- Liberation through renunciation
- Nirvana by giving up Ego
- Yoga of liberation and renunciation
- Moksh Sanyasa yoga
- The Perfect Renunciation
- This chapter is like a recap of the previous 17 chapters. There is a bit from almost all chapters here
- All that has been said from chap 2 onwards , the key points are summarised here.
- True sanyasa is giving up ego
- Sanyas is giving up desire prompted action & Renunciation is giving up the fruits of all actions
- Route to nirvana is giving up ego. To give up ego one needs spiritual knowledge
- This chapter revisits knowledge about Atman, Karam Yoga, Gyan Yog, Dhyan Yog, Bhakti Yog, 3 Gunas in nature, Lords vibhutis and so on
- 78 shlokas, the longest chapter.
- 18.02 : giving up selfish motives in all we do
- 18.23, 24, 25 : Actions can be Satvik (without doership, seeking nothing in return) or Rajasic (done with ego & desire and expecting results) or Tamasic (done with ignorance)
- 18.26, 27, 28 : A Doer may be Satvik (unattached, unegoistic, unswayed by result ) or Rajasic (full of attachment and seeking fruits of action) or Tamasic (lacking self control, procastinating, uncultured)
- 18. 29, 30, 31, 32 : Budhi may be Satvik ( understands path of bondage and renunciation, should and should not, bondage and liberation) or Rajasic (does not understand or see dharma & adharma) or Tamasic (ignorant, may see adharam as dharam)
- 18.33, 34, 35 . Dhriti may be Satvik (unwavering, controls mind & senses) or Rajasic (fondness of dharam, art & kamm and seeking rewards) or Tamasic (evil minded, does not give u anxiety, pride etc)
- 18.37, 38, 39 : Joy may be Satvik (poison like/difficult/ painful in start, and ends in joy. Calm intellect) or Rajasic (starts as nectar, attractive & sweet thru sense organs, and ends up in trouble) or Tamasic (stupefies one, excessive sleeping, obstination) . One that is short term and leads to trouble later Vs what seems painful in the beginning but leads to lasting joy
- 18.41- 18.44 : the Vedic society had 4 varnas based on mental, intellectual and physical capabilities, it was determined by karmas and not by birth.
- 18.46 : doing ones duty with honesty, dedication and faith
- 18.47 : work aligned to ones nature and ability and dedicated to Lord is akin to worship.
- 18.66 : Put in your best effort and accept results as God's will
- 18.68-69 : Gift of spiritual knowledge is the best
- 18.70-18.71 : Listening, imbibing, sharing, facilitating the sharing of knowledge is service to Lord
- 18.73 : Arjun is free of delusion and grateful for the knowledge
- 18.78 : Everlasting peace and prosperity is possible, doing duty with spiritual knowledge. Where ever lord is and his disciple equipped with knowledge, victory and unfailing righteousness is there.
- Duty, Discipline & Devotion
- Acting with the spiritual knowledge, actions dedicated to God leads to liberation.
Know about abandonment and renunciation
Here is my ultimate declaration
Never should be abandoned, sacrifice, charity and austerity
Since it leads to purity
Obligatory duties, all should perform
Agreeable or disagreeable, pure men always conform
Detached and not desiring of the fruit
Every prescribed duty, they execute
Action and its causes, understand all the facts
Helps you comprehend the reasons behind all acts
Kinds of knowledge, action, intellect, fortitude and pleasure
Are pure, passionate or dark, three in measure
Everyone’s duties depends on how their qualities bind
Qualities born of nature are four in kind
By engaging in their own duty, wise men attain perfection
And with Supreme they make their connection
Heart of every being is Lord’s dwelling
Seek his refuge and manifest your divine being
Secret of secrets, this wisdom I have shared so clear
It is because to me you are so dear
With all the knowledge gained, you reflect
Choice is yours and now you act
If you take refuge in me for sure
Will liberate you from all the sins, this I assure
This supreme knowledge with devotion who teach
Without any doubt my abode, they reach
With your grace, I am now aware
My doubts are dispelled, this I declare
My faith is firm and intact
Now as per your words, I will act.
A story related to the message
I am no Crane
A holy man named Kaushika had acquired great spiritual powers. One day, he sat under a tree meditating. A crane at the top of the tree soiled his head with its droppings. Kaushika looked up at it angrily, and his angry look killed the bird instantly. The holy man was pained when he saw the dead bird lying on the ground. Some time later, he went as usual to beg for food and stood before the door of a house. The housewife was busy serving her husband with food and seemed to forget the holy man waiting outside. After her husband had been fed, she came out with food, saying, “I am sorry to have kept you waiting long. Forgive me.”
But Kaushika, burning with anger, said: “Lady, you have made me wait for a long time. This is not fair.”
“Kindly forgive me,” said the woman. “I was serving my sick husband and hence the delay.”
“It is good to attend the husband,” replied Kaushika, “but you seem to be an arrogant woman.”
“I kept you waiting only because I was dutifully serving my sick husband,” she replied. “Please do not be angry with me. I am no crane to be killed by your angry thought. Your anger cannot harm a woman who devotes herself to service of her husband and family.”
Kaushika was surprised. He wondered how she knew of the crane incident.
She continued: “O great one, you do not know the secret of duty, or that anger is the greatest enemy that dwells in human beings. Go to the village Rampur in Mithilā and learn the secrets of doing one’s duty with devotion from Vyādha Rāj”
Kaushika went to the village and met the man named Vyādha Rāj. He was surprised to learn he was selling meat at a butcher’s shop. The butcher got up from his seat and asked: “Honored sir, are you well? Did that pure lady send you to me? I know why you have come. Let us go home.”
The butcher took Kaushika to his house where Kaushika saw a happy family and was greatly amazed at the love and respect with which the butcher served his parents. Kaushika took his lesson from the butcher on doing one’s duty. Vyādha Rāj did not kill the animals; he never ate meat. He just carried on his family business after his father retired.
Afterwards, Kaushika returned to his house and began to serve his parents, a duty which he had neglected before.
The moral of this story is that you can reach spiritual perfection by honestly doing whatever duty is yours in life. This is a true worship of God (Gita 18.46).
Related posts on this blog
- Spiritual significance of Ramayan!
- Effort & Destiny
- Dharam Arth Kaam Moksh
- War & peace : Preparation for war, exam or moksha
No comments:
Post a Comment