Bhagavad Gita - Daily - II CHAPTER 4 -2 II

March 6, 2010

Gita 4 - 2

Evam paramparaapraaptamimaam raajarshayo viduh |

sa kaaleneha mahataa yogo nashtah parantapa || (Gita 4/2)

" O oppressor of the foes (Arjuna), this Karmayoga handed down thus, in regular

succession (from father to son), it remained known to the royal sages. But

through long lapse of time, it has been forgotten and lost to the world. " (Gita

4/2)

From " Gita Prabodhani " in Hindi by Swami Ramsukhdasji.

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Chapter 4, Verse 2 is as follows;

Evam = thus

Paramparaa-Praaptam = handed down in regular succession as a popular tradition

Imam = this

RajarshayaH = the Royal Sages

ViduH = knew

SaH = This

Kaalen = by lapse of time

Iha = here

Mahataa = by long

YogaH = union of the `Jeeva - Aatmaa' with the `Param- Aatmaa'

NaShtaH = destroyed

Parantapa = O Scorcher of foes / Arjuna

English translation:-

O Arjuna, thus handed down in regular succession, the Royal Sages knew the Yoga.

This Yoga, by long lapse of time, decayed in this world and the tradition of its

transmission to each successive generation has been lost here!

Comment:

The idea of the individual being linked to the cosmos is expressed in the Latin

root of the word religion, religare i.e. to bind strongly, as well as the

Sanskrit word `Yoga', which means union.

The word `Yoga' in the Sanskrit language is derived from the Sanskrit root `Yuj'

having various meanings like to control, to yoke or to unite. `Yoga' stands for

the great technique of the union of `Jeeva-Aatmaa' the inner enlivening

principle in every living human being with the `Param – Aatmaa' i.e. the Supreme

Self, the Brahman. An alternate Sanskrit root from which the word `Yoga' may be

derived from is `Yujir Samadhau', which means contemplation or absorption in

meditation. In ancient Indian literature, the term `Yoga' first appeared in the

`Kathaa Upanishad', where it refers to control of the senses and the cessation

of mental activity leading to the Supreme State.

RajarshayaH i.e. the Royal Sages like Lord Rama, Lord Krishna and Gautam Buddha

were all princes, who taught the highest wisdom.

It reminds me of a Sanskrit saying, " Raajaa Kaalasya KaaraNam " i.e. the ruler of

a kingdom is responsible for the passage of time under his governance.

It also reminds me of another Sanskrit saying, " Yathaa Raajaa; Tathaa Prajaa "

i.e. the entire populace of a kingdom follows the King in every manner. The

present state of our world riddled with sorrow and misery, is indicative of the

type of rulers we have in various countries.

`Kaalen Mahataa' means by the great efflux of time. This teaching has become

obscured by the lapse of ages. To renovate the faith for the welfare of

humanity, many great teachers arose since time immemorial.

`Praacheen Parampara' i.e. a true, tried and tested tradition is deemed to be

authentic, when it evokes an adequate response by the reality represented by it.

It is considered universal, true and valid when our minds resonate with it in

unison. Whenever, it fails to achieve that expected response, new teachers

emerge to rekindle it.

In this verse, Lord Krishna gives to his best friend (Sakhaa) and the beloved

disciple (Bhakta), Arjuna `Yoga' to illumine his ignorance and to rekindle and

reawaken the `Kshaatra Dharma' i.e. the spirit of a courageous, energetic and

selfless warrior in him.

Any thought process without any universal appeal is bound to decay and

extinguish. However, when even a thought having universal appeal dies down, then

all it means that there is a definite lack of people having the requisite skill

sets and capabilities; first to absorb and later on to transfer it in regular

succession; the time tested `Yoga'.

`Dnyaana' i.e. Knowledge can be gained from four time tested sources as follows;

1. `Pratyaksha Dnyaana' i.e. by means of direct self perception. Whenever

sensory organs like eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin; contact respective sense

objects, every human being gains knowledge from seeing, hearing, smelling,

tasting and touching those objects.

