Some of the divine teachings of Gita

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Some of the divine teachings of Gita

By: Waikhom Damodar Singh

 

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"Krishne sva-dhamopagate, dharmagyana dibhih saha; Kalau nasta-drsam

esa, puranarko dhunoditah". - Shrimad Bhagavatam - 1/3/43/-

The above text of the Shrimad Bhagavatam has very close link with

the "origination of the Gita" - it says that Krishna has departed to

His eternal abode, "Beikuntha", leaving behind knowledges of eternal

Truths to illuminate the dark age of the Kaliyuga. The sacred book

containing such knowledges in 575 verses or texts out of a total of

700 verses divided into 18 chapters including - 81 of Arjuna, 43 of

Sanjay and 1 of king Dhritarastra is the GITA. The word is derived

from the Sanskrit word "Geet" meaning songs that had been sung. Hence

there are many types of Gitas that have been known - such as the Ram

Gita, Gopi Gita, Udhava Gita, Bhramara Gita, Bikhu Gita etc. But Gita

as is generally known is the "Shrimad Bhagavad Gita" i.e. the divine

words or message spoken or given by Lord Krishna to His companion -

devotee of the Dwapura Yuga, Arguna just before the commencement of

the great epic Mahabharata War that had taken place at Kurukeshetra

between the Kauravas and Pandavas some 900 years before Christ,

according to the opinions of some historians.

The great war had taken place as the Kauravas refused to part with

the rightful throne and other legitimate claims of their kinsmen, the

Pandavas despite the best efforts put up even by Lord Krishna to

settle the issue peaceably who, at the end, however joined the holy

war as the charioteer of Arjuna as there was no other alternative for

Him since, He being the "Protector of Truth", had to be with the more

truer side, the Pandavas.

With the joining of Lord Krishna as the charioteer and also with the

blessings showered by Durga, the goddess of war upon Arjuna when he

very sincerely invoked her with a fervent prayer on the advice of

Lord Krishna, the victory of the Pandavas in the battle was very much

ensured but, all of a sudden, Arjuna was struck with profound grief

and sorrow on seeing his beloved Pitamaha (grand father) Bhisma, guru

Dronacharya, many relatives and friends all of whom were definitely

destined to die in his hands and as such he immediately disarmed his

mighty weapon, Gandiva and sat down in the chariot saying, O my dear

Krishna! "what is the use of fighting such a battle? I would rather

be a mendicant than engage in this battle committing great sins by

the killing of so many of my dear and near ones".

Quite started at this very cowardly gesture exhibited, all of a

sudden, by the invincible warrior Arjuna, Lord Krishna began saying

in a rather "rebuking tone" -

"Kutustva kasmalam idam visme samupasthitam;

Anaryajustam asvargyam akritikaram Arjuna".

- Bhagavad Gita - 2/2/-

In such crisis when surrounded by enemy on all sides, whence comes

upon thee, O Arujuna! this dejection, un-Aryan-like, disgraceful, and

contrary to the attainment of heaven?

"Klaibayam masa gamah Partha naitat-tvayyu-papadyate;

Khudrang hrdyaya - daurba-balang tyaktvo-tishta Parantapa".

Yield not to unmanliness, O son of Pratha! It does not become you.

Give up such pretty weakness of heart and rise, O scorcher of thine

enemies.

The main cause for the refusal of Arjuna to fight was due to

the "fear" that had suddenly gripped him which arose from the fact

that he was going to be the cause for the death of so many of his

loving ones, and it was at this most critical juncture of a crisis of

passive situation suddenly developed that Lord Krishna very calmly

began "counselling" Arjuna for removing his ignorances and weaknesses

of mind over the natural and universal phenomenons of things that

take place automatically and inevitably, particularly of the

occurrence of the cycle of "birth and death" of the living beings,

and to make him regain his so suddenly lost mental strength and

vigour of being an invincible kshetriya warrior - in this regard Lord

Krishna began saying -

"Jatasya hi dhrubo mirtuyadhrubang janma mirttashya cha,

Tashmadparihar jeyahartheno na twang sho-shitumaharshi".

- Bhagavad Gita - 2/27/-

For one who has taken his birth, death is certain; and for one who is

dead, birth is certain. Therefore, in the unavoidable discharge of

your duty, you should not lament or be subjected under any fearful

thought.

