action and experience. The devotee has no other interests. The wealth seeker also has no other interests. The seeker of political power worships Aishvarya Lakshmi. The seeker of progeny worships Santhana Lakshmi. The chaser of success worships Jaya Lakshmi. Those who chase ‘personality development’, trekking and rock climbing experiences are worshippers of Dhairya Lakshmi. ‘They all worship Me, in a wrong way’ says Shri Krishna. He does not mean the form of Shri Krishna, the son of Yashoda, the flute bearing Krishna, but the One Paramaatman, the Eternal, the Formless, the Essence of everything in this world. How is it? Are the chasers of wealth, power, status, progeny, also worshippers of parmaatman? Are they progressing in the direction of Paramaatman while chasing these worldly objects? The ultimate objective is Lord, but the effort is misdirected, says Shri Krishna. Let us go into detail.
Why does one seek wealth? He wants happiness. He seeks more wealth for undeminishing happiness, happiness uncontaminated with pain. He feels happiness can be purchased with money. He thinks misery can be avoided or atleast reduced by wealth. He feels, emptiness within him can be filled by wealth. Outwardly, he seems to be seeking wealth, but in fact, he is seeking Happiness. Blissful state, Wholeness etc. are His Nature. The seeker of wealth in fact seeks Divine status, the Paramaatman. His effort is wrong. Wealth can purchase pleasure, can not avoid pain, and can never purchase uncontaminated happiness or Bliss. Wealth may purchase comforts but never Peace. It may buy beauty aids, but can not avoid old age and decay. It can not make him Whole. Thus the worshippers of wealth are in real worshippers of the Paramaatman and His attributes. They do it in a wrong way.
Why does he chase posts and power? Why does he seek success? He wants to firm up self. He knows he is a non-entity and a temporary. He seeks power to change. He wants for himself the power to create, power to sustain, power to change and power to destroy (his enemies). He chases posts to acquire these powers. He continues his run after ‘higher and more powerful’ posts. He feels emptiness without power. Hence he runs even when he is old, with weak limbs and organs. He further tries to establish self through his own photos, statues, name plates. He seeks eternity, total power, (the essential status of Paramaatman) but resorts to a wrong way. The posts and the power of these are temporary and the status gained through these is also temporary. Many ‘great’ ‘powerful’ occupants of these posts have been reduced to dust and forgotten. The statues, name plates have crumbled. The worshippers of power are in real worshippers of the Paramaatman, but in a wrong way.
It is the same with the seekers of progeny and chasers of name and fame. They also wish to establish themselves, despite knowing their effervescent nature. They are also worshippers of Paramaatman, misdirected. ‘Why do you purchase a vehicle?’ Why do you build a house?’ ‘Why do you drink?’ ‘Why do you study?’ You ask any one. The only answer will be ‘For pleasure, for comfort and happiness’. Anyone involved in any worldly pursuit seeks happiness, completeness, peace, stability, eternity. Worldly objects can never give these. Paramaatman is the only One Whole, Eternal, Defectless, Changeless, Blissfull. So, all these worldly men want to gain My Nature, worship My attributes, but wrongfully. they worship other Gods, who can not get them what they seek.
He is right even if He means the various forms we worship as God, when He says ‘the other gods’. All the forms we worship, Shri Ram, Shri Krishna, Shiva, Devi, Vinayaka, etc. are manifested forms of the One and Only One Unmanifested Paramaatman. The world and all the objects therein, are His manifestations. The manifested and the Unmanifested are the two ends of the same thread. Hence, worship to any form, in fact reaches the same One Paramaatman. Yes. The worship is in a different way.
There is a practise among the Hindus to cast an idol of clay, worship it for a few days and then immerse the same in water. In Tamil Nadu, the Hindus make a form of turmeric paste or cowdung, worship and dissolve it in water. The fom is immersed and destroyed, not the Paramaatman. We worship forms, but in fact we worship the Formless Paramaatman.
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येsप्यन्यदेवता भक्ता यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विता: ।
तेsपि मामेव कौन्तेय यजन्त्यविधिपूर्वकम् ॥ २३ ॥
For I alone am the Enjoyer, and Lord of all Yagnyas; but because they do not know Me in reality, they return, (to the mortal world).
