Gita Simplified & with stories : Chapter 9

What is this chapter about 

• Yoga of Supreme Knowledge 
• The Most confidential Knowledge

• Nature of God  

Summary of chapter

The Lord & his creation are one : no duality, Advaita

All are creations of God. The example of Gold seen in different ornaments & coins and used by many people over the years. The melting and changing form does not affect the Gold!

When we consider God different from what God created its Dvaita, Duality 

Cycle of creation & destruction, is an ongoing process

God loves all, and those who remember him often get closer to him and feel his love. Acknowledgement of God and praising his wonderful creation makes us think of God more often 

Worshiping God, via his deity forms 

Shlokas references

• 34 shlokas 

•  9.1 - 9.3 : Devotion is the noblest. Without that one cannot be relieved from cycle of birth & death. Those without faith remain in the material world in the birth and death cycle. 

• 9.4 - 9.10 : The divine mystery. The vastness of God. God is in everyone but they function based on their Gunas

• 9.11- 9.19 : Those who know about me worship and constantly engage with God. Some worship by spreading knowledge about the spiritual path & God. 

• 9.20 - 9.28 : Worshipping deities and rivers is worshipping God. Rituals and ingredients not essential, only devotion essential. Fruit, flowers or even a leaf and water offered with a pure mind are accepted by God.Whatever one does needs to be an offering to God

• 9.29 - 9.34 : All are equal for God. However some have a closer relationship with God as they cling to and are constantly engaged with God. Just like one feels warmer when sitting closer to the fire.

Key message from the chapter 

Everything is God . God is the Sun, Moon, Sky, air , water, wind, breeze, people, plants, animals. God made everything. Its his manifestations. Just like all ornaments and objects made of gold are eventually gold seen as different items

• Living with knowledge that everything is God and submitting / offering everything to God is way to liberation 

Summary in poetry 

Secret of Truth I will share

It is the Royal Science, I declare

Actions in this path easy to perform

Pure and pleasant in its form

Those who cavil all the while

Will return to their path of vile

I am the cause and the effect

Everything possesses my divine aspect

Nature’s various manifestations

Are born under my directions

I am the father and the mother

And the supporter and purifier

I am the origin and dissolution

And the shelter and foundation

Only ME, who think and serve,

Their need, I secure and preserve

A leaf, flower, fruit or just water

Whatsoever my devotees offer

With all the delight, I accept

It is the intent that I respect

Whatever you do, eat or give

You submit to ME, it is the way to live

On the path to your noble goal

And unite yourself with the Supreme soul

A stories related to the message

A Boy Who Fed God

A noble man used to worship his family’s deity everyday with food offerings. One day he had to go out of his village for the day. He said to his son, Raman: Give the offering to the deity today. See that God is fed.

The boy offered food to the deity in the shrine, but the image would neither eat nor drink nor talk. Raman waited a long time, but still the image did not move. But he totally believed that God would come down from His throne in heaven, sit on the floor and eat.

Again and again he prayed to the deity, saying: “O Lord, please come down and eat the food. It is already very late. Father will get angry if I did not feed you.” The deity did not say a word.

The boy wept and cried: “O Lord, my father asked me to feed you. Why won’t you come down? Why won’t you eat from my hands?”

The boy wept for some time with a longing soul. At last the deity came down smilingly from the altar in human form and sat before the meal and ate it.

After feeding the deity, the boy came out of the prayer room. His relatives said: “The worship is over. Now bring the Prasādam for us.”

The boy said: “God has eaten everything, He did not leave anything for you today.”

They entered the prayer room and were speechless with wonder to see that the deity had really eaten every bit of the offering.

The moral of the story is that God does eat if you offer food with full faith, love, and devotion. Most of us don’t have the faith Raman had. We don’t know how to feed Him! It is said that we must have faith in God like a child or we shall not enter the supreme abode, the house of God.

The Great Highway Robber-Sage

We have two very popular epics or historical tales. The first one is the Holy Rāmāyana. The other one is Mahābhārata. The Bhagavad-Gita is a part of the Mahābhārata. It was written about 3,100 years B.C.E. Originally, the Holy Rāmāyana may have been written about 1.75 million years ago, according to latest findings of NASA. The original writer of Rāmāyana was a sage named Vālmiki. After Vālmiki, many other saints such as Tulasidas have written Rāmāyana, the story of Lord Rāma that all children should read. The legend is that Vālmiki was given the power by sage Nārada to write the entire episode before the event actually happened.

In the early part of his life, Vālmiki was a great highway robber. He made a living by robbing travelers. One day, the great celestial saint Nārada was passing by when Vālmiki attacked him and tried to rob him. Nārada asked Vālmiki why he was doing that. Vālmiki said that this is how he supported his family.

The sage told Vālmiki: “When you rob a person, you commit sin. Do your family members want to share that sin also?”

The robber replied: “Why not? I am sure they do.”

The sage said: “All right, go home and ask everyone if they will share your sins along with the money you are bringing home.”

The robber agreed. He tied the sage against a tree and went home and asked each member of his family, saying: “I bring you money and plenty of food by robbing people. A sage told me that it is sinful to rob people. Will you share my sins?”

