GITA 14.2

GITA 14.2

We have come to Ghatikachalam, to worship Sri Narasimha. From the sannidhi of Hanuman, we can see the Big Hill and Sri Yoga Narasimhaswamy sannidhi. After worshipping Sri Narasimha, we will come to the sannidhi of Hanuman.

MOOLAVAR SRI YOGA ANJANEYA

 Moolavar Hanuman is sitting with Four arms. Upper arms are holding the Discus and Conch given by Sri Narasimha. The palms of the lower arms are in japa or meditating style. While the right fingers are holding the japa malai [ஜப மாலை beaded necklace], the left-hand fingers are counting the meditation of the Divine names completed. On his crown is carved Sri Rama Pattabhishekam.

UTSAVAR SRI ANJANEYA

 Next, we see Utsavar Hanuman. He is in standing pose with upper arms holding Discus and Conch and the lower arms holding japa malai and counting. Every Sunday he graces Tirumanjanam or holy bath. In Ghatikachalam, the month of Karthigai, Pournami [full moon] and Sundays are very famous. Thousands worship. Normally Hanumat Jayanti is celebrated in Margazhi [December- January] - Moolam; but here, on Karthigai [November- December] - Bharani it is celebrated. It is the day on which Hanuman arrived here. Chakra theertham is also known as Sri Rama theerthem and Hanumat Theertham. Sage Vamadeva used to come on Sundays and on Pournami to worship the Lord. We had already seen that the Lord had made Hanuman equal to Him, by giving Discus and Conch. The Lord is also going to tell Arjuna that He would make His devotees equal to Him [and not same as Him]. To bless Vamadeva, lord Sun named the pond as Hanumat theertham. While returning from Lanka, after killing Ravana, Sri Rama, to bless Hanuman, came here and bathed in this pond; and so this pond got the name Sri Rama theerthem. Hanuman had blessed sage Aisakya, by dipping the discus in this pond. We can also see the sannidhis of Sri Ranganatha and Sri Rama. Hanuman has kept his long tail coiled on his head.

 Now we will see sloka1 of Chapter 14. Because of the Three qualities - sattva, rajas and tamas - Atman is bonded in a body and in samsara. Reason for repeating this, by Sri Krishna is that rajo quality induces desire and tamo quality develops sleep and laziness. To attain the desired ones, we adopt wrong means; while laziness makes us violate Shastras. Both violations of Shastras enable us to acquire Papa. Swami Vedanta Desika answers a doubt. It is okay that rajo and tamo qualities enable us to accumulate Papa; but why sattva quality, which is recommended even by Alwars, is to be avoided? Imagine a person having only sufferings all the seven days in a week. Then he might get frustrated and try to get rid of this samsara by seeking Moksham. On the other hand, if a person has substantial happiness and some sufferings only, then he might wait for happiness to recur and so may like to continue in samsara. Thus the happiness camouflages the sufferings and people think samsara is happy. Thus sattva quality, responsible for happiness, induces desire to continue in samsara. All the three qualities push us into samsara. Sloka 1:

sri-bhagavan uvaca
param bhuyah pravaksyami
jnananam jnanam uttamam
yaj jnatva munayah sarve
param siddhim ito gatah

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Again I shall declare to you this supreme wisdom, the best of all knowledge, knowing which all the sages have attained the supreme perfection."

Sri Krishna tells Arjuna about the glory of the Gyana, He was to preach. Sri Krishna is a good orator and knows the techniques to attract an audience! Pravakshyami = [I, Sri Krishna] will tell [you, Arjuna], bhuya = again, param = in a different way [about the difference between Atman and a body]. In Chapter 13, the Lord told so many things, important being how to distinguish Atman from the body. This is going to be further explained. That is, how Atman is bonded in a body, by the three qualities, is going to be elaborated. The knowledge He was to deliver would make Arjuna a great expert. In Chapter 13, He had taught to some extent. Jnananam = among knowledge [to be acquired], utamam jnanam = most superior knowledge [is this, the Lord is about to teach]. Among the knowledge on Prakriti and Purusha or body and soul, this knowledge would be most superior. Swami Desika raises a doubt that normally Brahma Gyana or knowledge about God, is considered as the most supreme. But since the topic here is about Atman, is the knowledge about Atman, superior even to Brahma Gyana? It is not so. So, the Lord is going to teach most superior among all knowledge, excepting Brahma Gyana. Yaj jnatva = by knowing which, sarva munaya = all sages, ito = from this samsara bondage, gata = attained, param siddhim = supreme level of Atma prapti. The Lord is going to teach that knowledge, learning which, even great sages were able to escape from samsara bondage and attain Atma prapti. All other knowledge would not enable us to discard this samsara and avoid rebirths and reach Moksham. Muni means continuous meditating like Hanuman. They are great sages.

                                                                                                        (continued)