GITA 3.21

GITA 3.21

Alwar was ready to conclude his life in this world and the Lord also appeared before him to take him along. Just then Alwar had a doubt. Till the previous day he was not taken to Vaikuntam. Even in the previous births he was not offered. Then why should he go now? It is like the story of a person feeling thirsty. He was offered tender coconut to drink. Just as he was to drink, he wanted to know how water entered the coconut shell. If he were adamant to know this and said that he would drink only after knowing how the water had entered the coconut. Others would laugh at him and ridicule that instead of grabbing the opportunity to quench his thirst he was wasting his time. Similarly, the Alwar was also told that trying to find why he was not offered Moksham earlier would waste more time.
Sri Krishna cited the example of Janaka who was capable of practicing Gyana yoga for atmansakshatkaram, yet followed Karma yoga. We will now see the second part of sloka 20 and sloka 21:

loka-sangraham evapis
ampasyan kartum arhasi

Therefore, just for the sake of educating the people in general, you should perform your work.

yad yad acarati sresthas
tat tad evetaro janah
sa yat pramanam kurute
lokas tad anuvartate

Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his footsteps. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.

Now Sri Krishna coins a new word loka sangraham. One might be capable of doing so many things. If that one happens to be a great person, then many would follow what that one does. If that one does things which others could copy, it is good. But if the one does actions, which others can not practice, one's followers will copy in vain, and fail. This is loka sangraham. Arjuna was not capable of practicing Gyana yoga, but even for an argument it was assumed that he was capable of doing Gyana yoga, since he was a king, his subjects would copy him and try to follow Gyana yoga directly. They will then fail in their pursuit. Here two errors take place. One, incapable persons pursue and fail. The second is, such persons are misguided by the leader. Whereas, if Arjuna even with his capability to practice Gyana yoga, followed Karma yoga, then his followers would also adopt Karma yoga and succeed, and Arjuna also would be praised for leading them to atman sakshatkaram. So, we should adopt that which our followers could emulate and get benefit. This is called Loka sangraham. In the 21st sloka He explains this further. Sreshta = very great persons,who have learned all and practicing,and who are regarded as great persons by all, yad yad acarati = what all they perform or follow, tad tad evetaro jana= those followed by people, tad = those actions of great persons,anuvartate= followed. Arjuna thought whether he was a great person? Sri Krishna replies in the affirmative, because Arjuna was the cousin of the Lord, he was direct disciple to hear Gita, he was the sishya of Drona and he had conquered his senses. So there were followers to him and so he had a responsibility to guide them rightly knowing their capabilities.
                                                                                (continued)                     

GITA 3.20

GITA 3.20

Thiruppernagar Sri Appakudathan has been praised by Nammalwar, Perialwar, Thirumzhisai Alwar and Thirumangai Alwar. Nammalwar sang in praise of this Lord only at the conclusion of Thiruvaimozhi. Sri Krishna lists the great persons who practiced Karma yoga, and the first to be mentioned is the King Janaka in the 20th sloka. we will see 20th sloka first part as the second part and 21st sloka are of same content.

karmanaiva hi samsiddhimasthita janakadayah

Even kings like Janaka and others attained the perfectional stage by performance of prescribed duties. 