No one in his family was willing to share his sin. They all said: “It is your duty to support us. We can’t share your sin.”

Vālmiki realized his mistakes and asked the sage what to do to atone for his sins. The sage gave Vālmiki the most powerful and the simplest “Rāma” mantra to chant and taught him how to worship and meditate. The highway robber gave up his sinful activity and soon became a great sage and writer by the grace of guru Nārada, the power of mantra, and his sincere spiritual practice.

The Footprints

One night, a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky he saw scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; one belonging to him, and the other to the Lord.

When the last scene of his life came before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him, and he questioned the Lord about it.

“Lord, You said that there is no one hateful or dear to You, but You are always with those who worship You with love and devotion (Gita 9.29). I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why, when I needed You most, You left me alone.The Lord replied, “My dear child, you are my own soul. I love you, and I would never leave you, even if you leave Me sometimes. During your time of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, that was because then I carried you. When you have trouble, it is caused by your own Karma. That is when you are tested and can grow stronger.”

The Lord Krishna said in the Gita: “I personally take care of the needs of devotees who always remember and love Me.” (Gita 9.22).

Related posts on this blog

• Duality
• Love

Gita Simplified & with stories : Chapter 8

What is this chapter about

•  The Eternal Brahma 
•  The way to imperishable brahman
• Attaining the supreme

Summary of chapter

Explains the various sanskrit terms of Atma, Brahma, Brahman, Jiva, Devata, Adhibhoot, Adhyatma...etc

• Brahman : supreme, indestructible
• Adhidaivya : not changing , always there like the Sun 
• Adhiyagna : all done to know paramatma. working towards God realisation
• Adhyatma : self. Knowing that there is God. Route to knowing atma.
• Adhibhoot : is all perishable objects / things. Sum total of all matter , prakriti. All physical entities
• Karma : General meaning is work/action. It also means the stored up fruits of ones work over past lives 
• Ishwara : the power of God in the body of living beings
• Jiva : the living beings . That take birth and hence die. 

• Animals usually have 2-3 senses & humans have 5 in general and 6th for some. Animals cannot change themselves much, stay as were : A tiger will kill and eat & a cow will graze grass. Humans can adapt a lot more and faster within one lifetime. 
• The human form is to experience and realise God. Humans having a divine experience or divinity having a human experience?
• Life & death : death of Ego & duality, leads to unity with divine
• Importance of Om, the cosmic frequency.

Shlokas references

• One of the shorter chapters with 28 shlokas
• 8.1 - 8.4 : Lord is supreme and creator of the world
• 8.05-8.14 Remembering Lord at all times especially death
• 8.05 -8.06 mentions that the next birth is decided by our thoughts at the time of death
• 8.07 states that thinking of lord all the time will ensure we are in his thoughts when we depart from this body
• 8.15-8.22 : Cycles of birth & death. Cycles of the manifest form and returning to divine 
• 8.19 mentions about mah yuga = 4.32 m human years!!
• 8.23-8.28 : The two paths
• Dark path - attached to material world and take birth again as effect of karma. Rebirths to exhaust vasanas and progress to God realisation.
• Bright path : realisation . 8.24 God realized persons do not reincarnate

Key message from the chapter 

A simple way to realise God is to always remember him

Summary in poetry 

I am the knowledge and the source

Everything springs from my creative force

Those who know ME as the ONE

And fill their thoughts of ME alone

At their end and along the road

They make their way easily to my abode

Mind and Intellect fixed in my sublime

Therefore remember ME all the time

Noble devotees reach their aim of eternal peace

Away from this painful and transient place

A story related to the message 

The Story of King Bharata

When Sage Vishvāmitra was busy creating his own universe; Indra, the King of heaven could not tolerate that. So he sent a beautiful heavenly dancer, Menakā, to disturb him from his work. She succeeded and bore sage Vishvāmitra's daughter, Shakuntalā. She was raised in the hermitage of sage Kanava after Menakā left for heaven.

One day a King named Dushyanta wandered in the hermitage of sage Kanava. There he met and fell in love with Shakuntalā, whom he secretly married in the hermitage. Afterwards, she gave birth to a baby boy named Bharata. He was very handsome and strong, even during his childhood. Bharata looked like the son of a Deva. When he was only six years old, he used to play in the jungle by tying up baby wild animals, such as tigers, lions, and elephants.

Bharata became the king after Dushyanta. Bharata was the greatest king of the land. Even today we also call India BhārataVarsha, the land of King Bharata. He had nine sons, but none of them seemed fit to rule after him, so he adopted a qualified child, who took over the kingdom after Bharata. Thus, King Bharata laid the foundation of democracy.

