BHAGAVADGITA

Sunday, March 1, 2015

GITA 3.7

nama srIsailanAthAya kunthI nagara janmanE
prasAdhalabdha parama prApya kainkaryasAlinE

There was a great Acharya Thiruvaimozhipillai. His original name was Thirumalai Azhvan. He was born on the same Vaikasi Visakam as Nammalwar. He was the disciple of Swami Pillai Lokacharya and he was the Acharya of Swami Manavala Mamuni. This temple got ruined after Nammalwar, and Swami Thiruvaimozhipillai reestablished the temple, renovated Alwar sannaidhi and established the four streets of present Ramanuja Chaturvedimangalam. We are at the sannidhi of this great Acharya. Because of his great involvement in Thiruvaimozhi of Nammalwar, he got his name as Thiruvaimozhipillai. Hereditary members are even now serving here. We will now see the 7^th sloka. In the last sloka Sri Krishna told that though one may be trying to practice Gyana yoga, without following Karma yoga, his mind would be after the organs. Such a person can never reach the state of Gyana yoga, and is a pretender or is in false discipline. The 7^th sloka is:

yas tv indriyani manasa
niyamyarabhate ’rjuna
karmendriyaih karma-yogam
asaktah sa visisyate

On the other hand, he who controls the senses by the mind and engages his active organs in works of devotion, without attachment, is by far superior.

"On the other hand, if a sincere person tries to start the karma yoga [Krishna consciousness] with the mind directing active senses, without attachment, he is by far superior."

That Karma yogi is praised. He is better than the Gyana yogi. Here, Sri Krishna tells that the not-so-intellect person, practicing Karma yoga is better than the person, who is directly trying to practice Gyana yoga. Yahatu= the one, indriyani manasa niyamya= organs are directed by mind. We are habituated to do something or other actions. It is easier for anyone to do what one is habituated rather than trying an entirely new one. If we find ourselves weak in mathematics, then we try a subject that is familiar to us. All cannot be experts in all subjects. We try to develop what we are habitual or familiar. In schools also, the students are trained in hobbies of their choice, and the talent is brought out. So Sri Krishna encourages those who are habitual in doing karma. We have to involve our organs in some activity. Can we do what we are already doing? Here Swami Vedanta Desika in his Tatparya Chandrika, gives a wonderful commentary. We have to involve our organs and senses in activities that serve God or in activities permitted by Shastra or activities that are our duty. Our mind should direct in such activities and this is what Sri Krishna means in the sloka. Organs are habituated to do some actions. So our mind should direct them in noble work. By doing this way we get double benefit: one, the organs are involved in their routine actions and two, such actions would enable us to reach Moksham. Asaktha = detached [indifferent to rewards], karmendriyai= our organs meant for action, arabyate= whoever starts karma yoga. So the one, who directs his senses in the actions permitted by Shastra, and starts Karma yoga deploying the action organs, is the meaning of the first part. Such a person with detached feeling rises. He rises higher than this person who is suppressing the organs from their habitual activities but his mind wanders all over and pretends to practice Gyana yoga. Doctors might have advised jogging or walking for sound health. This becomes Karma yoga when we try to walk the distance to an institution, helping physically challenged children like deaf or blind, and help the institution to the extent possible. We get physical exercise and also social service. Similarly, other activities also could be done, and then we are said to have begun Karma yoga. This is possible for all of us. And we can get atman sakshatkaram.