2. `A-Pratyaksha / Anumaana Dyaana' i.e. by means of indirect perception or

logical deduction or by making an inference based on something else which one

can perceive. All smoke detectors are designed to detect smoke and deploy

techniques to counter the possibility of devastation from an impending danger

from the simmering fire. Even though a fire is not spotted, the presence of

smoke leads to inference of existence of fire.

3. `Upamaana Dnyaana' i.e. by means of a comparative analysis. Raajaa

Shivajee, the king of Marathaas in India, who successfully defended the

`Sanaatana Dharma' in India against many Islaamic rulers, was compared to a

dreadfully fierce and courageous tiger.

4. `Aagama Dnyaana' i.e. by traditional transmission from one generation

to the next generation. The great sages always imparted their knowledge through

the " Guru ShiShya Paramparaa' i.e. the preceptor – disciple lineage. The true,

tried and tested Supreme knowledge always commanded the greatest respect and the

highest regard in every prevailing society since time immemorial.

" A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the

manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it is

this knowledge and this emotion that constitute the truly religious attitude; in

this sense, and in this alone, I am a deeply religious man. Science without

religion is lame, religion without science is blind. " …… Albert Einstein

In Dnyaaneshwaree, Santa Dnyaaneshwara has explained the verse 2 in Chapter 4 in

Shreemad Bhagawad Geeta, in his typical characteristic poetic manner as follows;

" Such tradition of transmission of knowledge was taught to many a King and

Saint; However, at present it has become distinct and faint.

Because a man has turned to passion, turned away from Karma, soul and devotion;

He is filled with so much temptation that he has lost any chance of redemption.

In the ages that have passed, Passion and Greed have ruled so far;

That is why this ancient philosophy has been lapsed. "

Lord Krishna points out to Arjuna the loss of the Supreme knowledge of the Self,

over a long lapse of time. Such breakdown of the " Guru ShiShya Paramparaa' i.e.

the preceptor – disciple lineage has deprived the Kuru Kingdom of the divine

message and in turn the inhumanity and barbarity of the hundred Kauravaas has

debased, debauched and demoralised the entire populace in the once glorious

Vishaala Bhaarata Raashtra i.e. the great Indian continent.

Thanks & Best Regards,

Shrikant Joshi

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English: www.swamiramsukhdasji.net

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March 13, 2010

Gita 4 - 2Evam paramparaapraaptamimaam raajarshayo viduh |sa kaaleneha mahataa yogo nashtah parantapa || (Gita 4/2)"O oppressor of the foes (Arjuna), this Karmayoga handed down thus, in regular succession (from father to son), it remained known to the royal sages. But through long lapse of time, it has been forgotten and lost to the world." (Gita 4/2)

`Evam paramparaapraaptamimaam raajarshayo viduh'— The kings, such as the sun-god, Manu and Ikshvaku, learnt the Karmayoga, followed it and also, inspired their subjects to follow it. Thus, it was handed down in regular succession to the families of the royal sages. This Karmayoga is a special lare of the kings (the warrior class). Therefore, every member of the warrior class should know it. Similarly, the heads and leaders of a family, society, village and town etc., must also know it.

In ancient days, the kings who knew Karmayoga, administered the affairs of state smoothly, without being attached to royal pleasures. They had a natural inclination for the welfare of the subjects. The great Samskrat poet Kalidas writes about the kings of solar dynasty:—

"Those kings levied a tax on their subjects in the same way, as the sun sucks water from the earth, in order to supply it a thousand times more back to the earth in the form of rain ."