The divinemost teaching imparted by Lord Krishna to Arjuna is of the

fact, which says, that there are only two things in this world - one

is "the perishables" (ASATS) and the other, "the imperishables"

(SATS). The Pramatma (God) and His innumerable constituents, the

Atmas (Souls) are the imperishables while everything in whatever form

they may be are all perishables.

True, the entire Cosmic world exists in two forms or states - one is

in the visible material forms which perish or vanish with passage of

time i.e. nothing which manifests in the material form remains

permanent. The other is in the form of ENERGY which is invisible to

the eye, and is something that can neither be created nor destroyed -

this is the natural and universal phenomenon bound by a Law known as

the "Universal Law of Conservation of Energy".

In fact according to the finding of the scientists everything

existing in the Universe began in the forms of Energy (in the forms

of electrical, magnetic, sound waves etc.) from which everything,

both the livings and the non-livings had been originated and are

existing in the material forms, will also be reduced back to it in

the end.

According to the vedic version also - "Aum Tat Sat", meaning All

this, That was in the past, and All what would be in the future, and

All that beyond these i.e. "AUM", the Pranava SOUND is the Primordial

Source or Originator from which the birth of the Universe took place

from the state of a complete darkness and serenness with an explosion

which produced a mighty "BIG BANG" sound and a stream of ENERGY

flowed out from which subsequently created all the material objects

(drabas) in due course of time, and according to the science of

Physics, Sound is nothing but Energy in the form of waves.

The Pramatma (God) being the Source of the whole of the Energy that

makes up everything in the Cosmic world remains ever Full in His

magnitudes - "Poornamada Poornamidam Poornat Poornamadachate,

Poornasya Poornamadaya Poornameva Vashishate" - "That is Full, This

is Full, when the Full is taken out of the Full, what remains is

again the Full". Again, there is neither beginning nor ending in the

existence of God just as in a Circle there is no break in its

continuity having two points - one as the starting point and the

other as the ending point, whereas in the case of life of a living

being, it has always two points - a beginning (birth) and an ending

(death) like a half circle has always two points - one from where it

starts and the other where it ends.

Lord Krishna also clearly revealed to Arjuna of the fact that the

body of a human being, for that matter all the living beings, once

born it attains the stages of childhood, the youth and the old age

and then finally it ends in death as the very natural phenomenon

under which all the living beings are subjected to undergo

inevitably. However, He clarified further that the "Soul" i.e. the

Spirit of the living Force or Energy that is in a human being is

imperishable, immortal and remains unchanged - he is not dead though

the material body is dead i.e. stopped functioning of its organisms

and working organs.

 

 

Therefore, even though he (Arjuna) does not kill his elders and

others in the battle they who manifest as the material bodies "are

all destined to die in due course of time inevitably under the

natural and unavoidable process or the universal phenomenon that is

taking place as a naturally binding Law". Hence it is absolutely in

vain of him to worry about their material death or simply ending of

their natural longitivity - no one, even the so called GOD, for that

matter, can save them from such a natural ending that they are

destined to face inevitably. Even, the God Himself cannot escape from

this inevitable phenomenon taking place under the Laws of His own

creation if He also once assumes the "MORTAL-MATERIAL-BODY" as He did

as Krishna, as Jesus Christ etc. as had been clearly shown in the

case of the former who died when He was shot with an arrow by an

ordinary hunter, named Jara and the latter by the

merciless "crucification" carried out by Roman soldiers under orders

of Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor.

The essence of the teachings of Gita is, in fact, the great lesson

of "strictly disciplining of one's turbulent mind" i.e. controlling

of the senses which make it (the mind) ever turbulent craving for

endless material desires. Once the turbulent mind is brought under

control and it becomes quite tranquil all the desires and senses of

fear etc. will vanish automatically, and the only way to make one's

mind tranquil is by way of having constant devotion to the Almighty

with unflinching love of Him - who may be worshipped under any name

or form, it doesn't matter since He is only ONE in actual - this name

aspect has been also well revealed to Arjuna by Lord Krishna as is in

the text 11 of the fourth chapter, the Gyan Yoga Adhay of the

Bhagavad Gita - "Je jatha maang prapadante tangstatheiba

bhajamayaham ....." - anybody may worship the Lord-God in any form or

name, He definitely fulfils the devotee with is blessings whomsoever

they may be. The qualities that are essential for being an ardent

devotee of God are also well defined in the texts, 18 and 19 of the

Bhakti-Yoga Adhay of the Gita in the 12th chapter which is regarded

as a mighty saga in praise of perfection of character through the

path of "spiritual discipline", the texts say -

"Samaha satru cha mitre cha tatha manapamanayoh;

Sitonchasukhadookhesu samah sangbibarjjitah;

Tulya-ninda-stati-mourni santastva jeno kenochi,

Aniketoh sthiramarti-bhaktiman me priyo naraha".