(IX - 24)
All the worships reach Him. All the prayers reach Him. The Havirbhaga or the essence of all the offerings in a Yagyaa reach Him. The fruits for all the efforts are given by Him. This is to be essentially realized. Superficial understanding and essential understanding are different. In a Yagya, one of the Mantras recited is ‘Rudraya Swaha, Rudraya Idam Na Mama’. To know how to recite, how to keep the fingers, how to pour ghee into the fire, how to build the urn, how to produce the fire, is ‘superficial understanding’. To know that ‘this is not mine and is His’, is essential understanding. Can one attain the hight of ecstasy reached by Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, by imitating his methods of worship? An actor on the stage can rehearse and perfectly repeat the words spoken by Shri Ram on the stage. But, can he attain the tranquility of Shri Rama? Raja Parikshit was liberated and attained Moksha after listening to a week long discourse of Shreemad Bhagawatham. Can the listeners of similar Bhagawatha Saptaha attain the same? There is no use in knowing and following outward acts. Essential understanding or realizing the essence is important.
For those who know the words of the text, it is improper and against the doctrine to offer to God, a flower decorating one’s own hair. But, for Shri Andal, who had known the essence of the Divine, it is Love. For the one who knows worship methods, it is improper to offer to God, the eaten remains. For Shabari? Her faith, her Love, her devotion, etc. are beyond textual stipulations. The ones who do know the essence fall. Any number of visits to shrines will not save them from the trap of births and deaths.
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यान्ति देवव्रता देवान् पितॄन्यान्ति पितृव्रता: ।
भूतानि यान्ति भूतेज्या यान्ति मद्याजिनोsपि माम् ॥ २५ ॥
Votaries of the Devas go to the Devas; to the Pitrus, go their votaries; to the Bhootas, go the Bhoota worshippers; My votaries come unto Me.
(IX - 25)
I was a witness to this incident a few years ago. A TV channel correspondent entered a house with his camera and mike. There was excitement in the house. An apparent chance to appear in a TV programme was the cause of excitement. The correspondent had come for ‘Your choice’, a prog of film songs. The members of the family dressed up to face the camera. ‘Who is your hero?’ he asked the daughter. ‘Vijay! I will die for him’ replied an excited daughter. Then he directed the same question to the mother. She was all smiles and said, ‘Vijay’ I like him’. “Oh! So mother and daughter have the same man?” was a nasty comment by the correspondent. This comment should have evoked a strong reaction from the family. I expected the same, but was disappointed. They all laughed as if it was a joke. Their intoxication for the film hero had blunted their sensitivity. The film actor is a God for these men. They think, read and talk about the actors and desperately aspire to somehow meet them. Facing a camera and appearing in a TV, at least in a marriage CD is lifetime ambition. Any price, howsoever heavy, is acceptable to them, for fulfillment of their desire.
Sport personalities are gods for some others. Sachin Tendulkar and Shah Rukh Khan are the objects of faith and devotion. Those who escape their clutches are trapped in the clutches of politicians. Essence of one’s personality depends on his matter of faith. The hight to which one can rise is decided by faith. If faith is on the Gods, one can Godly bhavana. Worshippers of the devil attains demoniac bhavana. Worshipper of the Paramaatman gets Parama Bhavana.
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यान्ति देवव्रता देवान् पितॄन्यान्ति पितृव्रता: ।
भूतानि यान्ति भूतेज्या यान्ति मद्याजिनोsपि माम् ॥ २५ ॥
Whoever with devotion offers Me a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or a water, that I accept – the devout gift of the pure-minded.
(IX - 26)
What can we offer to Him? Anything that is our own. What do we own? Everything is His. Yat Kinchit Jagatyaam Jagat. Even the minutest particle is His. Anything that we might offer is already His. That is silly. And then boast that ‘I offered Him this and I surrendered that at His feet’. That is sillier. What is that which is of own making, which is with us and we can offer to Him? It is the ‘me’ and ‘mine’ feeling. This is something He has not given and we ourselves have created. That is the best offering to Him. He assures that He will accept anything offered by a devotee. He is not bothered by what you offer. He sees the pure heart that offers.