karmanaiva hi= by Karma yoga alone, samsiddhim= atman darshan, asthidah= they attained, janakadayah= persons like Janaka. This implies that we have to follow our ancestors and elders. In a light way some say that Sri Krishna cites Janaka as example, as in His earlier avatar He wanted to praise His father-in-law Janaka, but the opportunity has come now only. Here, we have to note that though Janaka was fully qualified to practice Gyana yoga, he preferred to attain atman sakshatkaram by Karma yoga alone. We have to note that Karma yoga is easier to practice, and the atman sakshatkaram attained by Karma yoga is not inferior to the one attained by Gyana yoga.
King Janaka kept his Shiva Dhanush [bow] as the wager for getting his daughter Sri Sita married, and Sri Rama came to Mithila and broke the bow to win Sri Sita. For the marriage, King Dasaratha and sage Vasishta and all had come. During the offering of his daughter Sri Sita to Sri Rama, Janaka said the famous verse "iyam sita mama sutha...". He said    " this is my daughter Sri Sita and She will follow Sri Rama in dharma,and if He happens to drift away She will correct Him, and follow. I bless you with all auspiciousness". There is an interesting commentary by a great Acharya Periavachan Pillai. Janaka was a karma yogi and he never considered anything as his and thus he was totally detached. His teacher used to commence lectures only after the arrival of Janaka, and other students thought that the teacher was so doing because Janaka was the king. The teacher wanted the other students to realize the greatness of Janaka and so out of his yoga power, he created an illusion that city of Mithila, the Kingdom of Janaka, was on fire. All students thought the fire to be real, and ran away from the classroom, to save their small clothes and others. But Janaka remained unperturbed. When the teacher asked him why he was not rushing to save his property and kingdom, he said with a cool mind that he considered nothing as his and atman could never be burnt away. All the students understood the greatness of Janaka. Such a person was proud of Sri Sita, as his daughter, and told the great qualities of Sri Sita. So when Janaka practiced Karma yoga, it shows how great Karma yoga is.

                                                                                              (continued)

GITA 3.19

GITA 3.19

Today [7th August, 2007] we are in Thiruppernagar, also known as Appakudathan temple. Nammalwar praises the Lord and seeks permanent service to the Lord. The Lord here is in a reclining posture, and He will rescue anyone who clings to His feet, Nammalwar says. The Lord is placing His right hand on a rishi and a pot full of appam [a sweet dish made of rice flour]. Once the king of this place incurred the curse of sage Durvasa, and to redeem from that curse, the king was asked to feed 1000 persons. When the food for so many was made ready, the Lord in disguise appeared before the king and ate away all the food. Surprised that a single person could eat all the food prepared fro so many, the king asked whether He needed any more to eat and the Lord replied that He wanted a pot full of appam, and that is how He got the name Appakudathan. His left hand is raised. Once the Consorts of the Lord desired to have the flower of Parijatam tree in Indra’s garden. When the Lord requested Indra, he denied and fight broke out between the Lord and Indra. When Indra tried to aim his Vajrayudha on the Lord, He with His left Middle finger suppressed it and this is depicted here by the raised left hand. With the blessings of the Lord and Sri Kamalavalli Thayar, we will see the 19th sloka:

tasmad asaktah satatam
karyam karma samacara
asakto hy acaran karma
param apnoti purusah

Therefore, without being attached to the fruits of activities, one should act as a matter of duty; for by working without attachment, one attains the Supreme.

"Therefore, without being attached to the fruits of activities, one should act as a matter of duty, for by working without attachment one attains the Supreme."
Tasmad= therefore, asaktha=without attachment, satatham=till atma darshan is realized, karyam karma samagara= this action or Karma yoga has to be performed. Because, asakto= without attachment, karma acharan= the one practicing Karma yoga, paramapnoti= realizes atman darshan. In the last two slokas of 17th and 18th, Sri Krishna mentioned about the person, who has had already atman darshan, need not do Karma yoga. But here with the use of the word tasmad= therefore, He implies the one who has not yet got atman sakshatkaram. Tasmad has several interpretations. Since Arjuna has not yet got the atman darshan, therefore, he has to do Karma yoga. It also means that all those who have not got atman darshan, therefore, have to do Karma yoga. Because we are used to actions, to start Karma yoga, control of senses is not a pre-requisite, there is no slippage, as mind, word and action are all unified, even a Gyana yogi needs to perform Karma yoga and other reasons, we have to do Karma yoga. Therefore after Karma yoga only, one could try Gyana yoga. Sri Krishna has already detailed who should do Karma yoga and who need not. A learner in music has to perform beats so that the music is proper. But an expert even without the aid of beats, could sing properly. The learner cannot try to imitate the expert. Here also, the Gyana yogi has already got atma sakshatkaram and so, he need not do Karma yoga. But a person yet to have atman darshan, on the other hand, will have to perform Karma yoga, and cannot imitate Gyana yogi. Continuous performance of Karma yoga will control the senses and organs and then, one could attempt Gyana yoga. Therefore, duty has to be performed, without any expectation of the rewards, and dispassionately performed till one is able to control senses. Even a fight if done without expecting cheap rewards, but done as a duty in His service, is regarded as Karma yoga. This applies to all our actions. This body of us, is given by Him and the proper functions are all destined by Him, and so we owe a duty to think that all our actions’ results are His only. Such thought will make us to realize high reward of atman sakshatkaram. From 10th sloka it was told,