(continued)

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)

GITA 3.5

We are in Thirukolur, which has been praised by Nammalwar in his hymns. In the sthala purana [history of the Kshetram], it is said that once Kubera, the wealth god, was cursed by Sri Parvathi, Consort of Sri Shiva, that he should lose one eye, his body should be deformed and he should lose his wealth. Kubera pleaded mercy and Sri Parvati asked him to go to this place and worship the Lord here, to get him absolved. Kubera daily bathed in the river Tambrabarani and worshipped the Lord. Earlier all the wealth of Kubera had taken asylum in this Lord, and so He is called Sri Vaitha Manidhi.He also, appreciating Kubera’s devotion, gave a small amount of wealth as installment. The Lord is in a reclining pose. He uses the measuring vessel as His pillow. When there was a crisis for Dharma, the Lord saved, and Adharma was vanquished. So this can be called Dharma Kshetram and the Gita also was delivered in another Dharma Kshetram [Kuru Kshetram]. Those who need to recover lost wealth or want to earn more wealth, worship the Lord here. The material wealth can be lost but not the wealth in the form of Sri Vaitha Manidhi. Nammalwar was in Alwar Thirunagari, nearby. He considered himself as a woman in deep love with the Lord here, and sang poems. In unnum soru [tharakam= life saving rice food], parugum neer [poshakam=the nourishing water, he drinks] and thinnum vetrily [bhogyam= just for the pleasure of taste, the betel leaves taken at the end of a meal], Alwar says the Lord here is all, for him. We will now see the 5^th sloka of Chapter 3:

na hi kascit ksanam api
jatu tisthaty akarma-krt
karyate hy avasah karma
sarvah prakriti-jair gunaih
All men are forced to act helplessly according to the impulses born of the modes of material nature; therefore no one can refrain from doing something, not even for a moment.

"Everyone is forced to act spontaneously according to the qualities he has acquired from the modes of material nature; therefore no one can refrain from doing something, not even for a moment."

None can remain idle even for a second. Jatu =at any time, kshanam api= even a second, akarma krt= without doing anything, na hi =will not be there. That is, everyone does something always. Arjuna thought that by recourse to Gyana yoga, he could remain idle. That is he need not have to fight. But actually, everyone right from the time he was born, has to do something. A newborn cries and sucks milk. It shakes its limbs. None has taught these and these actions are all natural. This is because the karma we have been doing over many births still lingers on. So Karma yoga is habitual, but not Gyana yoga. Karma karyate= doing work, he= also, avasah= spontaneously or unconsciously, prakrit jairi= originated from this world and gunaih= characters or qualities [the three gunas=satva, rajo and tamo qualities].

Karma yoga is spontaneous and it is natural, while Gyana yoga requires special effort. Sarvah means everyone and here, Swami Vedantha Desika in his Tatparya Chandrika, a commentary on Gita, explains that even a person, who with a determination wants to remain idle, cannot be so, as without his knowledge certain actions he would be doing. If one remains idle he would feel giddy and fall asleep and snore; these are all actions. Some drive mosquitoes even while asleep. So action can be without our knowledge. Gyana yoga has to be done with full knowledge to practice. Our actions, voluntary and involuntary, are propelled by the three qualities, which are part of this world. These three qualities will never go away but by cultivating satva quality the influence of other two can be minimized. This can be done by continuous practice of Karma yoga, for which one is eligible. And, for Gyana yoga, satva quality is a must. By doing Karma like Aradhana [devotional service to God], He is pleased and the sins or papa are eliminated. Likes and dislikes are removed and increase the satva quality. Senses are controlled. Atman darshan is achieved. So basic requirement is practice of Karma yoga. Let us practice Karma yoga to please the Lord.

(continued)