There have been several other rulers by the name of Bharata such as Bharata, the younger brother of Lord Rāma and Mahārāja Bharata. Here is a story of Mahārāja Bharata:

A devotee named Mahārāja Bharata, the son of a saintly King Rishabha Deva, also ruled over our entire planet. He ruled for many years but eventually renounced everything to take up spiritual life of an ascetic. Although he was able to give up his opulent kingdom, he became attached to a baby deer. Once when the deer was absent, Mahārāja Bharata was so disturbed that he began to search for it. While searching and lamenting the deer's absence, Mahārāja Bharata fell down and died. Because his mind was fully absorbed thinking of the deer at the time of his death, he naturally took his next birth from the womb of a deer. This is the theory of transmigration of the soul, which we believe. Some western philosophers believe in reincarnation. The reincarnation theory is based on the assumption that a human soul takes birth only as humans, not as animals. The theory of transmigration seems more universal than the theory of reincarnation.

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• Earth and Sun
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Gita Simplified & with stories : Chapter 7

What is this chapter about

• Self Knowledge & Enlightenment 
• Gyan Vigyan yoga
• Nature of God & How to know God
• Knowledge of the Absolute

Summary of chapter

• Only few attain God. The longing to attain God needs to be stronger than the attachments to the world.
• The power behind this world : the creator, the supreme divinity. Different names and even forms of deities. God's energy can be manifested in any & every form
• Names and forms of God is like different forms bread / cereal forms from same wheat flour (roti, pita bread, bread, rolls, naan, puri, noodles, spaghetti...)
• God can be understood as formless and for those who cant comprehend as a form.
• The invisible God is the cause and creator of the visible world

• 1. • • Parah : the higher nature of lord : attribute less (nirguna), changeless (nirvikalp), independent, consciousness . The ultimate truth !
       • Aparah : Lower nature that is with attributes (suguna), ever changing, dependent, matter. All nature, animals, plants, people, etc are lords lower nature 

Shlokas references

• In terms of number of shlokas 30
• 7.3 : only few attain God
• Prarabhd dosh - fate
• Shareer dosha - diseased/disabled body
• Man dosha - monkey mind/ disturbed/ distracted 
• Budhi dosh - intellectually argue / different convictions
• Shraddha dosh - lack of faith
• 7.4-7.5 : the 5 elements make the body and all else plus mind, intellect & ego put together is prakriti - my lower nature. Soul is part of the higher nature. 
• All creation like beads of the same necklace and God is the string ( 7.7)
• 7.8 - 7.11 : The light of the sun, the intelligence of a scientist, the wit in a comedian, the smell in flowers, flavour in food, sweetness in sugar, life in all beings....is God
• 7.12 - 7.13 : the world & entities are born from the 3 Gunas and Gunas are from God
• Four types of devotees (7.16)
• Seeker of Health
• Seeker of Wealth
• Seeker of Knowledge
• The wise man (who has knowledge)

• God fulfils our desires just like parents do. So asking God is OK, its like asking parents, and he will fulfil as per what you really need or what is good for you. 7.19
• 7.21 - 7.22 : I am the form ( deity) for those who pray to me with faith in that form
• 7.29 - 7.30 : those who acquire the steadfastness and knowledge, even if its at end of life, reach God

Key message from the chapter 

• Knowing that every thing is part or form of God and striving towards knowing God is path to liberation

Summary in poetry 

Thousands of men tried their best

Very few have passed the test

I am the seed and the essence

In everything, feel my presence

Blinded by their delusion

World is in my illusion

But those who seek my divine grace

With all the love I embrace

Worshippers and seekers, men are four

Pious Savants, I adore

Any worship, men may long

I make that faith firm and strong

A stories related to the message

1. See God in All Beings

In a forest lived a holy man who had many disciples. He taught them to see God in all beings and to bow down before them. One day a disciple went into the forest to get wood for fire. Suddenly he heard a shout.

“Get out of the way! A mad elephant is coming!”

Everyone but the disciple of the holy man ran away. He saw the elephant as God in another form, so why should he run away from it? He stood still, bowed before the elephant, and began meditating on God in the form of the elephant.

The mahout (trainer) of the elephant shouted: “Run away! Run away!”

But the disciple didn’t move. The animal grabbed him with its trunk, threw him to one side, and went on its way. The disciple lay unconscious on the ground. Hearing what had happened; his god-brothers came to him and carried him to the hermitage. With the help of some herbal medicine, he regained consciousness.

Then someone asked, “When you knew the mad elephant was coming, why didn’t you leave the place?”

He answered: “Our guru has taught us that God is in all beings, animals as well as human. Therefore, I thought it was only the elephant-god that was coming, so I didn’t run away.”

At this the guru said: “Yes, my child, it is true that the elephant-god was coming; but the mahout-god asked you to get out of way. Why didn’t you trust the mahout’s words? Also, the elephant-god does not have the Self- knowledge that all are God!”


God dwells in all beings. God is even in the tiger; but you cannot hug the tiger on that account! Be close only with good people, and keep away from the evil-minded. Keep away from the unholy, the evil, and the impure. 