* why we have to perform Karma yoga, 

*when it was created by God, 

*how it is an agreement of mutual help, and

*what is our duty to keep this cycle rotating. 

From 20th sloka Sri Krishna is going to give examples of great souls who have practiced Karma yoga.

                                                                                              (continued)

GITA 3.18

GITA 3.18

We are now in Tirupper Nagar, which is one of the important Kshetrams of Chola region. It is also called Koyiladi. 

Alwars have praised this place as Tirupper Nagar. But Appakkudatthan is a familiar name. The Lord here, is in reclining pose, on the banks of Kaveri. The Lord is known as Sri Appala Rangan. Aadi Rangam, Appala Rangam, Madya Rangam, etc., are Ranga Kshetrams on the banks of Kaveri. Sri Rangapattanam, in Karnataka, is regarded as Aadi Rangam. Next is Appala Rangam. Further East, we get Sriranam, reagarded as Madya Rangam, where the Lord is Sri Kasturi Rangan. If we proceed further East, we get Tiruvindalur, where the Lord is Sri Parimala Rangan. Before this place, we come across Kumbakonam, where the Lord is Sri Aaravamudan. In all these Five places, the Lord is in Reclining pose and is on the banks of Kaveri. 

We will now see the 18th sloka of Chapter III of Gita:

naiva tasya krtenartho
nakrteneha kascana
na casya sarva-bhutesu

kascid artha-vyapasrayah

A self-realized man has no purpose to fulfill in the discharge of his prescribed duties, nor has he any reason not to perform such work. Nor has he any need to depend on any other living being.

"A self-realized man has no purpose to fulfill in the discharge of his prescribed duties, nor has he any reason not to perform such work. Nor has he any need to depend on any other living being."