GITA 3.4

Madurakavi Alwar

God has in a madura [melodious] way has given us Bhagavat Gita. Nammalwar also has rendered the same substance in a madura way, Thiruvaimozhi. To sing in praise of Nammalwar, was born Madurakavi Alwar in the present Kshetram, Thirukkolur. He was born in the Tamil month of Chitra and in the star constellation Chitra. He considered Nammalwar as his God. This is one of the Nava Thiruppati and the Lord here is Sri Vaitha Manidhi Perumal with Sri Kolur Devi as His Consort. In Sanskrit He is called Sri Nikshepa Vittha. While all the other Alwars sung in praise of Sriman Narayana, Madurakavi Alwar sang only about Nammalwar and he said he did not know any other god. Shastra says Guru or Acharya is God. He composed eleven hymns on Nammalwar and is called Kanninun Chirutthambu. He spread Alwars hymns all over. Nammalwar was alive in this world for only 32 years. After Alwar’s departure, Madurakavi Alwar wanted the works of Alwar to be publicized universally and so he carried the Nalayira Divya Prabandham in a palanquin and went to Madurai for acceptance by the Sangam poets. To test its acceptance, they wanted the poems of Alwar to be carried by the Sangam Palakai [plank]. Only a couplet from Thiruvaimozhi was kept on the plank and was accepted. All the poets recognized the greatness of Prabhandham. They wondered, unanimously, whether the Alwar was Sriman Narayana or a human being, whether his abode was Vaikuntam or Alwar Thirunagari, whether he had Four arms or two, and was he wearing Thulasi or Vakula garland? So we have to be grateful to Madurakavi for bringing to light the greatness of Nammalwar. We should appreciate the efforts taken by him to expose the greatness of Alwar. This effort is Karma and we have to practice the same.

Sri Krishna advises Arjuna not to go after Gyana yoga, as it is a mirage, while by doing his Kshatriya Dharma of fighting, he can achieve atman sakshatkaram. The first Chapter was called Arjuna Vishada yogam, the next was Sankhya yogam and the present Chapter is called Karma yogam. This will straight away obtain atman darshan without Gyana yoga. Because all are not qualified to practice Gyana yoga and Sri Krishna’s intention is His message should reach all, and not a few alone. Gyana yoga requires senses control, while Karma yoga does not need this. Does it mean that if one practices karma yoga, control of senses is impossible? No, after sometime the Karma yoga will enable control of senses. Now the fourth sloka:

na karmanam anarambhan
naishkarmyam purusho ’snute
na ca sannyasanad eva
siddhim samadhigacchati

Not by merely abstaining from work can one achieve freedom from reaction, nor by renunciation alone can one attain perfection.

"Not by merely abstaining from work can one achieve gyana yoga, nor by renunciation can one attain that.”

Karmanam= by karma yoga, anarambhan=without starting or beginning, naishkarmyam=Gyana yoga [where Karma or action is absent], ca= and, sanyaasanad= abandoning [in the middle], sidhim=Gyana yoga,na samadigachhati=will not attain. By not starting Karma yoga or abandoning the Karma yoga in the middle will not enable one to practice Gyana yoga. This directly answers Arjuna’s query whether he could directly practice Gyana yoga and get atman darshan, without the recourse to Karma yoga, so that he could avoid fighting, which was his Karma. He cannot skip Karma yoga. For beginners Karma yoga should be practiced. Arjuna asks, after all it is desire, which propels a person to do Karma yoga, so why not he desire to practice Gyana yoga? Desire is different from capability. Unless the capacity to do a work, one should not indulge in it. Arjuna does not have the capability to practice Gyana yoga while he is fully qualified for Karma yoga.

(continued)

GITA 3.3

Nammalwar has sung in praise of Sri Kallarpiran of Sri Vaikuntam, one of the Nava Tiruppathi. In Tamil Vaikuntam is called Vinnagaram [vinn= sky and nagaram=city]. A number of Kshetrams are called Vinnagaram. Oppiliappan koil is called Thiruvinnagaram. Then we have, Parameswara Vinnagaram, Kazhicheerama Vinnagaram, Nandipura Vinnagaram, etc. Only this Kshetram bears the same name as Sri Vaikuntam and the Lord also is called Sri Vaikuntapathi. The Lord exhibits simultaneously His greatness and His simplicity.