2. The Unseen

One day a 6-year-old girl was sitting in a classroom. The teacher was going to explain evolution to the children.
The teacher asked a little boy: “Manav, do you see the tree outside?”
Manav: “Yes.”
Teacher: “Manav, do you see the grass outside?”
Manav: “Yes.”
Teacher: “Go outside and look up and see if you can see the sky.”
Manav: “Okay. (He returned a few minutes later.) Yes, I saw the sky.”
Teacher: “Did you see God anywhere?”
Manav: “No.”
Teacher: “That’s my point. We can’t see God because he isn’t there. He just doesn’t exist.”
A little girl spoke up and wanted to ask the boy some questions. The teacher agreed, and the little girl asked the boy:
“Manav, Do you see the tree outside?” Manav: “Yes.” Little Girl: “Manav, do you see the
grass outside?” Manav: “Yessssss!”
Little Girl: “Did you see the sky?” Manav: “Yessssss!” Little Girl: “Manav, do you see the
teacher?” Manav: “Yes”
Little Girl: “Do you see her mind or her brain?”
Manav: “No” Little Girl: “Then according to what we were taught today in school, she must not have a brain!”
God cannot be seen with our physical eyes. He can be felt by the eyes of knowledge, faith, and devotion only (Gita 7.24-25). For we walk by faith, not by sight. He answers our prayer!


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Gita Simplified & with stories : Chapter 6

What is this chapter about

• The Path of Meditation
• Dhyan Yoga : Communion thru meditation

Summary of chapter

• Apart from the path of knowledge & duty, 3rd path is meditation.
• Yogi is one united with God. Has control over senses and sees all with an equal eye.
• Mind is ones best friend and worst enemy. Meditation helps control & calm the mind.
• Discipline of mind and body required for meditation.
• Guru Nanak has said : Master the Mind & you can master the world. "Man Jeetya, Jag Jeetya"
• Also in Gurbaani there is "Alap Ahaar, sulabh si nidra", which is about moderation in food & ensuring good rest in sleep & regulated lifestyle.
• Meditation & Prayer or spiritual practice never goes waste. If one does not reach God in this birth, then the credit for all prayers, knowledge & meditation are carried forward to next birth and one is born in circumstances that help in the spiritual progress. 
• DISPASSION / VAIRAGYA
• Seeing all as God's creation, feeling compassion for all and always having mind set on God, makes a perfect Yogi. Beyond duality and is unified with everything!
• Meditation should be simple & natural and is needed for spiritual progress.

Shlokas references

• 45 shlokas 
• 6.5 our own self is our best friend and worst enemy 
• 6.10 - 6.18 : Simple tips about meditation : sitting, contemplating, controlling senses, discipline....
• 6.16 : moderate sleep & food 
• 6.23 - 6.28 : meditation leads to bliss & liberation
• 6.31 : seeing God in everyone & everything
• 6.33 - 35 : fickle mind can be controlled by dispassion and practice needed
• 6.41- 6.44: Yogabrishta, one who did not achieve highest level & completes/ progresses in next / future births

Key message from the chapter 

• Start with karam yog for chitt shiddhi, attitude of prasad budhi and then meditate to progress
• Meditation is a tool to be in Yog with God.  Meditation is preparation to be Yogi.

Summary in poetry 

You and only you are your friend and enemy

Elevate the spirit on your own journey

Honor and dishonor life will throw

Treat them equal, they come and go

Eat, sleep and act in moderation

Helps to reach your final destination

He is with ME and very aware

Who knows and sees ME everywhere  

Control your mind, restless for sure

Practice and dispassion, you ensure

Faith and worship come what may

He is the most devout, I would say

A story related to the message

Related Story of Dhruva and his determination

King Uttanpada had two wives. His first wife, Sunity, was the daughter of a tribal chief. His second wife, Suruchi, was the daughter of a rich king. Sunity had a son named Dhruva and Suruchi's son was named Uttam. Dhruva was the elder of the two, so it was his right to become the next king.

But Suruchi was very selfish; she hated her stepson Dhruva and wanted her son Uttam to be the ruler. Uttanpada loved Suruchi more than Sunity because she was beautiful. Under her influence, he ordered Sunity and Dhruva to leave the palace.

Mother and son started living in a small hut near the forest. Sunity told Dhruva stories about God and Dhruva always thought about God.

One day, Dhruva went to the palace and saw Uttam sitting on his father's lap. But when Dhruva tried to do the same, Suruchi stopped him and said, "There is no place for you on your father's lap. Only my son can sit on his lap." Dhruva looked at his father hoping that he would stop Suruchi and take him on his lap. But his father did not say anything and ignored him.

Deeply hurt, Dhruva returned to his mother. Weeping bitterly he asked her why he had no place on his father's lap and why they had no place in the palace.

Sunity had no answer to her son's questions. Dhruva said, "You told me that God is good, he helps those who pray to him. I will go and find God, he will certainly give me my place." Dhruva decided to go to the forest and pray until God appeared before him. In the forest, he met Narada Muni, who was worried that a five-year-old boy like him would face many difficulties in the forest. He warned Dhruva that wild animals could eat him up. But Dhruva was determined to find Lord Vishnu. Impressed by his determination, Narada taught him how to survive in the forest. He also taught him the mantra "Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya' by chanting which he could please Lord Vishnu.