Draupadi offered a small bit of cooked green leaf, that too from a utensil not properly washed by her. Shri Krishna gleefully accepts. He is not bothered about anything else. He sees only the pure heart of Draupadi. The elephant Gajendra offered a single lotus flower. He liberated it not from the jaws of the crocodile, but also gave it Divine abode. Gajendra was playing in pond when the crocodile held its foot. He tried his best to pull out of the jaws, but could not. He sought help of his wives and all other elephants. They all tried to pull him out, but could not. They all ditched him after a while. He continued his efforts all alone for many years. Then he wondered, ‘Who is the One behind all our actions? Who sustains all the lives? Who has sustained me for these many years? May he save me’. He merely plucked a single lotus from the pond and offered to Him. Shri Vishnu instantly appeared, killed the crocodile and saved Gajendra. Shabari and Vidura offered fruits. Shabari waited many years for arrival of Shri Ram. Her Guru Matanga Rshi had told Shri Ram’s story and had assured her that He will visit her. She eagerly waited for the day. She used to collect fruits and flowers everyday and expect Shri Ram to come. This wait continued for years. She was eighty years old, when one day Shri Ram came to the place. There were so many Rshis in the forest, but Shri Ram came straight to Shabari’s hut. She was excited. She bit the plum to see if it was sweet and offered to Shri Ram. Shri Ram was not concerned about her lowly caste or that she was offering half bitten fruits. He delightfully accepted he fruits. He was looking at her pure heart. Vidura, in his excitement, peeled off and threw the fruit into the dustbin and offered peel to Shri Krishna. Shri Krishna smilingly accepted his offering. Rantideva offered a drop of water and was blessed. Paramashiva is satisfied with a drop of water and a leaf of Bilva. Vinayaka is pleased with a single blade of dhruva grass. Devoted heart, pure and noble, full of love, a heart without trace of ‘me’ is the best offering to the Lord. The heart with ‘me’ alive, can not have purity or nobility or love and can never surrender. He accepts anything if offered with a heart without ‘me’.
If things are offered to others, it is Danam or charity. If offered in fire as Aahuti, it is Yagya. If given up with rigorous descipline, it is Tapas or austerity. If offered at His feet, it is Bhakti. Absence of ‘I’ is mark of ‘surrender’.
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यान्ति देवव्रता देवान् पितॄन्यान्ति पितृव्रता: ।
भूतानि यान्ति भूतेज्या यान्ति मद्याजिनोsपि माम् ॥ २५ ॥
Whatever you do, whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever you give away, whatever austerity you practise, O Son of Kunti, do that as an offering unto Me.
(IX - 27)
I bless him with the same Bhavana with which a devotee worships Me (IV-11). Money offered to Me is returned as money. I offer Myself to one who offers self. I lose my Independance and become slave to one who surrenders his liberty to Me. Man has liberty to act. If he offers that liberty to Me, that is if he all his acts like Yagya, Dana, Tapas, to Me, I lose Myself to him. The act should continue. Only the feeling that ‘I do’ should be given up. A king’s servant performs all his actions for the king and at his behest. Similarly, a Bhakta does his acts for Him and on His command. ‘I am a slave to such a Bhakta’, says Shri Krishna.
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शुभाशुभफलैरेवं मोक्ष्यसे कर्मबन्धनै: ।
संन्यासयोगयुक्तात्मा विमुक्तो मामुपैष्यसि ॥ २८ ॥
Thus shall you be freed from the bondages of actions, bearing good and evil results; with the heart steadfast in the Yoga of renunciation, and liberated, you shall come unto Me.
(IX - 28)
One who acts for self gets bound. One who acts for Me is liberated. Actions are performed by external instruments like body, mind and Buddhi. The results accrued are also due to these instruments. The ones identifying self with these physical entities, regards the fruits of their actions as his own and experiences happiness and misery, which come with these fruits. He regards self as the ‘doer’. Hence, the results are also ‘mine’, he feels. Thus he gets bound by the actions and their fruits. The Gyaani, pursuing the path of Sankhya Yog, uses Viveka to dissociate self from the actions. He is liberated from the fruits as well. The Bhakta, pursuingthe path of Bhakti Yog, offers the instruments, their actons and the fruits derived at the feet of Paramaatman and is liberated.
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समोsहं सर्वभूतेषु न मे द्वेष्योस्ति न प्रिय: ।
ये भजन्ति तु मां भक्त्या मयि ते तेषु चाप्यहम् ॥ २९ ॥
I am the same to all beings; to Me there is none hateful or dear. But, those who worship Me with devotion, are in Me, and I too am in them.
