Arjuna's questions in Bhagawad Gita can be categorized into confusions regarding:
-- Duty Vs Inaction
-- Sin and Merit
-- Right and Wrong
-- Morality Vs Legality
What is Udasina? In Kannada it means Indifference, but infact the actual meaning is uth-asina: sitting at a higher level! A bird's view, where we can disconnect from the object and view it from a third party's view. udasinam ityukte avalokanam iti bhavati (being neutral), evam asaktam ityutke "uninterested" nasti, asaktam ityukte "dettachment" (unattached) bhavati ...
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
Mahabharata Shantiparva
Shanti Parva Chapter 110/111
21 madhu māṃsaṃ ca ye nityaṃ varjayantīha mānavāḥ
janmaprabhṛti madyaṃ ca durgāṇy atitaranti te
They that abstain, from their birth, from honey and meat and intoxicating drinks, succeed in overcoming all difficulties.
22 yātrārthaṃ bhojanaṃ yeṣāṃ saṃtānārthaṃ ca maithunam
vāk satyavacanārthāya durgāṇy atitaranti te
They that eat for only supporting life, that seek the companionship of women for the sake only of offspring and that open their lips for only speaking what is true, succeed in overcoming all difficulties.
23 īśvaraṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ jagataḥ prabhavāpyayam
bhaktā nārāyaṇaṃ ye ca durgāṇy atitaranti te
They that worship with devotion the god Narayana, that Supreme Lord of all creatures, that origin and destruction of the universe, succeed in overcoming all difficulties.
24 ya eṣa raktapadmākṣaḥ pītavāsā mahābhujaḥ
suhṛd bhrātā ca mitraṃ ca saṃbandhī ca tavācyutaḥ
This Krishna here, of eyes red as the lotus, clad in yellow robes, endued with mighty arms,--this Krishna who is our well-wisher, brother, friend, and relative,--is Narayana of unfading glory.
25 ya imān sakalāṁl lokāṃś carmavat pariveṣṭayet
icchan prabhur acintyātmā govindaḥ puruṣottamaḥ
He covers all the worlds like a leathern case, at his own pleasure. He is the puissant Lord, of inconceivable soul. He is Govinda, the foremost of all beings.
26 sthitaḥ priyahite jiṣṇoḥ sa eva puruṣarṣabha
rājaṃs tava ca durdharṣo vaikuṇṭhaḥ puruṣottamaḥ
This Krishna who is ever engaged in doing what is agreeable and beneficial to Jishnu, as also to thee, O king, is that foremost of all beings, that irresistible one, that abode of eternal felicity.
27 ya enaṃ saṃśrayantīha bhaktyā nārāyaṇaṃ harim
te tarantīha durgāṇi na me 'trāsti vicāraṇā
They that with devotion seek the refuge of this Narayana, called also Hari, succeed in overcoming all difficulties.
28 durgātitaraṇaṃ ye ca paṭhanti śrāvayanti ca
pāṭhayanti ca viprebhyo durgāṇy atitaranti te
They that read these verses about the overcoming of difficulties, that recite them to others, and that speak of them unto Brahmanas, succeed in overcoming all difficulties.
29 iti kṛtyasamuddeśaḥ kīrtitas te mayānagha
saṃtared yena durgāṇi paratreha ca mānavaḥ
I have now, O sinless one, told thee all those acts by which men may overcome all difficulties both here and hereafter.'"
21 madhu māṃsaṃ ca ye nityaṃ varjayantīha mānavāḥ
janmaprabhṛti madyaṃ ca durgāṇy atitaranti te
They that abstain, from their birth, from honey and meat and intoxicating drinks, succeed in overcoming all difficulties.
22 yātrārthaṃ bhojanaṃ yeṣāṃ saṃtānārthaṃ ca maithunam
vāk satyavacanārthāya durgāṇy atitaranti te
They that eat for only supporting life, that seek the companionship of women for the sake only of offspring and that open their lips for only speaking what is true, succeed in overcoming all difficulties.
23 īśvaraṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ jagataḥ prabhavāpyayam
bhaktā nārāyaṇaṃ ye ca durgāṇy atitaranti te
They that worship with devotion the god Narayana, that Supreme Lord of all creatures, that origin and destruction of the universe, succeed in overcoming all difficulties.
24 ya eṣa raktapadmākṣaḥ pītavāsā mahābhujaḥ
suhṛd bhrātā ca mitraṃ ca saṃbandhī ca tavācyutaḥ
This Krishna here, of eyes red as the lotus, clad in yellow robes, endued with mighty arms,--this Krishna who is our well-wisher, brother, friend, and relative,--is Narayana of unfading glory.
25 ya imān sakalāṁl lokāṃś carmavat pariveṣṭayet
icchan prabhur acintyātmā govindaḥ puruṣottamaḥ
He covers all the worlds like a leathern case, at his own pleasure. He is the puissant Lord, of inconceivable soul. He is Govinda, the foremost of all beings.