We will now see the 3^rd sloka of 3^rd Chapter. Arjuna in the previous two slokas raised his doubts. Sri Krishna told, both Karma yoga and gyana yoga and also said that atman sakshatkaram can be achieved only by Gyana yoga. Why not, only Gyana yoga be practiced? Why unnecessary Karma yoga, which means Arjuna has to participate in the war? He thinks Sri Krishna would not exploit Arjuna to eliminate the bad people like Duryodana. He further thinks that Karma yoga is not the step for Gyana yoga as both are having different requirements. Gyana yoga is nivrutti marg, in that the senses have to be passive. The Karma yoga, on the other hand, is pravrutti marg where the senses have to be active. Therefore, Arjuna thinks the paths advised by Sri Krishna are opposite, and so raised his doubts. He wants the confusion to be cleared and one path to be advised. Sri Krishna replies:

Sri-bhagavan uvaca
loke ’smin dvi-vidha nistha
pura prokta mayanagha
jnana-yogena sankhyanam
karma-yogena yoginam

The Blessed Lord said: O sinless Arjuna, I have already explained that there are two classes of men who realize the Self. Some are inclined to understand Him by empirical, philosophical speculation, and others are inclined to know Him by devotional work.

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O sinless Arjuna, I have already explained that there are two types of paths to try to realize the self. Some are inclined to understand it by Gyana or intellect, and others by devotional service."

Asmin loke= in this world, maya= by Me, dvi vidha nishta = two types of paths or practices, pura = earlier [in the 2^nd Chapter], prokta= were told. The two paths are Karma yoga and Gyana yoga. In the next line He says that Gyana yoga was for Sankhya or intellectuals and Karma yoga for yogis. Here, two types of persons qualified for practicing the two yoga are differentiated. Doctor prescribes different medicines for different patients. Similarly, Sri Krishna prescribes different paths for different persons. It is customary for persons in this world to have different tastes, and so, it is said loke binna ruchi [people have varied interests]. So, Arjuna should not get confused that all have to follow Karma yoga and then Gyan yoga. The slokas 55 to 71 in the last Chapter were for those who could control senses. Sankhya means intellect [to differentiate atman from body]. These persons are capable of controlling senses. In the last Chapter, He said Karma yoga leads to clarity or purity of mind, which enables to practice Gyana yoga and then atman darshan. In this Chapter 3, He tells practicing only Karma yoga leads to atman darshan. Something like double promotion. Karma yoga includes Gyana - the Gyana, that atman is different from body. Service to God in the form of aradhana will please God and so get, Moksham. This service is Karma yoga. What about Arjuna’s doubt that the two are contradictory? They are not contradictory. To practice Gyana yoga one should have mind purity or a serene mind. This can be achieved only by control of organs or senses. Such control can be best achieved by Karma yoga. So Karma yoga is step for Gyana yoga and they are not opposed to each other.

(continued)

