GITA 3.6

GITA 3.6

Today is Vaikasi Visaka day [when the recording was done], Nammalwar’s birthday. We are at the Swami Ramanuja sannidhi situated between Alwar Thirunagari and Ramanuja Chaturvedimangalam. The idol of Swami Ramnuja here, is called Bhavishyadacharya Vigraham. When Nammalwar was about to leave this world, his disciple Madurakavi Alwar requested for a memento and he was asked to distil the water of river Thamrabarani. When Madurakavi did accordingly, an idol was got but it was not of Nammalwar. He was told that this was the idol of a great Acharya who was going to appear in this world and redeem the devotees. Nammalwar lived in the beginning of Kali yug that is some 5000 years ago, and Swami Ramanuja was born 1000 years ago. So Nammalwar was able to predict the appearance of Ramanuja, and so this idol is called Bhavishyadacharya [Acharya of future]. Again, when Madurakavi distilled water, this time he got an idol of Nammalwar. On this day every year, Nammalwar, after bathing in the river, appears along with Swami Ramanuja [Bhavishyadacharya]. The idol of Ramanuja was got on Masi Visakam. So on both these days- Vaikasi Visakam and Masi Visakam- festivals of 10 days duration are held annually in Alwar Thirunagari. When Nammalwar taught Nalayira Divya Prabandham to Swami Nathamuni, this idol of Bhavishyadacharya was presented to Nathamuni. We will now see the 6^th sloka:

karmendriyani samyamya
ya aste manasa smaran
indriyarthan vimudhatma
mithyacarah sa ucyate

One who restrains the senses and organs of action, but whose mind dwells on sense objects, certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender.

"One who restrains the senses of action but whose mind dwells on sense objects certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender."

This is also continuation of Sri Krishna’s reply that one cannot directly practice Gyana yoga.He emphasizes the need for Karma yoga before practicing Gyana yoga. We have already seen that Gyana yoga needs a serene and pure mind. Such a mind only can meditate on atman. For a pure mind, organs and senses are to be controlled. For disciplining the organs, likes and dislikes are to be eradicated. Rajo and tamo qualities should have been minimized. For this, Karma yoga was necessary, which would please the Lord and our sins are cleared. A person decides to practice Gyana yoga, that is to have atman darshan, without Karma yoga. Lack of practice of Karma yoga allowed the papa or sins to continue and so he could not avoid likes and dislikes. The rajo and tamo qualities were having their influence and so, the organs and senses were not disciplined. In this state, he tries to practice Gyana yoga, and directs the mind on atman. But the mind is uncontrollable and wanders on all matters. This is called false discipline or mithyacharam, where the intention is one and the actual happening is different. Mind and action if they are same, it is correct discipline. Karmendriyani= the organs responsible for action, like eyes, nose, etc.,samyamya= controlled, but vimudhatma = uncontrolled mind [because Karma yoga was never practiced], ya aste manasa smaran= the mind is after all materialistic desires, mithyacarah ucyate= he is called a person with false discipline. This happens when we misunderstand the requirements for Gyana yoga. We think that organs have to be controlled and so we close our eyes, shut our ears and in a secluded place, we try to do Gyana yoga. But the mind has still the impurities and so, mind is undisciplined and wanders on all matters, which are physically restrained, from the organs.

                                                                 (continued)