In sloka 17, we observed that a person, having got Atman sakshatkaram, need not do anything. In continuation, the Lord is stating the same concept. A person having achieved atman darshan, is to do no more to have atman darshan. He does not incur any sin by not doing anything. He is attached to atman, and Arjuna is not in that stage, Sri Krishna says in sloka 18. Let us assume a person has not had atman darshan till now, like many. Such person(s), have to necessarily perform Karma yoga. But if by the grace of Lord or by some means, he has atman darshan, then he is not expected to do anything more ,for atman darshan. Naiva = certainly not, tasya = he, who has had atman darshan, krtena = by some of his action, arta= any result. Having reached atman darshan, certainly, he has to do nothing more for that atman darshan. We have reached Koyiladi from Srirangam. Why should we bother to do anything more to reach Koyiladi? Akrtena = (Such a paeron, even if) not doing anything, kascana = he is not to lose anything. In the second half of this sloka, He tells, that such a person, after atman darshan, has no attachments in this life. Sarva-bhuteshu = form everything in life, like relatives, friends, material benefits, etc., vyapasrayah = no desire or satisfaction or happiness is needed. He has no need for anything in this life; he has already got atman sakshatkaram, and so no need to do anything to realize atman darshan; and, he will not incur any sin, by not doing anything. But this is the state of very few people and they are yogis and Kaivalyarti, one who enjoys his own atman. As mentioned earlier, we can divide people in Three categories: Aiswaryarti, Kaivalyarti and Bhagavallabharti. Aiswaryarti wants to enjoy life in this world. He also desires to enjoy swarga or heaven. Kaivalyarti does not like this life or world, and almost reaches upto Viraja river that separates this Universe from Vaikuntam. He has no desire to reach Vaikuntam and enjoy the company of the Lord. They will choose neither this world nor Vaikuntam, but another place, and without a body will be enjoying their own souls. We are not aware of any such persons at present; but in olden days, there were persons, who controlled their organs, and had atman darshan. These persons had no need to do anything. People like sage Sukhacharya, had no need to bathe or follow other duties. Today, many question the need for bathing or wearing religious marks on the forehead or wearing dress in a particular way, etc., to get gyana. True, but we have not attained that stage, to leave all karma! A snake charmer is able to play with deadly snakes. We can not try to imitate him! Arjuna is yet to reach the stage of a person having had atman darshan. So, he can not escape doing his duties nor can avoid papa or sin, by not doing anything. Thus in sloka 17, it was told that a person having had atman darshan, has all - Dharakam, Poshakam and Bhogyam- in enjoying atman darshan. Now, in this sloka 18, it is told that such  a person has no need to do any karma to get atman darshan, will not incur any papa or sin for having abandoned any karma, and is not attached to anything in this life. We talked about Kaivalyarti. Person above this stage, Bhagawallabharti, also does not need anything in this world, after serving the Lord. 

In this kshetram, the Lord exhibits His Divine quality of Swamitvam. By this quality, the Lord, residing in us, waits for the opportune moment, when we would relinquish our desires in this world and seek Him only. When our children commit mistakes, we chide them, but keep our relationship, so that at least in future, we could correct them. If we have a property, we are the swamy (possessor) of that property. At any cost we would establish our rights. Similarly, the Lord is our Swamy, and so He is residing in us and waits for the right time to possess us! This is what Nammalwar says while singing in praise of the Lord here, that the Lord is occupying fully in him and would not leave or desert him!

                                                                                                   (continued)

GITA 3.17

GITA 3.17

Today [3rd Aug, 2007] we are in the sannidhi of Sri Dhanvantari Perumal situated on the banks of Chandra Pushkarini on the way to Sri Thayar sannidhi, in Srirangam. Sri Dhanvantari is an avatar of Sriman Narayana. He bears on the upper two arms the usual Discus and Conch and in the lower arms He carries Amrutha Kalash [Nectar pot] and a leech. Sriman Narayana is our Doctor and so He took this avatar to cure all our ills. When the milky ocean was churned to get Amrut, along with Uchairavas, the horse, Airavatam, the Elephant and Sri Mahalakshmi, Sri Dhanvantari also came out with Amrut Kalash. The leech in olden days was used by surgeons to suck out bad blood. He is the personal physician for Sri Ranganatha and every day dry ginger [sukku] and other herbal materials are sent to Sri Ranganatha sannidhi. From here we will see the 17^th sloka:

yas tv atma-ratir eva syad
atma-trptas ca manavah
atmany eva ca santustas
tasya karyam na vidyate

One who is, however, taking pleasure in the self, who is illumined in the self, who rejoices in and is satisfied with the self only, fully satiated-for him there is no duty.

"But for one who takes pleasure in the self, whose human life is one of self-realization, and who is satisfied in the self only, fully satiated—for him there is no duty."