GITA 3;2

GITA 3.2

Thirumazhisai Alwar says that if we are devoted to Him, He is very near us, in our mind; otherwise, He is very far away. He is so simple for the devotees, and for others He is difficult. Such a God has advised on the Bhakthi, Gyana and Karma yoga. Now we are to start the 3^rd Chapter. Arjuna starts with a doubt and Sri Krishna replies. Sri Krishna is deceptive and He appears to be a thief. In today’s lecture, we are at the Kshetram, Sri Vaikuntam, one of the Nava Thiruppati, where the Lord is called Sri Vaikuntpathi or Sri Kallarpiran or Sri Choranathan. He is the Lord of Vaikuntam, then why should He be called Thief here? Four-faced Brahma wanted to choose a good place for meditation. So, he made the cane in his right hand, as a youth to select a place. The youth was fascinated by this place and he stayed here and forgot to tell Brahma. Then Brahma, not getting any news from the youth, converted the water pot in his left hand as a girl and sent her to search. She found this place as ideal and informed Brahma. Brahma came here and started his meditation. The Lord, pleased with Brahma’s devotion, appeared before him and thereafter, remained here in the same form in standing posture with Adisesha, the serpent, acting as umbrella. So He came to be known as Sri Vaikuntapathi. And the place came to be known as Sri Vaikuntam.There was a thief by name Kaladhooshakan. Whatever wealth he stole, he would offer half of it, to this Lord. The remaining wealth he would spend on noble causes. Once he robbed in the King’s palace and was caught. He somehow escaped from custody and surrendered to the Lord here, and sought His help to save him. The Lord in the guise of Kaladhooshakan, went to the king and faced trials. The king could not be harsh and showed love and esteem. Later, the Lord revealed Himself to the King and the King wanted to know what crime he had done that the Lord is appearing before him as a thief. The Lord informed that the King was not spending the wealth he had, for the welfare of his subjects, and noble causes. He advised him to donate his wealth for welfare. Because He came in the guise of a Thief, He is called Sri Kallarpiran or Sri Choranathan [kallar in Tamil and chora in Sanskrit mean thief] one of His Consorts is Sri Choranayaki. Another Consort is Sri Vaikuntanayaki and we are at this sannidhi.
Sri Krishna told so many things in the second Chapter and Arjuna got confused and became vague. So the third Chapter starts with Arjuna’s expression of his doubt. The first two slokas are from Arjuna and from 3^rd sloka Sri Krishna replies.

arjuna uvaca
jyayasi cet karmanas te
mata buddhir janardana
tat kim karmani ghore mam
niyojayasi keshava
Arjuna said: O Janardana, O Kesava, why do You urge me to engage in this ghastly warfare, if You think that intelligence is better than fruitive work?

"Arjuna said: O Janardana, O Keshava, why do You want to engage me in this ghastly warfare, if You think that intellect is better than action?"

vyamisreneva vakyena
buddhim mohayashiva me
tad ekam vada niscitya
yena sreyo ’ham apnuyam
My intelligence is bewildered by Your equivocal instructions. Therefore, please tell me decisively what is most beneficial for me.

"My intelligence is bewildered by Your contradictory instructions. Therefore, please tell me decisively which will be most beneficial for me."

Arjuna addresses Sri Krishna as Sri Janardana which means removing the miseries of birth in this world. He asks if in Sri Krishna’s opinion [mata], Gyana [buddhi] is superior to Karma[action], then why does He compel Arjuna to fight the terrible [ghore] war? Arjuna understood in the last Chapter that Gyana yoga was superior to Karma yoga. From 39^th to 52^nd sloka, Sri Krishna eulogized Gyana yoga. Person practicing Karma yoga will practice Gyana yoga and then get atman sakshatkaram. So the lower step is Karma yoga and the next higher step is Gyana yoga, to reach atman darshan. Arjuna understood that to get atman darshan it was Gyana yoga to be practiced. So, why not directly practice Gyana yoga and why waste efforts in Karma yoga? As an example, if we want to purchase an article worth Rs.100, and if this money is to be obtained from a friend, we would like the entire Rs.100 be given and not in installments of Rs.10, ten times. Arjuna feels that the initial Karma yoga was unnecessary. In Gyana yoga one has to sit and control the senses, whereas in Karma yoga, one has to perform action. In his case, he has to fight to perform Karma yoga. In Gyana yoga he is not required to fight and after all, it is Gyana yoga results in atman sakshatkaram. This suited him. So he, in the first sloka, puts forth his doubt.