For many months, Dhruva prayed in the forest, and faced many difficulties. He even stopped eating. With every breath, he chanted the mantra in praise of God. Finally, Lord Vishnu was pleased with his determination and appeared before him. He not only granted Dhruva a place on his father's lap, but also a permanent place in the sky after his death.

When Uttanpada heard that his son was living in the forest, he was sorry for his actions. Narada Muni told him that his son had performed difficult prayers in the forest and was blessed by Lord Vishnu himself. When Dhruva returned, Uttanpada was waiting for him at the gates of his kingdom. He took his son lovingly into his arms. He brought him and Sunity back to the palace. Uttanpada immediately made Dhruva the king, saying that the boy who could face such a young age, could easily rule the kingdom. Uttanpada himself went to live in an ashram.

Dhruva became a wise king and ruled for many years. He spread the message of peace and justice in his kingdom. When he died, he became a star in the sky. This star, called the pole Star or Dhruva Tara is still seen shining in the sky. It is the only star that has a permanent place and does not change its position in the sky. All the other stars and constellations move around it throughout the year. Travellers look up to the Dhruva Tara in the night to find their way.

Related posts on this blog

• Why Meditate
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Gita Simplified & with stories : Chapter 5

What is this chapter about

• Path of Renunciation
• Karam Sanyas Yoga 

Renunciation does not mean give everything up & sit in a corner or going away to mountains, it means understanding that Nature / God is the planner & having things executed via you. Knowledge helps one understand that you are here on Earth as God wants you to do certain things.

This chapter is about comparing Sankhya & Karam Yoga to dispel Arjun's confusion between the two.

Summary of chapter

• Sanyas means giving up (worldly things & personal motives), but a karamsanyasi is the one who gives up for himself and continues to work for the society, understanding that God designed for him to do so.
• Karamyog prepares one for Self knowledge. And Self Knowledge leads to renunciation
• In this chapter Krishna says that following Karam Yoga with focus on God is the easier of the 2 paths, though both reach same goal.
• Sanyas seems easy, but giving up everything and just contemplating and reaching God is not for everyone. 
• Sankhya Yoga demands that we see world as Mithya & be contemplative. Karam Yoga demands we live in world and all actions are informed.
• Karamyoga is path of action, practises with discipline and mental renunciation.
• Joy starting with sense object via sense organ is short lived and will lead to some suffering.
• Happiness from within is longer term and towards liberation
• Being unattached to action and doing it to the best ability as service to God and his creation , gives inner joy and leads to liberation. 
• Action is superior to contemplation. 
• There are only 13 types of action

1. seeing
2. hearing
3. touching
4. smelling
5. walking
6. winking
7. sleeping
8. eating ( and 4 ways to consume : gulp, drink, suck, chew)
9. emitting
10. breathing
11. grasping
12. conversing
13. giving up

Shlokas references

• Only 29 shlokas
• 5.10 Being unattached like water on Lotus leaf
• Seeing God in one & all (5.18). We tend to be biased & judgemental.( once this understood, garuntee to reach God)
• 5.19:  When there is no doubt in mind regarding Brahman, sameness in all, then cycle of bith & death breaks
• 5.22 : Happiness from sense objects is temporary & leads to sorrow
• 5.24 When illuminated from within , is liberation.
• 5.26 : realised soul

Key message from the chapter 

• Giving up the DOERship attitude is important
• Attitude for the action binds and forms karma, not the action itself
• When joy is felt within and not dependent on anything, it is true & everlasting joy
• To live with inner joy and constant connection to God is liberation : liberation from desires, attachments, sorrows, fear, anger, lust.... 

Summary in poetry 

Renunciation and Action, ways are two

            Which one is better, guide me through

Superior to renunciation

I say it is unattached action

With subdued senses and life so pure

Anyone can reach ME, this is for sure

Even wise men perform deed

To purify their souls indeed

Ever clear in their equal vision

They are ever on their mission

A story related to the message : Adi Sankaracharya

Adi Sankarāchārya (or Sankara) is the author and promoter of non-dualistic philosophy of Vedanta. It states that entire universe is nothing but an expansion of God. He was born in the state of Kerala in the year 788 A.D. By the age of eight, he had learned all four Vedas, and by the age of twelve, was well versed in all Hindu scriptures. He is believed to be Lord Shiva in human form.

He certainly was a Self-realized man. But at first, he had the feeling of duality, of high and low caste. His faith in the absolute God (Brahma) was not very firmly established in his heart.

One day, he was going to the Shiva temple in the holy city of Banāras after bathing in the holy Gangā river. He saw an untouchable, a butcher, carrying a load of meat. The butcher came on his way and tried to touch Sankara's feet in respect.

Sankara shouted angrily: “Get out of the way! How dare you touch me? Now I have to take a bath again.”

“Holy sir,” said the butcher, “I have not touched you, nor have you touched me. The pure Self cannot be the body or the five elements out of which the body is created.” (There are more details in Chapter 13.)

Then Sankara saw the vision of Lord Shiva in the butcher. Lord Shiva had Himself come to Sankara to firmly implant the non- dualistic philosophy in him. Sankara was a much better person from that day by the grace of Lord Shiva.

