GITA 6.38

GITA 6.38

Sri Vaiyam Kattha Permal Koil, Aduthurai or Koodalur 

The yogi is able to see himself and all others as same. His Atman is identical to all other Atman. Such sama darshanam was categorised in four ways. Overlooking the body and with punya and papa eradicated, Atman having matured fully, he considers equal to God in some respects and all Atman are identical to his Atman. The Lord described four types of yogi. Swami Alawandar mentioned this as yogi chaturtha, in his Gitarta Sangraham. Arjuna raised some doubts in two slokas, that controlling mind appeared impossible for him. Agreeing with Arjuna, Sri Krishna therefore, suggested yoga sadhanam of vairagyam and abhyasam, would control mind. Repeated practice to train the mind on Atman and being aware of the pitfalls in the worldly affairs and their pleasures, are the methods suggested by the Lord. Armed with these, practicing [Karma] yoga becomes possible. Now He is going to tell that, by this, yoga would be definitely possible - yoga siddhi. Arjuna gets a doubt. A person might sincerely try to practice yoga. Suppose that person is unable to complete to attain Atman sakshatkaram and he slips. What would be his fate? He might not get Moksham. Since he started yoga by relinquishing all worldly desires, he has already lost them also. Therefore, what will that person achieve? Will he attain yoga siddhi? All these doubts are reflected in slokas 37,38 and 39, and Sri Krishna replies assertively that the efforts will not go waste.

 We have visited all the 18 Divya Desam in Pandya region. We are now in Chola region, where we have already visited Kshetrams like Srirangam, Anbil, Appakkudathan and Thiruvellarai. We are now in a kshetram Koodalur and this name suggests yoga will 'koodum' [Tamil word for possible]. The Lord here is Sri Vaiyam Katha Perumal or Sri Jagatrakshaka. Facing East and on the banks of river Kaveri, the Lord is gracing with Sri Padmasani or Sri Pushpavalli Thayar. This temple is also known as Aduthurai Perumal koil. With the name Aduthurai there are two places and Koodalur is also the name of two places. One Koodalur is in Madurai, which we have already visited; but this Koodalur is in Chola region. One Aduthurai is beyond Kumbakonam and this place is not that. To reach this place one can come to Thanjavur and proceed to Ayyampettai, from where one has to go to Ganapati Agraharam. This temple is about two kilometres from Ganapati Agraharam. So anyone desiring to visit this place, should properly enquire and reach, to avoid missing this place. It takes about 11/2 hours journey from Trichy. Today [15th February 2008] we are at the sannidhi of Sri Adi Varaha Perumal, in this temple. In Vishnu purana, sage Parashara says that in Varaha avatara, Sri Vishnu took a very large boar form and the eyes were like large lotus flowers. The Lord appeared to redeem Sri Bhoodevi, captured by Hiranyaksha. Here the Lord has Sri Bhoodevi on His lap. Bhoo means earth, for which another name is Jagat. Thus the Lord is called Jagat Rakshaka [ Protector of Earth]. In Tamil, He is called Sri Vaiyam [earth] Katha [Protect] Perumal.

Now, we will see sloka 37:

arjuna uvaca
ayatih shraddhayopeto
yogac calita-manasah
aprapya yoga-samsiddhim
kam gatim krishna gacchati

"Arjuna said: O Krishna, what is the destination of the unsuccessful transcendentalist, who in the beginning takes to the process of self-realization with faith but who later desists due to worldly-mindedness and thus does not attain perfection in mysticism?"

Arjuna raises a doubt. After adopting a new course, if we slip, will we lose the new as well as the old courses? It is like we change the queue, thinking we may reach a counter quickly. Person was earlier enjoying worldly matters. He changed this to yoga for better life. If he slipped in yoga due to any reason, he might lose the result for which he started yoga. Not merely that, he had already abandoned worldly matters and so those also are not there to enjoy. He might thus lose both ways. This is Arjuna's doubt. Earlier, before starting yoga, the person might have been performing some rituals to beget children or to acquire wealth. Thinking they are all inferior objectives, he abandoned all those and resorted to yoga with enthusiasm. But in the midway in yoga, with pressures of the surrounding, the person got distracted and slipped from yoga. What is the fate of this person? Arjuna asks. This sloka reflects the average person's doubt. Shraddhayopeta = with enthusiasm started [the yoga], ayati = but is unable to put in the required efforts, calita manasa = with slipped mind from, yogo = yoga. We satrted the yoga so that we will have Atman darshanam and consider all equal. But in the course, suddenly we lose ourselves when some one abuses or does bad things for us. Or, suddenly, we aspire to acquire more wealth or swarga. Then, we have slipped from yoga. Yogasamsiddhim = the objective of yoga, Atman sakshatkaram, aprapya = not attained, kam gatim = which destination, gacchati = will he go? Will he get Moksha or will he enjoy the pleasures of this world or will he be pushed into naraka? What is going to be the destination of this person who has slipped halfway from yoga? Sri Krishna is going to reply that he would reach good destination, in the coming slokas.

                                                                                               (continued)