In the next sloka he further asks, why He is confusing him with two contradictory statements? He is having doubts about the Karma yoga and Gyana yoga. In Cholasimhapuram, popularly known as Sholingur, there are two hills. One is Big hill where Sri Narasimha is gracing the devotees and the other is small hill where Sri Hanuman is gracing. Here, it is not that one has to climb the small hill to reach the big hill, as both are separate. And one has to climb separately both hills to have Darshan. Arjuna thinks Gyana yoga is like the Big hill and Karma yoga is like the small hill. He thinks both are separate and so feels, Sri Krishna is vague. According to Arjuna for practicing the Gyana yoga one has to control senses and for Karma yoga it is opposite, in that, one has to freely allow organs to perform. It is like if one wants to do MS in chemistry, he should have done BS in chemistry and not in history. Arjuna feels that both Gyana yoga and Karma yoga are totally different from each other. Therefore, he thinks there is contradiction. He says his buddhi is apparently confused, and is not accusing Sri Krishna that He had confused Arjuna. He wants a single clarification on this confusion so that he will attain sreyas or better status. We will see how Sri Krishna replies to this.

(continued)

GITA 3.1

Today we are at the Kshetram Varagunamangai. Varam means supreme, gunam is character and mangai is girl. The Lord’s Consort is called Sri Varagunavalli Thayar or Sri Varagunamangai Thayar. She possesses supreme character and blesses devotees with mercy and enables them to reach the Lord. The Lord here is Sri Vijayasanar or Victory seated. He is seated victoriously. The right palm is in the gesture of varada or granting boons and the left palm is in ahvahana or welcoming sign. Thus, the Lord welcomes the devotees to grant boons if they surrender and hold on to His feet. He is also called Sri Idarkadiyan [idar= our miseries, kadiyan= remover]. There was a sage Romesa. He had a disciple Sathyavan. Once Sathyavan bathed in a tank nearby. There was a fisherman fishing in the tank. As Sathyavan emerged from the tank, he saw a snake bit the fisherman. The fisherman fell dead and just then a float from the Heavens came down and carried the soul of the fisherman. Surprised, Sathyavan rushed to the sage and enquired the reason for a simple fisherman reaching higher worlds. Sage Romesa then told the greatness of this Kshetram. Anyone born here, is bound to get Moksham. By his good deeds in the earlier births, he was born in this place and obtained Moksham. Further the sage told that another disciple of him, who lived on the banks of river Rewa, came here and meditated. When the Lord appeared before him, he requested the Lord to be here in a seated posture to bless the devotees. We have seen that the Lord was in a reclining posture in Thiruppulingudi. In the Kshetram Sri Vaikuntam, we are to see in due course, the Lord is in a standing posture. The Lords of these three Kshetrams revealed a trait of the Lord –Bhogya thapa swarat. In our house when cooking is taking place and if we feel hungry, we go to the kitchen and enquire whether the cooking was over. The reply could be to wait for 10 minutes. We wait and after sometime again we enquire as hunger increases. Some more time, is the reply from kitchen. Because of the intensity of hunger, we sit and wait. After sometime again we enquire and we are told to wait for a couple of minutes more. Unable to bear the hunger we lie down. Then the food is served and we eat eagerly, and are happy. So, as we expected food to be ready we were standing, then sat and finally laid down till food was served. Similarly, in these three Kshetrams also the Lord is waiting for the devotees in the standing, seated and reclining postures. Just as there was expectation of the completion of cooking, the Lord here waits for the devotees to be fully ‘cooked’ so as to be taken to His abode. Therefore, Alwar in the same poem has praised all the three Kshetrams.

[puLiNGkutikkitandhu varaguNamangaiyirundhu*vaikundhaththuL ninRu*
theLindha_en_chindhai akangaziyaathE* ennaiyaaLvaay enakkaruLi*
naLindhacheerulakam moonRutanviyappa* naangaLkooththaadi nNinRaarppa*
paLingunNeer mukilinpavaLampOl* kanivaaychivappanNee kaaNavaaraayE. 9.2.4

4. BhagawaanE! At ThiruppuLingudi,You are blessing us with
your reclining Beauty! At VaraguNamangai Thirupathi, You are sitting so gracefully! And at Sri Vaikuntam, You are showing
Yourself in standing posture, so beautifully.You are in my (clear) mind in all these three postures and are blessing me (without any gap and uninterruptedly). You should shower Your mercy on us and show Yourself just by a mere thought of You by
Your bhakthAs and cool our hearts. You should surprise them
by showing Your most auspicious qualities and kalyANA guNAs
and come straight. We should be excited and highly elated to
be blessed to see the most Beautiful Red mouth which is like
the most beautiful lightning and the Coral lipped creeper as
seen in the midst of dark, rain laden black clouds on the sky.In my front, for us to see Your exquisite lovely beauty, You should bless us with Your presence right here, PHYSICALLY.]