Tasya karyam na vidyate= He does not need to do anything. From 10^th to 16^th sloka, the activities we are to do, were all listed. We are to perform yagna, we have to keep the life cycle rotating, everyone has a role and that has to be done properly, and if not done, such persons' lives are in vain. Now, He says some are not to do anything. There is no contradiction to what Sri Krishna told till now and in the three slokas starting from the present one. He lists who are all not needed to do any karma. Earlier He told that those who are in the initial stages of Karma yoga and who desire to visualize atman are to perform yagna and keep the cycle rotating. But here the person who has already had atman sakshatkaram,and is known as kaivalyadi, he is not expected to do all these karma, like deva pooja. Ya= the one, manava =person, atma rati reva = desirous in visualizing atman, atma trptas= satisfied with such pleasure in atman, atman eva santhusta= derives happiness with atman. There are three things told: desire, satisfaction and happiness. These are explained by Swami Vedanta Desika in his Tatparya Chandrika, based on the Gita Bhashyam of Swami Ramanuja. Three things are there: dharakam, poshakam and bhogyam. Dharakam is necessary to retain life in the body, like water. Poshakam is nourishment to body for growth, like food. Bhogyam is just for the tasting pleasure, like betel leaves used for chewing. The five sensual feelings are dharakam. Varieties of eating are poshakam. So, wit the five senses, we make our living and thus they are essentials. We get satisfied by eating or dressing and so they are poshakam. When we want to avoid summer by going to hill resorts, they are in the bhogyam category. The first one is desire. Poshakam is satisfaction and the third bhogyam is happiness or pleasure. A person who has had atman darshan, does not desire another to be desired, nor needs another to get satisfied and finally finds pleasure in atman darshan itself and does not need any other. The person who has all these three states, is not expected to do any yagna or devapooja.

                                                                                              (continued)

GITA 3.16

GITA 3.16

We are today [2ndAug, 2007] in Srirangam, Mudhalalwars [Poigai, Bhootham and Pey Alwars]sannidhi. They were born in the same month of Aippasi [Oct-Nov] in consecutive star constellations ofThiruvonam, Avittam and Sadayam respectively. They were born in the previous Dwapara Yug.Out of the total period of 864,000 years, in the 862,901st year they were born and are considered as the first Alwars. They sang respectively Mudal, Irandaam and Moondram Thiruvandadi. One day in Mirugandu maharishi’s ashram they assembled under  peculiar circumstance. It was dark and raining heavily. Poigai Alwar came to the ashram to take shelter and the space inside was just enough for one to lie down. Then came Bhootathalwar and he knocked at the door to open. When both were inside it was enough for two to sit. Finally, Pey Alwar knocked and when he was let in, the space was enough for all three to stand. At that time they felt a Fourth person was amidst them, trying for space. Since it was pitch dark they could not know who was the fourth. So the first Alwar lit a lamp with a song starting “vaiyam thagaliyaga..”. Then Bhoothathalwar sang " anbe thagaliyaga…” to search for the Fourth person. With both lamps lit the third Alwar could see the Fourth person and Pey Alwar sang “ thirukkanden pon meni kanden" and saw the Fourth person. He was none other than the Lord Sriman Narayana with Sri Lakshmi on His right chest. We are to worship Him with the body given to our atman, and this is what was told by Sri Krishna in the last two slokas. For all living beings to live, food is required, which is obtained from food crops, which depend on rains, which can be got only by yagna, and for performing yagna, the atman needs a body. This cycle has to be maintained and everyone has to do his job in this cycle. We will now see the 16^th sloka:

evam pravartitam cakram
nanuvartayatiha yah
aghayur indriyaramo
mogham partha sa jivati

My dear Arjuna, a man who does not follow this prescribed Vedic system of sacrifice certainly leads a life of sin, for a person delighting only in the senses lives in vain.

"My dear Arjuna, one who does not follow in human life the cycle of sacrifice thus established by the Vedas certainly leads a life full of sin. Living only for the satisfaction of the senses, such a person lives in vain."