This story illustrates that equality with all beings is difficult to practise all the time. To have such a feeling is the mark of a truly God-realised person or a perfect Samnyāsi.

A poem that relates to 5.22 "Even This Will Pass Away."  http://www.spiritualeducation.org/library/poem/this_will_pass_away

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Gita Simplified & with stories : Chapter 4

What is this chapter about

• Yoga of Knowledge in Action 
• Renouncing Action with/in Knowledge
• Transcendental Knowledge

Summary of chapter

• This chapter touches upon how this knowledge was first imparted to Sun God and then lost & this current form is when Krishna spoke to Arjun. The 10 avatars are mentioned and that all holy wise saints are sent by God for the good of mankind.
• The chapter mentions the order / sections of society : It is a system to organise society by a set of classification. It was meant to be a classification based on Guna & Karma. (In recent times corrupted to classification by birth). Modern grouping : Birds of feather flock together 
• Head - Intellectuals - Thinkers - Visionaries (SRT)
• Hands - Action oriented - for others Warriors / Leaders  (RST)
• Tummy - Action for self - Consume / Eat / Bhogi -  Business (RTS)
• Feet - Inaction - Lazy/ no ambition -  Workers / Serving (TRS)

• This chapter also deals with forms of God as deity's that we are familiar with.
• It mentions that Lord fulfils our wishes and desires but only if we work towards it and ask with a pure heart. (4.11). God deals with us the way we deal with him.
• Working like a gyani
• Only pray & no work is like begging. And working and no prayer is like slavery
• Pray & work and dedicate to God , is the way to go
• Karma : Action & Reaction / cause & effect theory. 
• Actions will create bondage if done for self or for fruit
• When doing actions not as doer but as representative of God, we don't earn any good/bad karma.
• Sacrifices and yagnas done with knowledge & for the larger good are beneficial. 
• Birth & Death cycle to consume all desires / vasanas and then Moksha to merge into God
• Gyan tapas requires effort. Growing old, hair growing etc happens on its own. But knowledge requires self effort.
• Worshipping a deity is common and when done with faith 
• Having a Guru for spiritual knowledge is important

Shlokas references

• 42 shlokas
• 4.7 : the famous shloka of "Yada Yada ye dharmasya..." when there is adharm, people are away from their true divine nature, selfishness prevails, society is deteriorating...I will come to help sort things out
• 4.11 : Different strokes for different folks. 
• 4.12 : Working towards education, job, marriage, kids...we work towards it and it gets done. So work towards moksha also.
• 4.13 : Order of society
• 4.19 - 23 : Actions of a Gyani
• 4.24 : Everything is Brahman for a Yogi. The food, the farmer who grew it, or mother who cooked it, the fire that digests it....
• 4.25 - 31: talks about sacrifices and Chanting, Jap, reading scriptures etc. (4.17 talks about forbidden actions)
• In 4.33 mentions that sacrifice thru knowledge is superior to all material sacrifices.
• Knowledge helps exhaust our past life karma. Seeking and then implementing knowledge (4.37) The fire of knowledge reduces actions to ash. Knowledge is the purifier just like fire
• Seva is socially beneficial & Sadhna helps in seva.  People doing seva are blessed by lord with self knowledge (4.39)

Key message from the chapter 

• When necessary, Lord comes to earth for benefit of mankind to set things in order. Establish DHARMA

• Selfless service & self knowledge, burns past karmas & frees the soul from cycle of birth and death

Summary in poetry 

You do not know ME fully yet

I am the Real and the Light

When Right is in its very decline

I manifest in forms, all divine

I appear at MY will, time and again

To restore peace, I ascertain

Leave your desire, fear and anger

Follow your way with all the fervor

Every path is dear and pleasant

If pursued with pure intent

Action and inaction, it is a world of choice

Always listen to your inner voice

A man’s life sans oblation

Leads him away from salvation

A story related to the message

Related story 1 is of  Eklavya about praying to a form with great faith.

Long ago there lived the Pandavas and the Kauravas, the princes of Hastinapura. All the princes were taught archery by Sage Dronacharya. The Pandava prince, Arjuna was Drona’s favourite student. Ekalavya, a poor commoner boy also wanted to be Drona’s pupil but Drona refused to teach him. And blessed him that practise with determination & you will excel.

Ekalavya was a determined boy & felt blessed by Drona. He carved a statue of Drona on a tree trunk in the forest and started practising in front of it and offered flowers to the statue. Time went by. One day the princes and their teacher came to the same forest. As Arjuna aimed at a particularly difficult target, an arrow pierced the target. Shocked, the boys and their teacher looked around. They saw Ekalavya, who went up to touch Drona’s feet. “Who is your teacher?” Drona asked. Ekalavya quietly led him to the statue. Drona did not want anyone to be better than Arjun. He thought for some time and said, “If I am your guru, give me my gurudakshina.” “Surely, sir,” bowed Ekalavya. “I want your right thumb, replied Drona. Ekalavya wordlessly cut off his right thumb and laid it at Drona’s feet.