One who is equal to friends and enemies, who is equipoised in honour

and dishonour, heat and cold, happiness and distress, fame and

infamy, who is always free from contamination, always silent (rather

doesn't care for any residence, who is fixed in knowledge and engaged

in devotional service, is very dear to Me.

And, such are the ardent devotees who are most loved by the Supreme

Being as is revealed in the last verse 20 of the 12th chapter -

"Je tu dharmamirttamidang jathoktang parjuyapasate;

Sradadadhana matparma bhaktastehatiba me priyah".

He wo follows this imperishable path of devotional service and

completely engage himself with faith, making Me the supreme goal, is

very, very dear to Me.

Another most important and divine teaching imparted by Lord Krishna

to Arjuna is to become a "TYAGI" i.e a person "renounced". The

renunciation, however, doesn't meant to renounce one's prescribed

duties, and it is again one of the most important teachings that all

have to learn from the divine message of Lord Krishna is described in

the Gita in text 66 of the last chapter (Mokha Yoga) 18th which

enshrines as -

"Sarva dharman paritejo mamekang saranang braja;

Ahang twang sarva papebhyo mokshaishami ma sucha".

By giving up everything and just surrendering unto Me, and performing

your prescribed duty, I shall protect you from all sinful reactions.

Therefore there is nothing that you should fear.

The crux of the above divine message is that, in the pretext of being

an ardent devotee (Bhakta) one is not entitled at all to abstain away

from doing his prescribed duties, so also as a self-sacrificed

performer of his duties one should always have his ardent devotion to

the Lord as had been well exhibited by one of the greatest devotees

ever known, the Bir Hanuman of the Treta Yuga - who had actually

shown the highest example of being the true "KARMA-YOGI" (self-

sacrificed worker and Bhakta or devotee) for the becoming of which

Lord Krishna had also advised Arjuna in the beginning when He started

counselling him (Arjuna) as is in texts 3 and 4 of the 3rd chapter,

the Karma-Yoga Adhay.

Actually, the teachings of Gita are divided into three parts

(Kandas) - the Karma kanda, from 1 to 6 chapters, the Upasana or

Bhakti kanda, from 7 to 12 chapters and the Gyan kanda, from 13 to

18th chapters. Having a true knowledge is essential for the

performance of Karma (duty) and doing Karma (fruitless work) is only

for the shake of performing devotional services. The Upasana kand

portion is placed at the centre preceded by the Karma kand portion

and succeeded by the Gyan kand portion. Placing it in between the two

portions may be compared with that of a bird with its body at the

centre and the two wings on the sides without which it cannot fly at

all. Further it also clearly indicates that the essence of the

teachings of Gita lying centrally is to give utmost importance to the

Bhakti Yoga, and hence it is placed cetrally which only can serve as

the best Tonic for taming the turbulent mind and bringing it to

the "equiposed or steady state". However performing of the Bhakti

Yoga or otherwise also known as the Budhi yoga wholly depends on the

two elements of the Gyan yoga and the Karma yoga i.e. knowledge and

Karma have inseparable relations with Bhakti Yoga.

In fact, the teachings of Gita are not sectional or parochial

(restricted to a narrow scope) in their import and appeal. Sects and

creeds may use them with much profit - they are addressed not to a

particular individual or individuals but to all men and women of all

the religions of the world, rather to all human beings for their

benefits. It is very much wrong, therefore, to presume that the

divine scripture is meant only for Hindus, for divisions of humanity

into various denominations of religions (changeable faiths) and sects

is only a later story. It is the spirit of universality (catholicity)

of teachings contained in the Gita that makes it as the most unique,

outstanding and unparalleled divine Book on spiritual philosophy of a

perenial nature. Whether they be Christians or Muslims or Bhudhists

or Hindus or of other various denominations the Gita intensifies

their "Sraddha" (believes) in their own faiths.

Constant reading and study of this most divine and sacred literature

really solaces one, particularly when he or she is bereaved or in a

state of great sorrow and distress i.e. they definitely get some sort

of a consolation from their sorrows by taking shelter under the Gita

which, as the ever illuminating Lamp, brightens up the wisdom in the

hearts of all the human beings making them to see the real Truth

underlying in the most unique creation of GOD, the Almighty.