It means, that the tax realized from the subjects by kings, was all used for public welfare. In order to provide for their household expenses, they followed occupations, like farming. By practising Karmayoga, they were automatically endowed with singular knowledge and devotion. Therefore, even great sages went to those kings in order to learn wisdom. Shri VedaVyas's son named Sukhadeva, went to king Janaka, in order to gain wisdom from him. In the fifth chapter of the Chandogyopanishad it is mentioned, that six sages together went to king Asvapati, in order to learn knowledge of Brahma, the Supreme.* Having mentioned kings, such as Janaka and others in the twentieth verse of the third chapter, and the sun-god, Manu and Ikshvaku etc., here, as Karmayogis, Lord Krishna wants to urge Arjuna that he should also perform actions accordingly (follow Karmayoga) as the ancestors did, in former times, as he was also a householder and a member of the warrior class (Gita 4/15). Moreover, it was very easy for him to learn it, because he belonged to the warrior class.

`sa kaaleneha mahataa yogo nashtah'— God is eternal and the means—Karmayoga, Jnanayoga and Bhaktiyoga (Disciplines of Action, Knowledge and Devotion) etc., are also eternal, as they have been laid down by God. Therefore, they never cease to be. The Lord declares, "The real, never ceases to be" (Gîtâ 2/16). The yogas are eternal, even if these are not practised. Therefore, here the term `Nashatoh' means, passing out of sight, rather than out of existence.

In the first verse of this chapter, this Yoga has been called imperishable. Therefore, if this term `Nashtah' is taken as `out of existence' there will be a contradiction between the two statements. Moreover, the Lord again in the third verse declares, that He is going to reveal the same ancient Yoga, to Arjuna. It means that the religious texts and the learned sages who possessed knowledge of this Yoga, and practised it, had more or less disappeared from the earth.

The Lord declares, that it was through a long lapse of time, that it disappeared, because at the beginning of creation, the Lord taught it to the sun-god, then it was handed down in regular succession and the royal sages come to know it. But due to the absence of great spiritual souls, possessed of the knowledge of this Yoga, it could not be handed down. So, at present only a few people know and talk about it.

Though this doctrine was not practised, yet it did not cease to be, because without selflessness, which is the essence of Karmayoga even other disciplines (such as of knowledge and devotion) cannot be constantly practised. A Jnanayogi through discrimination, by regarding actions as `Asat' (unreal), renounces his affinity for these, while a Bhaktiyogi renounces affinity for them by surrendering these to God. No affinity, howsoever, is to be maintained. This is the doctrine of `Karmayoga'. Therefore, a Jnanayogi and a Bhaktiyogi will have to adopt the principles of `Karmayoga', even though they may not practise it. It means, that at present, though it has been lost, yet as a doctrine it exists.

The fact is, that in Karmayoga, Karma (actions) have not disappeared but `Yoga' (selflessness) has disappeared, because a man performs actions with a selfish motive. It means, that strivers have a firm belief that they will attain God, through actions in the same way as they acquire worldly things through actions. But they forget the reality, that God is, ever attained. Actions, are performed for the world while `Yoga' (union with God) is ever for one's own self. Yoga is not attained through actions, as is self-evident.* Therefore, the generality of the assumption that this Yoga can be attained through action has practically caused the disappearance of yoga.

This human body, has been bestowed upon us, so that we may practise Karmayoga i.e., serve others without any selfish motive. But, we are so much absorbed in hankering after pleasures, prosperity and honour etc., that we do not pay heed to it. Thus, this knowledge has been lost, because we have forgotten it.

A man by rendering service can control not only birds, beasts and persons but also the gods, manes, sages, saints and even God. But having forgotten this practice, he has been overpowered by pleasures, which lead to hell and eighty-four lac forms of lives. This is called concealment of Karmayoga.

From "The Bhagavadgita - Sadhak Sanjivani" in English"

-----------------To read the SADHAK SANJIVAN in Hindi please visit :

http://www.swamiramsukhdasji.org/swamijibooks/pustak/pustak1/html/SadhakSanjeevni/main.html

Also selected verses recited are available at:

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/pages/Sadhak-Sanjeevani-Swami-Ramsukhdasji-Detailed-Commentary-on-the-Gita/485952915098

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