From here we are going to start the 3^rd Chapter of Gita. On
Gita, the great Acharya Alawandar, born in Kattumannar koil
near Chidambaram and the grandson of Acharya Nathamuni,
has made a great poem Gitartha sangraha condensing the
entire concepts in 32 slokas. We will see the condensed sloka on the 3^rd Chapter of Gita in the 7^th sloka of Gitarthasangrha:

asakty¯a lokaraks.¯ayai gun.es.v¯aropya kartr. t¯am

sarve´svare va¯ nyasyokta¯ t.rt¯ıye karmaka¯ryata 7

We have to necessarily practice Karma yoga as it will result in atma sakshatkaram. So the essence of third Chapter is Karma yoga’s greatness. Did not we see this in the second Chapter? Previous Chapter had a small shortcoming. Let us review the steps involved in the second Chapter. With a rough basic knowledge of atman, the Karma yoga is to be practiced. This purifies the mind and then Gyana yoga is to be practiced. Then we get atman sakshatkaram. The doubt here is whether all are qualified to practice Gyana yoga. From 55^th to 71^st slokas in the 2^nd Chapter we saw what is control of organs and senses. Is control of senses possible for the ordinary persons like us? This doubt would have surfaced. Sri Krishna realizing that all cannot practice Gyana yoga, but all can surely practice Karma yoga, starts the third Chapter. The main difference between the 2^nd and 3^rd Chapters is this. In the midst of our daily chores of official work, domestic compulsions, social get together, etc., will we have time for Gyana yoga? This doubt has arisen in us and it is also due to Him. So, He knows our mind and suggests ways. He is the One to uplift us from this mechanical life. It is difficult to find persons for Gyana yoga, but for Karma yoga, fairly large number of persons would be available. Karma yoga is performed, as we are involved in our chores. But some limits and boundaries are drawn within which we can freely do our routines. Some basic thoughts are needed while doing our duties and then that becomes the Karma yoga. If we say that persons are invited to sit in a place and meditate for half an hour, very few will turn up. But if we get a kilogram of flowers and invite persons to make beautiful garlands for the God, a large number of persons would volunteer. Because the latter is an action to be done with our limbs. While the former was to control the limbs and mind. Sri Krishna wants His message to reach a larger group and so He decides to defer Gyana yoga for the time. It is a very noble yoga and is not to be abandoned, but just for our sake, He keeps the Gyana yoga away for sometime.

Alawandar says that for the protection of all the persons in this world, this Chapter is told. We have seen in many corporate firms, there will be an R&D department, finding new products. All products will not be taken for manufacture and production, but only those, which are commercially viable. Because the product should be within the reach of consumers. Gyana yoga is very valuable but will lack any followers. Whereas Karma yoga can be practiced by many and so, Karma yoga itself can directly get atman sakshatkaram.So, we do our daily duties realizing that they are performed driven by the three gunas-satva, rajo and tamas- but remembering that He is the Prime mover, and doing the duties with no attachments. So we have to realize that God commands the three qualities in us and we perform our duties. By such dedication of our duties at the feet of the Lord, we can get atman sakshatkaram. Here, we are removing the Gyana yoga step and so the steps would be: atman knowledgeà Karma yogaà Clarity of mindà Atman darshan. The Gyana yoga is hidden in the Karma yoga itself. So, separate Gyana yoga is unnecessary. We will see the 3^rd Chapter in detail later.

(continued)