Here Sri Krishna tells that the person who does not do his job in the cycle He had created, is unfit to live. Here, one should decide whether one lives for the world or the world is for one. Cooperation in society is emphasized. Universal brotherhood or Vasudeva kudumpakam is underlined. Sriman Narayana and Sri Maha Lakshmi are Parents of everyone. Like brothers and sisters in the same family, all are to cooperate and help each other. We are supposed to do five yagnas –bramha, pitru, deva, manushya and bhootha- daily. Bhootha yagna means caring for dogs and other living beings. Manushya yagna is to caring for guests. Pitru yagna is performing rituals for deceased ancestors. So these are all not difficult to do and therefore, Arjuna should not hesitate to do karma yoga as prescribed in Vedas.

                                                                                              (continued)

GITA 3;15

GITA 3.15

KAvEri viraja SEyam vaikuNTham rangamandiram

Sa VAsudEvO rangEsah pratyaksham paramam padam​

VASANTA MANTAPAM

SRI NAMPERUMAL

Srirangam is considered as Bhooloka Vaikuntam. The Viraja River there, is Kaveri here and the Lord Para Vasudevan there, is Sri Ranganatha here. Almost all the 365 days in a year, are festival days here, and we are in the midst of the last day of festival Vasanthotsavam celebrated in the Vasanta ruthu [spring time]. During this festival the Lord is seated in Vasantha mantapam, with attractive decorations using fresh flowers, dazzling light and flowing water in a stream. Entire atmosphere is cooling the body and mind. On this last day of this festival, the Lord graces the devotees, mounted on a horse. Here we can clearly observe that he has created the entire Nature for His pleasure. 

Now we will have to see the 14^th, 15^th and 16^th slokas together; but for want of time we will see the 14^thand 15^th slokas today and the 16^th next day. The Lord describes a cycle here. In factories we would have observed one wheel rotating another and another and so on. The Lord describes such rotation here and only when each wheel moves in proper cycle, all will result in proper rotation.

annad bhavanti bhutani
parjanyad anna-sambhavah
yajnad bhavati parjanyo
yajnah karma-samudbhavah

All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance of yajna [sacrifice], and yajna is born of prescribed duties.

"All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance of yajna [sacrifice], and yajna is born of prescribed duties."

karma brahmodbhavam viddhi
brahmakshara-samudbhavam
tasmat sarva-gatam brahma
nityam yajne pratisthitam

Regulated activities are prescribed in the Vedas, and the Vedas are directly manifested from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Consequently the all-pervading Transcendence is eternally situated in acts of sacrifice.

"our bodies are meant for actions and the eternal soul is needed in the body to act. Therefore, yajnais always prescribed for all present bodies "

Bhutani= all living beings, annad bhavanti= need food, anna sambava= for food to grow, parjanyad= rain is essential. Parjanyo= the rains, yajnad bhavati= depend on yagna or deva pooja. Yajnah= yagna, karma samudbhavan=are the result of our actions. In the next sloka He says,brahmo= our body, karma udbhavam vidhi= are meant for actions [to perform yagna]. Akshara = indestructible or everlasting soul or atman, brahma samudbhavam= require a body. This completes a cycle. The atman is in a body, does actions like deva pooja and obtains rain which help to grow food grains and these in turn are needed to sustain the life in various bodies. The center of this cycle is yagna or deva pooja. By performing these regularly, we sustain life in various living organisms. We can again see this cycle: soul in body is life à require food à food crops to grow to supply foodà rains to grow crops à yagna to produce rainsà body required to perform yagnaàfood required to sustain. So soul helps to maintain soul in body by all these in a cycle. God is not a beneficiary here, as He does not need any of these. He is yagna and He is the doer and the food and all. He is the result, He is he cause and He is the equipment. Finally He says, sarva ghatam brahma= everywhere present body, nithyam= always, yajne pratisthitam= get established or stabilized in yajna. So if we rotate the central yagna, it will produce rains and so food grains, and thereby life is sustained. This is one cycle. In the other cycle, for performing yagna one has to do karma, for which body is needed,, which can be active only if there is soul in it. In both cycles yagna is the central feature.

                                                                                          (continued)