GITA 4.30

GITA 4.30

Oruththi maganaai-p-pirandhu or iravil
Oruththi maganaai oliththu valara
Tharikkilaanaagi-th-thaan theengu ninaindha
Karuththai pizhai-p-piththu kanjan vayittril
Neruppenna ninra nedumaley! unnai
Aruththuthu vandhom parai tharudhi yaagil
Thiruththakka selvamum sevakamum yaampaadi
Varuththamum theerndhu magizhndhu-el or empaavaai

In Thiruppavai, in this 25th verse, Sri Andal says Sri Krishna was born as the child of one woman [Devaki] in Mathura, but grew up as the child of another woman [Yasoda] in Gokulam. He was the eighth child of Devaki, and Sri Balarama was conceived as the seventh child for her. At that time Sriman Narayana called Yogamaya, which was His power, and commanded her to do two things for Him. One was she should withdraw the fetus, which was to develop as Sri Balarama, from the womb of Devaki and place it in the womb of Rohini, another wife of Vasudeva, in Gokulam. Secondly, she should be born as a daughter of Yasoda in Gokulam, at the same time as Sri Krishna would be born as the eighth child of Devaki. Vasudeva would interchange the child Yogamaya with Sri Krishna, so that Kamsa would think the eighth child of Devaki was a girl. She could then announce that Kamsa's real enemy was thriving at Gokulam. Since Sri Balarama was withdrawn from Devaki, He is called Sri Sankarshna (sankarsh = to pull out). Due to His extra ordinary strength, He also got the name Sri Balarama. Both the brothers, Sri Balarama and Sri Krishna, had many a pranks in the Vrajabhoomi. Today's [24th October, 2007] lecture is from Ram ghat on the banks of Yamuna, where Sri Balarama exhibited His strength. Sri Balarama is referred to here as Dauji, as He was the elder brother. There is a temple for Sri Balarama, Dauji mandir, here and we can see river Yamuna here. This place is also known as Baldeo. The river flow from Kher ghar to Seer ghat [what we saw earlier], for about 5 kilometres, is flowing in the opposite direction - South to North.

Kink in River Yamuna, near Baldeo

 Once when after a Rasakreeta here, Sri Balarama wanted to bathe in the river, He found the river was away and using His plough and strength, He dragged the river to this place, and the course of the river changed. This also justifies His name Sri Sankarshana, as He dragged the river course. We will now see the other types of Karma yogis. In each of the 25th and 26th slokas, Sri Krishna listed two types of Karma yogi and in the 27th sloka one more was listed. Thus so far five types have been described. In the 28th sloka He describes five more types of Karma yogis:

dravya-yajnas tapo-yajna
yoga-yajnas tathapare
svadhyaya-jnana-yajnas ca
yatayah samsita-vratah

There are others who, enlightened by sacrificing their material possessions in severe austerities, take strict vows and practice the yoga of eight fold mysticism, and others study the Vedas for the advancement of transcendental knowledge.

"Resolving to complete the efforts, some become enlightened by sacrificing their possessions, some others by performing severe austerities, some by pilgrimage to sacred places, some by studying the Vedas and some others to advance in knowledge."

Yataya = with good efforts, samsita vrata = resolved to complete the tasks undertaken without interruption. This adjective is common to the five types of people He is going to describe. All those are resolved to complete their tasks without interruption. Dravya yajna = performing oblations with materials. That is performing yagna or pooja or donating to needy persons, all these are done by this type of person. This requires lots of materials to be offered. But these materials are earned in an honest way. Materials earned by dishonest means can not be donated or offered and they will never erase the sins committed by wrong means. So says shastras. In fact, noble persons will not accept materials earned dishonestly. We have seen sacred materials are offered in the holy fire in yagnas. Costly silk sarees and dhoties are sometimes offered into the fire and these are reduced to ashes. Many may think that this is waste when lots of persons do not have dress to wear and food to eat. Yes, it is true that there are many deprived in our society, but this does not mean this activity is forbidden. These are having results, but this does not mean we drop into the fire all sorts of things. At the same time we have to ponder over the crores of rupees being spent on crackers every Deepavali festival. This way of spending is not prescribed in our shastras. People do it for sheer enjoyment. None questions this. Whereas the offerings in yagna, are all prescribed and are done chanting the relevant mantras. Yagnas bring prosperity. Even in a marriage, we print costly invitation cards and feed thousands of our friends and relatives. They are not needy ones and we drive out the beggars outside who need food for survival. All these are done to satisfy our ego. Donations are to be done to the needy only. This would please God also. Tapo yajna = voluntarily taking body sufferings and meditating. Meditating inside water or on mountain cliffs, not caring for weather conditions, etc. Such persons could be spotted in Himalayas even now. Yoga yajna = [the third type is] persons who undertake pilgrimage. Bathing in sacred rivers like Ganges or Kaveri, visiting sacred places like the 108 Divya desam, etc. This type of travel broadens one's mind and makes one to understand others, apart from devotion to God and temporary freedom from one's own place. Swadhyaya yajna = learning Vedas thoroughly and practicing it all times. Gyana yajna = [this is the fifth type described in this sloka] understanding the true meanings of Vedas and other mantras. Thus five types of Karma yogis are listed here and all of them are determined to go ahead with their efforts and complete them. We have thus seen ten types of Karma yogis listed by Sri Krishna. 

                                                                                               (continued)