(IX - 29)
The rain falls equally all over. The utensils kept upward down do not recieve a drop of the shower. The black sand, white sand and mirror are all made of silica and are essentially same Sunlight. The white sand absorbs a little and also reflects. The glass fails to absorb even a ray and sends back the whole of sunlight. The rain and Sun have no preferrances, no likes and disikes. All are equal.
There are thousands of bamboos in the forest. All are equal. Yet, only a few are made into flutes, only those which are ready to be cut into pieces, pierced and roasted. Only these few become producers of sweet music. All the lives are equals in creation. The Divine equally pervades in every life. There is none liked or hated by the Paramaatman. Yet, not all lives blossom equally. All seeds are equally potent. But, only those which are prepared to sink into the earth, grow into trees, give flowers and fruits and gain fullness. The seeds not wanting to leave the comfortable boxes, though equipped, are deprived of everything. The rain called Paramaatman showers equally on all. The question is if we face upwards to recieve. The Divine in the form of Sun, glows equally on all. Are we placed in a position to recieve and reflect the Light? The minds filled with Bhakti and Love can reflect His light. He becomes a flute, transmitter of sweet, Divine music. The one who surrenders and is ready to lose everything, ready to get buried, grows to Wholeness to propogate His Grace.
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अपि चेत्सुदुराचारो भजते मामनन्यभाक् ।
साधुरेव स मन्तव्य: सम्यग्व्यवसितो हि स: ॥ ३० ॥
If even a very wicked person worships Me, with devotion to none else, he should be regarded as good, for he was rightly resolved.
(IX - 30)
‘The wicked will transform into a virtuous person, once he starts worshipping Me’, says Shri Krishna. He will become noble. An important attribute of a noble heart is firmness. He eulogized ‘vyavasatmika buddhi’ (II - 41). Here He points that as the attribute of a Sadhu. He is a Sadhu who is determined. The virtuous or Sadachari may be that because he has never been introduced to evil, or because he fears the ill-effects of wrong doings or purely out of habit. A Sadhu is determined to be noble. Any hardship, any hurdle or any tribulation will not prompt him to discard nobility. Sadhu Namadev was in the river Godavari for his regular bath. A muslim on the bank spat on him as soon as he came to the shore after bath. He did not retaliate, but went back to the river for another dip. This continued for many times. The muslim was unrelenting in troubling and Sadhu Namadev too was unrelenting in forgiving. The muslim finally was exhausted. Namadev was firm in nobility. The common trait of all the Sadhus in our Nation was determination, inflexible. If determination combines with Worship..?
‘It has to be regarded’, says Shri Krishna. These words are meant for the whole humanity. We normally associate nobility with outward appearance and outward behaviour. Marks on the forehead, beads on the chest, hymns on the tongue are enough for us to brand anyone as pious and noble and hold him high esteem. Afterwards, if his negative trait is exposed, we say, ‘Oh! I never expected from you’. It does not become a news if a notorious criminal transforms and turns away from the path and starts leading a normal life. On the contrary, if an obvious sannyasi slips and indulges or is seen to be indulging in a wrong act, it becomes a sensational news. ‘The essence within is far more important than the outward appearance and behaviour’, says Shri Krishna. In the world of Dharma, Bhavana, not behaviour is accounted.
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क्षिप्रं भवति धर्मात्मा शश्वच्छान्तिं निगच्छति ।
कौन्तेय प्रतिजानीहि न मे भक्त: प्रणश्यति ॥ ३१ ॥
Soon does he become righteous, and attain eternal Peace, Oh Son of Kunti! Can’t you boldly proclaim, that My devotee is never destroyed.
(IX - 31)
Determination is the basis for transformation. If a wicked, by chance starts seeing Me in his activities, if he starts experiencing My presence around him, if starts getting engrossed in thoughts on Me, then he starts transforming into Dharmatma. In the shlokam VII-15, He says, ‘the wicked do not surrender to Me’. Then he talked about a general trait of a wicked. Here he talks about a possibility. ‘If a wicked, even a worst one, devotes and worships Me with ananya bhava’... By saying this, He insists that there is no ‘loved one’ and ‘hated one’ for Him and that all are equal to Him. Can a wicked person ever change to a path towards Paramaatman? May be, he gets trapped in a critical situation, helpless, and remembers in a flash that God is there to help the helpless. May be he involuntarily gets trapped in a group of noble persons or gets attracted to a pious person. May be he accidentally turns towards the Paramaatman and strong determination in him might have rivetted him with the Paramaatman. Once turned towards Him, he gradually becomes a Sadhu and attains total Peace. My devotee never perishes.