26 sthitaḥ priyahite jiṣṇoḥ sa eva puruṣarṣabha
rājaṃs tava ca durdharṣo vaikuṇṭhaḥ puruṣottamaḥ
This Krishna who is ever engaged in doing what is agreeable and beneficial to Jishnu, as also to thee, O king, is that foremost of all beings, that irresistible one, that abode of eternal felicity.
27 ya enaṃ saṃśrayantīha bhaktyā nārāyaṇaṃ harim
te tarantīha durgāṇi na me 'trāsti vicāraṇā
They that with devotion seek the refuge of this Narayana, called also Hari, succeed in overcoming all difficulties.
28 durgātitaraṇaṃ ye ca paṭhanti śrāvayanti ca
pāṭhayanti ca viprebhyo durgāṇy atitaranti te
They that read these verses about the overcoming of difficulties, that recite them to others, and that speak of them unto Brahmanas, succeed in overcoming all difficulties.
29 iti kṛtyasamuddeśaḥ kīrtitas te mayānagha
saṃtared yena durgāṇi paratreha ca mānavaḥ
I have now, O sinless one, told thee all those acts by which men may overcome all difficulties both here and hereafter.'"
Thursday, May 13, 2010
aham krishna ranotsavah
Arjuna says:
When Krishna asks everyone what their conviction is different people say different things, but Arjuna says:
nimmantraNotsvah vipraah <-- brahmaNarige innobr mane oota chennaa
gavo navatrNotsvaah <-- cows are enthusiastic about fresh hay
bartharotsavah naryaah <-- wives are enthusiastic of spouses
aham krishna raNotsavah <-- for me it is war Krishna
So Krishna has taken Arjuna's conviction prior to the war, that Arjuna was interested in war but now he says Papam eva ashrayedh asman hatva atatayinah. But those who give punishment for an aparadhi then there is no papa attached. But one cannot determine an aparadhi by individual standards.
Draupadi says: purushaNam abhavena sarva naryah pativratah. If there were no men then all wives would be pati-vratas.
aatatataayin --- superior sinners; those who try to kill people by lighting house, poisons the other, illegally gobbles lands, kidnaps wife etc.
"tasman narha vayam hantum" -- now he says "vayam" (We), making a decision on behalf on his brothers (he seems like he is making decision on behalf of others on his side, but who is he to make that decision) or in other words he used the royal "We" to denote that is better than others.
When Krishna asks everyone what their conviction is different people say different things, but Arjuna says:
nimmantraNotsvah vipraah <-- brahmaNarige innobr mane oota chennaa
gavo navatrNotsvaah <-- cows are enthusiastic about fresh hay
bartharotsavah naryaah <-- wives are enthusiastic of spouses
aham krishna raNotsavah <-- for me it is war Krishna
So Krishna has taken Arjuna's conviction prior to the war, that Arjuna was interested in war but now he says Papam eva ashrayedh asman hatva atatayinah. But those who give punishment for an aparadhi then there is no papa attached. But one cannot determine an aparadhi by individual standards.
Draupadi says: purushaNam abhavena sarva naryah pativratah. If there were no men then all wives would be pati-vratas.
aatatataayin --- superior sinners; those who try to kill people by lighting house, poisons the other, illegally gobbles lands, kidnaps wife etc.
"tasman narha vayam hantum" -- now he says "vayam" (We), making a decision on behalf on his brothers (he seems like he is making decision on behalf of others on his side, but who is he to make that decision) or in other words he used the royal "We" to denote that is better than others.
Arjuna's State
In Bhagawad Gita Chapter 1, Verse 27, Arjuna's state is mentioned as below:
tan samiksya sa kaunteyah
sarvan bandhun avasthitan
krpaya parayavisto
visidann idam abravit
Krpaya is key here. Kripe means mercy (infact translated as compassion as well). Mercy can be from the more powerful to the less powerful ones. The less powerful ones cannot show Kripa to higher ones. So there is an implicit state of Arjuna where he thinks that he is above those on the other side. This is reflected in several statements of Arjuna in prior sholkas, for example Ratham sthapaya me achyuta; kair maya saha yoddhavyam etc.
Chap 1, 28: "drstvemam sva-janam krsna"
-- Arjuna can see only his personal relatives.
tan samiksya sa kaunteyah
sarvan bandhun avasthitan
krpaya parayavisto
visidann idam abravit
Krpaya is key here. Kripe means mercy (infact translated as compassion as well). Mercy can be from the more powerful to the less powerful ones. The less powerful ones cannot show Kripa to higher ones. So there is an implicit state of Arjuna where he thinks that he is above those on the other side. This is reflected in several statements of Arjuna in prior sholkas, for example Ratham sthapaya me achyuta; kair maya saha yoddhavyam etc.
Chap 1, 28: "drstvemam sva-janam krsna"
-- Arjuna can see only his personal relatives.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Aham Brahmi Asmi
Ham --- one that has to be relinquished, removed, taken out, killed, reject.
Aham -- one that cannot be relinquished, killed, rejected, removed, taken out etc.
I cannot free myself from me.