This story is really about his faith. Eklavya meditated in front of the statue, presented his problems and found his solutions. The bit about the thumb has many interpretations including that his tribe was from another kingdom etc.

Related Story 2 of King Janak : The Rajrishi, who ruled as a king & worked/lived as a rishi. He lived in the palace , but was not attached to the luxury and totally committed to his duty as the king and all actions were for others & for the good of his kingdom.

Related Story 3 of man who could run very fast. Once there is a robbery in his village and people tell him to run after the robber. He runs, overtakes him, get tired and the comes back. Others look surprised and asked. His response, I did not know I was to catch him, was asked to run so I ran!!! Action without knowledge cannot use a mans skill.

Related posts on this blog

• Dharam Arth Kaam Moksh

Gita Simplified & with stories : Chapter 3

What is this chapter about

• Karam Yoga : The path of social service. When work is worship, it is selfless, for a larger cause and no attachments & expectations from the work or its outcome.
• Reaching God / realisation thru Karam Yog ( Path of selfless action)  is recommended in this chapter.

Summary of chapter

• Arjun seeks to understand what is better Karam yoga or Sankhya yoga?
• Karam Yoga principles can be followed by anyone & everyone. It is SIMPLE, just a little effort to get started
• Working for selfish reasons does not bring true happiness. (Is like sinning brings short term pleasure). Actions bind us to its outcome unless done as an offering to God or for his service or as sacrifice.
• There is a mention of the 5 supreme Yagnas
• Actions speak louder than words. Students learn best by experiments & demonstration! Best leaders lead by example. Action is key.
• All work is good. Its alignment to your nature and your positive & selfless attitude in doing it , makes you happy & peaceful. No job is big or small, what is important is how you do it, what is the goal and the intention behind it.
• This chapter details the primordial nature the 3 gunas :-  Satwa, Rajas & Tamas
• Desires is the cause of all suffering was quoted by Buddha and holds true as for all selfish, evil desires at all times. Desire fulfilled gives birth to more desires. And unfulfilled leads to anger & depression.
• Knowledge of self is covered by layers of desires & controlling senses will help fight this enemy
• Body, senses, mind, intellect & self.: Sense superior to body, mind controls senses, only intellect can manage mind & Self is supreme. 
• Animals usually have 1-2 senses well developed and hence can be attracted / distracted by them Like Moth to light and fire where they die. Fish to food and it gets hooked and caught . And so on. Humans have all senses well developed, hence surrounded by distractions!
• Controlling desires can be done by knowledge and awareness.

Shlokas references

• 43 shlokas
• 3.6 : If controlling only action organs and mind dwelling on sense objects means sense organs completely out of control
• 3.9 : we are bound by our actions unless done as a sacrifice (yagna)
• It is sinful to enjoy with offering to God. And enjoying the remnants (or as prasad) is free of any sin. 3.13
• 3.19 performing duty is supreme
• 3.22 All 3 loks nothing I really need to do, but I am still busy giving soul the opportunity to have spiritual experiences and reach me.
• 3.30 surrendering actions to lord, 3.31 released from karma
• 3.37 : Rajas gives rise to desire and leads to anger. However Rajas guided by Satwa will have a different impact
• 3.38 : smoke covers fire, dust covers mirror and membrane covers embryo, the world is enveloped by desire!

Key message from the chapter 

• Karam Yoga is superior to Gyan Yoga as the actions are submitted to God and are for social good
• Gunas (SRT) combination / balance is important. Rajas and Tams need to be guided by Satwa
• Controlling sense organs & hence desires is important, as they are obstacles in the path of self knowledge. 

Summary in poetry 

Knowledge and Action, ways are two

Which one is better, guide me through

Everyone is so bound to act

No one can deny, it is a fact

Do your job with all your might

If it is detached, it is so right

Free of ego do your best

For the benefit of the rest

Sacrifice is the way to go

To reach the Supreme as you know

Based on which the Creation rests

This is how the Universe works

Know your strength, trade and skill

Make your destiny with your will

Your own task, do it with charm

Others’ role, it will only harm

Rest not until you fulfil your duty

Seek your Self in all its very beauty

A story related to the message  Sir Alexander Fleming 

His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to make out a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and terrifying death.

The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman's sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved.

"I want to repay you," said the nobleman. "You saved my son's life." "No, I can't accept payment for what I did," the Scottish farmer replied, waving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer's own son came to the door of the family hovel. "Is that your son?" the nobleman asked. "Yes," the farmer replied proudly. "I'll make you a deal. Let me take him and give him a good education. If the lad is anything like his father, he'll grow to a man you can be proud of."

And that he did. In time, Farmer Fleming's son graduated from St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin.

Years after ward, the nobleman's son was stricken with pneumonia. What saved him? Penicillin.

The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill. His son's name? Sir Winston Churchill. Someone once said: What goes around comes around. Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like no body's watching.

What goes around comes around, universal law of karma. 