Generally, there is a phenomenon. Determination is deeper rooted in the wicked than in a ‘good’ person. The determination to do bad and be bad in a wicked person is usually stronger than the same to do good and be good in a pious person. Equipped with a natural determination, the wicked merely has to change direction and he will be equally firm in being good. He believes he is bad and a doer of evil acts, he identifies and binds with the body and the world. Hence, he continues in evil direction. If he changes direction, it is easier for him to become a dharmaatma.
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मां हि पार्थ व्यपाश्रित्य येsपि स्यु: पापयोनय: ।
स्त्रियो वैश्यास्तथा शूद्रास्तेsपि यान्ति परां गतिम् ॥ ३२ ॥
For, taking refuge in Me, they also, men of inferior births, women, Vaishyas and Shudras, attain to the Supreme Goal.
(IX - 32)
Shri Krishna calls him (in shlokam 30) a ‘duraachari’ who commits sins in his present birth. Here, He calls the one who has taken lower births due to sins in previous births as ‘Paapayoni’. The Yakshas, Rakshasa, birds and animals come under this. As every Jeeva is an essence of the Paramaatman, all the lives from the lowest to the highest, are entitled to seek and attain Him. The differences in character and capacity are only worldly matters. Even if a person of bad charcter calls Him with intense emotion and devotion, the Paramaatman will direct His grace towards him. Character is immaterial for surrendering at His Feet and obtaining His Grace. The sinners also qualify to surrender.
The women, Vaishya and Shoodra, who surrender before Me, also reach Me. Kunti, Devahuti, Shabari, Draupadi, Meera, Andal and Karaikkaal Ammaiyaar are few the many women who were great devotees and attained Divinity. Similarly, there have been many Vaishyas and Shoodras, who were exemplary devotees. The only requisite for travelling towars Him is the right Bhavana, not the status of birth. Birth is related to the body. The body is essence of Prakriti. A devotee is not bound by the body and the birth he takes.
It is the Aatman, which aspires for Devotion and Liberation. It has acquired a body, but dos not attach and identify with the body. A life does not qualify to turn towars Him, so long it is bound with the body. The bodily identification disappears as soon as Divine Bhavana arises. The very same moment, it qualifies to obtain His Grace. Just as mother’s lap is not denied for any child, Parmaatman is not forbidden for any life.
What was the need for Him to specifically mention Women, Vaishya and Shoodra? Probably, there could have been an opinion then too, that women and Vaishya and Shoodra are disqualified for Divinity. (Popehood is forbidden for women. Even sainthood for women is much debated.) Or, Probably, Shri Krishna must have foreseen development of such an idea in the future. At present, there is fifth group called Dalit. So many ideas have cropped up and have thrived in the name of God. When slave labour was transported to Africa, Fiji and West Indies, any one with even slight training in priesthood was thrown out from the ship into the ocean. Aspiration for Divinity arouses thoughts of freedom. This section called Dalit must have grown on the basis of such a thought. ‘Keep them away from Divinity so that they are totally available for labour’. Shri Krishna’s announcement here is significant.
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किं पुनर्ब्राह्मणा: पुण्या भक्ता राजर्षयस्तथा ।
अनित्यमसुखं लोकमिमं प्राप्य भजस्व माम् ॥ ३३ ॥
What need to mention Holy Brahmans and devoted Rajarshis (Kshatriyas)! Having obtained this transient, joyless world, you worship Me.
(IX - 33)
He mentions only the work done by them when he defines Vaishya and Shoodra. Anyone involved in Farming, cattle breeding and trading is Vaishya and anyone assisting in various works is Shoodra. On the contrary, he lists a few qualities while identifying a Brahmin and a Kshatriya. (XVIII – 42 to 44). When Vaishyas and Shoodras, with no expectations from them, can attain the Paramaatman so easily, why can’t the Brahmin and the Kshatriya, who have so many noble qualities, reach Him?
He mentioned seven qualified for devotion to Paramaatman in the shlokams 30 to 33. The wicked, the sinner, woman, Vaishya (trader), Shudra (labour), the Brahman and Kshatriya. He does not grade these as superior and inferior or as purer devotion and lower devotion. These seven vary in Varna (Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shoodra), conduct (Duraachaari and Paapayoni), physical status (woman). But all are regarded equal by Him. All are equally qualified for Bhakti. In the seventh chapter he had classified the devotees on the basis of their bhavana. I see only the Bhavana. Caste, Varna, physical state, even conduct do not matter in devotion, in gaining grace of the Lord, asserts Shri Krishna in unambiguous terms.
