GITA 12.2

GITA 12.2

Lakhs of listeners have supported the Bhagavad Gita lectures [on Podhigai TV channel of Doordarshan] in 'Kannanin Aaramudhu', with the sole aim of understanding the great treasure left for us by Sri Krishna. The Lecturer [Sri UVe. Velukkudi Krishnan Swamy] and his team thank all, for the efforts and support.

 We are at present in the temple of Tiruneermalai [திருநீர் மலை] [This kshetram is near Pallavaram, in the suburbs of Madras city]. The Lord graces here in Four poses. Thirumangai Alwar has composed 10 verses on this Kshetram. Besides, Bhootatalwar also has praised this Kshetram. At the bottom of the hill is Sri Neervanna Perumal [ஸ்ரீ நீர்வண்ண பெருமாள்], the main deity of this Kshetram. Today's [12th December 2008] lecture is from the sannidhi of Sri Neervanna Perumal. Why the Lord is called Sri Neervannan? Many sages assembled at this place, known as Thoyadri, long back and meditated for about 600 years. Appreciating their efforts, the Lord appeared and asked them their need. They never asked for immortality nor power to rule the entire world; but praising the mercy [neermai நீர்மை in Tamil], they wondered the Lord's simplicity to bestow His darshan to them and requested the Lord to remain ever in this Kshetram with the same 'neermai' shown to them. Thus the Lord is gracing with 'neermai' here. Water is cool when touched. That is the quality of water. Arjuna once asked Sri Krishna as to why, in spite of many faults by Arjuna, the Lord was never angry with him, but with patience, taught all important things to be learnt in life. The Lord was finding difficult to reply. He took Arjuna to river Yamuna and asked him to feel the water. When Arjuna touched the water, the Lord asked him how he felt. Arjuna replied that the water was cool. Sri Krishna further asked Arjuna as to why the water was cool. Arjuna replied that it was the property of water to be cool, just as fire would be hot and ground would be hard. Sri Krishna then said that likewise, showing mercy and patience to devotees was His characteristic. There is no reason for water to be cool and the Lord to be showing mercy. Tirumangai Alwar in Tirunedunthandakam, disguises himself as Parakala Nayaki, the sweetheart of the Lord, and tells 'her' mother. 'She' says that 'she' would go to Tiruneermalai, where the Lord is like the hard hill, but shows 'neermai'! We can notice the contradictory words of this Kshetram: 'neer' [water] and 'malai' [hill]. Hill is stationary, strong and hard. On the contrary, water always flows, and it is soft. Is it water in the form of the hill? Or, is water hard like the hill? As Valmiki describes, the Lord is resolute like a hill or mountain. His determination is stronger than the Himalayas. But He melts like water when seeing devotees. Resolute and merciful are the reasons for the name He got here. We will now worship the Lord.

 MOOLAVAR SRI NEERVANNA PERUMAL

SRI UTSAVAR

 Moolavar is with right arm in Abhaya mudra and left arm is Kati hastha. Alwars have regarded the Lord here as Sri Venkateswara of Tirumala. Utsavar is also having right hand in Abhaya mudra. Along with Sri Sridevi and Sri Bhudevi, Sri Neervanna Perumal is gracing. When worshipping, we can observe that the Lord's mind is like turbulent water. Water, though disturbed, gets cleared now and then. The Lord is quite clear about protecting the Universe. Same Lord gets disturbed at times when seeing the plight of His devotees. When Tirumangai Alwar visited this place, it was surrounded by water. So, he waited for the water to drain, for about Six months. Then only he could visit the temple and sing in praise of the Lord, as Sri Neervannan, Sri Neelavannan and Sri Neer Mukilvannan. Now we will see sloka 1 of Chapter 12:

arjuna uvaca
evam satata-yukta ye
bhaktas tvam paryupasate
ye capy aksharam avyaktam
tesham ke yoga-vittamah

"Arjuna inquired: Which are considered to be more perfect, those who are always properly engaged in Your devotional service or those who worship the impersonal Brahman, the unmanifested?"

Arjuna says to Sri Krishna that he had heard of Two types of persons: one, those who meditate on atman, with the desire to enjoy atman, and who are called Kailvayarthi [கைவல்யார்த்தி] or Atma prapti kama [ஆத்மா ப்ராப்தி காமர்கள்]. We have already discussed this in Chapter 7, where Sri Krishna mentioned about Three types of devotees : Aishwarya artis [ऐस्वर्यार्थी, desirous of worldly pleasures using sensual organs], Kaivalya artis [कैवल्यार्थी, desirous of enjoying their own souls and not wanting to have rebirths, doing only Karma yoga and Gyana yoga] and Bhagavallabha artis [भागावल्लाभार्थी, desirous of serving the Lord in Vaikuntam forever, using Bhakti yoga]. Arjuna leaves the First category of Aishwarya artis and wants clarification on the other Two, viz., Kaivalya artis and Bhagavallabha artis. This has been already dealt with by Sri Krishna in Chapter 7, where He has categorically said that of all the devotees, the Lord likes most only those who practice Bhakti yoga. So, here what Arjuna asks is not who is better among the Two types of devotees. That has been already settled. Here what Arjuna asks is among these Two categories of devotees, who attains the objective first. In a running race, when Two persons are competing, the race will be won by either speed or the terrain, which could be different. Evam = therefore, satatam = always, yukta = desiring to be with [the Lord, as mentioned by the Lord in the last slokas of Chapter 11], ye bhakta = those devotees [who have chosen Bhakti yoga], paryupasate = practising total meditation of, tvam = You [Sri Krishna]. This is one category of devotees, who always desire to be associated with the Lord and so are in Bhakti yoga. The other category is those who desire to enjoy their own souls always. Ye capy = whereas the other category [of devotees], aksharam = indestructible, avyaktam = not perceptible by senses, both these qualities are about atman or soul. There are persons who want to meditate on the everlasting soul; and, there are those, who desire to be meditating on the Lord to be always with Him. Tesham = among them, ke = who, yoga vittama = attains first [the objective]? Here we should note one thing. Both are devotees of the Lord. Kaivalya arthi requires the help of the Lord only to reach his goal of enjoying his own soul. After, attaining that, he is no longer in need of the Lord. This is called sadhana dasa [साधन दशा ] Bhakti. On the other hand, the Bhagavallabha arti, needs the Lord to reach his goal of Vaikuntam and after that, he wants to be with the Lord serving Him in Vaikuntam also. He is having both sadhana dasa Bhakti and sadhya dasa [साध्य दशा] bhakti. He desires the association of the Lord both during efforts and also after reaching the end result. This difference is indicated in the words satata-yukta, by the Lord. We should decide to which category we have to follow: Kaivalyaarti, clinging to the Lord only halfway through, or, Bhagavallabha arti, who clings to the Lord forever? Of course, our Acharyas have recommended Bhakti yoga only. We will see how the Lord replies. 

                                                                                           (continued)