I can reject you, you can reject me, but no one can reject or be without Him, the God. So He is also aham. aham actually then means God only. Aspect outside which there is no independent identity or existence (astitva) of anything is called Aham. Aham is that which is the basis of everything. He is the Universal / infinite aham and we are all fragmental / subjective / minute / infinitesimal ahams.
Bhagawanta is in pindanda (jiva) and brahmanda (Universal womb). He is "aha" in both. The Bhagawantha in pindanda is referred to as aham, and in brahmanda is referred to as ahah (ahah samvatsaro vahnih analo dharini dharah). He is ahah, the one who gives life and light from within (the Jiva of the pindanda and the Surya of the Brahmanda).
Even Bible seems to say this, Exodus 3:14:
Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” (((or, "I am that I am"). And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.’”
Vedic Shatapatha BrahmaNa says: Yo-ham-asmi-so-smi "I am what I am".
Ormazd Yasht of the Zoroastrian religion declares: "My first name is ahmi, my last name is ahmi" (Essential Unity of All Religions). Ahmi infact means asmi.
So, "I am" or aham in this context does not mean "me" either in Bible or Upanishads. It infact refers to the Lord.
“parokSha priyA iva hi devAH pratyakSha dviShaH” (in bhR^ihadAraNyaka upaniShad 4.2.2), for the Gods love, as it were, what is mysterious, and hate what is manifest. So, Aham need not be direct. A true sadhaka needs to dig into details.
Asmi -- As + Mi -- Mi is Manam, jnyeyam. One that is to be known. As -- the all determining, the all inspiring one.
So, the Lord is the complete, all inspiring one. The who considers so attains completeness.
Does the Lord also need to contemplate on this idea?
Aham -- one that cannot be relinquished, killed, rejected, removed, taken out etc.
I cannot free myself from me.
I can reject you, you can reject me, but no one can reject or be without Him, the God. So He is also aham. aham actually then means God only. Aspect outside which there is no independent identity or existence (astitva) of anything is called Aham. Aham is that which is the basis of everything. He is the Universal / infinite aham and we are all fragmental / subjective / minute / infinitesimal ahams.
Bhagawanta is in pindanda (jiva) and brahmanda (Universal womb). He is "aha" in both. The Bhagawantha in pindanda is referred to as aham, and in brahmanda is referred to as ahah (ahah samvatsaro vahnih analo dharini dharah). He is ahah, the one who gives life and light from within (the Jiva of the pindanda and the Surya of the Brahmanda).
Even Bible seems to say this, Exodus 3:14:
Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” (((or, "I am that I am"). And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.’”
Vedic Shatapatha BrahmaNa says: Yo-ham-asmi-so-smi "I am what I am".
Ormazd Yasht of the Zoroastrian religion declares: "My first name is ahmi, my last name is ahmi" (Essential Unity of All Religions). Ahmi infact means asmi.
So, "I am" or aham in this context does not mean "me" either in Bible or Upanishads. It infact refers to the Lord.
“parokSha priyA iva hi devAH pratyakSha dviShaH” (in bhR^ihadAraNyaka upaniShad 4.2.2), for the Gods love, as it were, what is mysterious, and hate what is manifest. So, Aham need not be direct. A true sadhaka needs to dig into details.
Asmi -- As + Mi -- Mi is Manam, jnyeyam. One that is to be known. As -- the all determining, the all inspiring one.
So, the Lord is the complete, all inspiring one. The who considers so attains completeness.
Does the Lord also need to contemplate on this idea?
Manushya.
Manushya -- Those who are capable of understanding or thinking about God. Manushyah --- One with the desire to contemplate on God, aiming to attain completion but have still not attained that state.
We all endevour for completeness by our individual capacities. If we are a small pot then we can be complete to the brin of the pot. If we are a tumbler then we can attain purNatva to our capacity of a tumbler. But Bhagawanta is inifinitely expansive and we can not find completeness to the level of Bhagawanta, because we are not Bhagawanta. Bhagawanta is like an ocean and we are all like pots and cups, we can not be complete to the level of the ocean. Everything can reach complete state but only to a relative extent, to degrees of subjective experiences, of one's individual capacity. The absolute or universal completeness remains infinite.
We all endevour for completeness by our individual capacities. If we are a small pot then we can be complete to the brin of the pot. If we are a tumbler then we can attain purNatva to our capacity of a tumbler. But Bhagawanta is inifinitely expansive and we can not find completeness to the level of Bhagawanta, because we are not Bhagawanta. Bhagawanta is like an ocean and we are all like pots and cups, we can not be complete to the level of the ocean. Everything can reach complete state but only to a relative extent, to degrees of subjective experiences, of one's individual capacity. The absolute or universal completeness remains infinite.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Zen is Dhyan!
"Zen" is the Japanese pronunciation of a Chinese word ("chan"), which is a Chinese pronunciation of a Sanskrit word ("dhyan"), meaning "meditation"? (http://www.artsci.utoronto.ca/languages/languages-offered/sanskrit#2)
Deeksha == Dik -- Direction, ksha -- eyes! Dhi -- mind, ksha -- eyes.
Deeksha == Dik -- Direction, ksha -- eyes! Dhi -- mind, ksha -- eyes.
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