He describes life in this world as ‘impermanent and unpleasant’. Gautam Buddha had said that the life here is miserable. Shri Krishna does not call it miserable, but says it is devoid of pleasure and happiness. Why is there grief? When you anticipate sure happiness and there is none, then grief is born. The belief that there is happiness in this world is the root cause. Grief is only a by-product, by-product of the anticipation of getting pleasure. ‘No. You will never get happiness, as there is none in the world’, says Shri Krishna.
He has mentioned that the world is ‘non-permanent’ and changing on many other occassions in the Gita. We regard it as permanent. Or, we plunge into efforts to make it one. The world is changing its position in the space very fast and everuthing init is changing. The earth below our feet seems to be stable, not so in reality. The wealth in our hands is not stable. Name, fame, status and position are unstable. The body in our posession is also ever changing. It starts decaying and changing from the day it was born. Youthfulness is not permanent. The love and affestion of near ones is not stable and steady. Time is also ever changing. Everything is changing and decaying.
Do not search for happiness and permenance in the world. You won’t get that which is not there. Come to Me. Devote unto Me. Worship Me. He continues in the next shlokam.
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मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु ।
मामेवैष्यसि युक्त्वैवमात्मानं मत्परायण: ॥ ३४ ॥Fill thy mind with Me, be My devotee, sacrifice unto Me, bow down to Me; thus having made thy heart steadfast in Me, taking Me as the Supreme Goal, thou shall come to Me.
(IX - 34)
He called Arjuna as anasooya (one without a trace of jealousy) at the start of this chapter. Here, He is revealing a great secret. Let us look in detail, the terms He has used.
Manmanaa Bhava: Fix the manas on Me. Become Mine. The mind always rests at anything it regards as ‘mine’. The relationship between you and Me is eternal. It is permanent. It is non-breakable. I never forget this. You tend to forget. Fill the mind with thoughts on Me and firm up the thought that you are Mine.
Madbhaktah: Firm up the only relationship that, ‘I am His and He is mine’. Change every other false connections like ‘I belong to this caste’; ‘I have this name’; ‘I am a follower of this cult’; etc. into this only real connection.
Madyaaji: Be My worshipper. Dining, dressing, sleeping, job, Anything you do, do it for Me. Do it as if it is worship.
Maam Namaskuru: Bow down to Me. Surr nder unto Me. Accept anything I offer, normal, favourable or unfavourable. You continue to regard yourself as ‘Independent’ as long you continue to nurture desires, likes and dislikes in you. Surrender is impossible in that state. Accept anything that comes as Prasada. Regard with Joy, anything that happens as happening as per My plan and wish.
What is the state of a convict in the court of the king? One of total surrender. He is prepared for any punishment to be declared by the king. He has no preferrance. Punishment is King’s wish. It is his decision. Similarly, personal preferrance, likes and dislikes can not go with Surrender.
Yuktvaivam Aatmaanam: Be firmly fixed on Me. If the inner Bhavana is tuned to the regard that, ‘I am His’, the body, mind, intellect, actions, objects and everything will get fixed on Me.This is Sharanagati or total Surrender. You will reach Me, for sure. If there is any desire, importance, or attachment other than Me, then it is not Sharanagati.
Matparaayanah: Be reliant on Me. You need not think of doing anything or getting anything done. Be firm that, ‘Everything happens as per My wish’.
Maamevaishyasi: You will reach Me. The world can not become ‘ours’ inspite of our intense wish and hectic efforts. The Paramaatman is ours. We must strive to get that which is naturally ‘ours’.
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\ तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासु उपनिषत्सु ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जुन सम्वादे ‘राजविद्या राजगुह्य योगो’ नाम नवमोsध्याय: ॥
Thus concludes ‘Rajavidya Rajaguhya Yog’, the ninth chapter in the grand dialogue between Shree Krishna and Arjuna, called the Shreemad Bhagawad Geetha, which is verily an Upanishad, elaborating on ‘The Divine Knowledge’ and also describing the ‘Way to Godhood’.
\\\\\ HARIH OM TAT SAT \\\\\
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