Related posts on this blog

1. Choices and action are key
2. Actions for benefit of society
3. The law of Karma

Gita Simplified & with stories : Chapter 2

What is this chapter about

• Sankhya Yoga : The path of knowledge
• This Chapter is when Krishna speaks! (2.2)
• Gita Updesh starts with 2.11

Summary of chapter

This chapter is said to be like the contents of Gita summarised. Or an index to the rest. Note all that is said here is repeated in the following chapters.

• First Krishna talks about soul & body and how atma is forever & body a temporary abode and the famous lines that atma cannot be killed, cut, dried, burnt, touched and so on that it is constant and everlasting. Body is born, hence must die.
• An illustration to explain.....Water!!! We know states of water : liquid, solid & vapour. We know forms: lakes, rivers, snow, ice, clouds, steam. And most of us can relate to the water cycle as well. Now a river has a start and end and so does the cloud or lake. And maybe one can define the begining and end of rain as well.  But can someone say where the water cycle begins? or where water started??? does it start with the ocean or ends there?   Any form or state, its still water really. Same for the soul.
• Second he tries to explain that warriors don't step back from war & he should fight as that is his duty as warrior. He will be ill famed to walk away from war.
• Third, introduces KaramYoga, selfless action, doing things for others benefit
• Fourth he mentions about Sthir Pragya , the wise man who is always in equanimity
• In this chapter its explains about the sense organs ability to distract & our ability to control them.
• The famous shloka 2.47 teaches us that inaction is not possible. And our ability and control is only to act and not beyond that.  The key teaching being focus on effort.
• The beautiful merging of the river to the ocean without causing any change in the ocean is compared to the equanomous person not disturbed by others is mentioned in 2.70

Shlokas references

• 72 shlokas
• 11-30 : about you are a soul not body (25 : soul is incomprehensible)
• 31-37 : reminding Arjuna about his duty as a warrior 
• 42 - 46 : about Vedas , self less action
• 47 : Right to action and no right or control or attachment to fruits
• 55 - 72 : characteristics of a God realised person (58 : example of tortoise, for withdrawal of senses)

Key message from the chapter 

• Krishna tries to explain & convince Arjun in many ways
• duty to fight
• giving up will make him infamous
• then explains he will not kill anyone as souls are imperishable
• self less action for others

Summary in poetry

Pity, you are meek and weak

Who fears future is so bleak

Know your might and the grace

A great warrior of your race

I am really torn asunder

My Lord, here I surrender

You know what is best and right

Guide me through this dark night

Hear me say the Truth in brief

Abandon indeed all that grief

Differ how they Body and Soul

Know this reality as a whole

Prescribed duties you fulfil

With single focus, if you will

Mind not the results in every age

It will lead to mere bondage

With senses controlled, wise men say

It is all but a Divine Play

Pleasure and pain life may bring

Glories of Lord they always sing

Two main evils desire and anger

Enlightened know how to conquer

They lead their lives, quiet and peaceful

Filled with joy, serene and blissful

A stories related to the message

The famous story about shooting the eye of the bird teaches us about being focused is relevant to this chapter. (For those who do not know, an Archery teachers asks his students to shoot the eye of the bird. Then he asks each one what you see. One saw the bird on the branch. Another saw that as well as the tree & clouds and so on. The perfect student only saw the eye of the bird...the target!) With focus on target, single mindedness & full attention, one achieves the goal. While at archery lesson ...be in teh moment..listen to teacher and focus on target

Another story is about THE PREGNANT DEER - a beautiful story about focus on action & faith in God !

In a forest, a pregnant deer is about to give birth.

She finds a remote grass field near a strong-flowing river.

This seems a safe place.

Suddenly labour pains begin.

At the same moment, dark clouds gather around above & lightning starts a forest fire.

She looks to her left & sees a hunter with his bow extended pointing at her.

To her right, she spots a hungry lion approaching her.

What can the pregnant deer do?

She is in labour!

What will happen?

Will the deer survive?

Will she give birth to a fawn?

Will the fawn survive?

Or will everything be burnt by the forest fire?

Will she perish to the hunters' arrow?

Will she die a horrible death at the hands of the hungry lion approaching her?

She is constrained by the fire on the one side & the flowing river on the other & boxed in by her natural predators.

What does she do?

She focuses on giving birth to a new life.

The sequence of events that follows are:

- Lightning strikes & blinds the hunter.

- He releases the arrow which zips past the deer & strikes the hungry lion.

- It starts to rain heavily, & the forest fire is slowly doused by the rain.

- The deer gives birth to a healthy fawn.

In our life too, there are moments of choice when we are confronted on αll sides with negative thoughts and possibilities.

Some thoughts are so powerful that they overcome us & overwhelm us.

Maybe we can learn from the deer.

The rest was not in her hands & any action or reaction that changed her focus would have likely resulted in death or disaster.

The priority and duty of the deer, in that given moment, was simply to give birth to a baby.

Ask yourself,

Where is your focus?

Where is your faith and hope?

In the midst of any storm, do keep it on God always.

He will never ever disappoint you. NEVER.

Related posts on this blog

• Action and its fruit
• Right & duty
• FEAR
• The popular Fruits of action Shloka  (47 chapter 2)