The twelfth chapter happens to be final chapter of the middle section of the Gita. The first shadgam deals with the nature of jivatma, the middle shadgam deals with the nature of Paramatma, while the last shadgam deals with jiva-paramatma ikyam. Ishwar is defined as jagat karanam of the universe. This is explained in three different ways depending on the maturity of the seeker.
The first stage is God creates the world. Just as a carpenter goes on keep making furniture the God is a person who is sitting somewhere and who keeps on creating the world. This definition is useful for a beginner.
In the second stage once a seeker has got sufficient maturity we define jagat karanam as God becomes the creation. God is the very stuff of creation. So everything in creation must be revered as Ishwara’s creation which is uniqueness of Vedic religion. The God not only become the pancha bhootas but also the sun. moon, and everything.
Once a person is absorbed and imbibed and we can enter the third stage. God does not become the world (becoming is changing, becoming is samsara) but God appears as the universe without undergoing any change. In this level of appreciation we reach the heights of advaitam where brahma satyam and jagat mithya. The world is just an appearance of the God and so less real than God.
When you say God creates the world it is Dwaitham; when God becomes the world it is Vashista Advaitham and when you say God appears as the world it is Advaitham. One has to go through all the three stages progressing from one level to the next. In chapter 7 to 11 Krishna dwelt on the second stage of God appreciation. As Krishna says: I alone is in the form of creation and whatever glory you see in the creation it is my glory alone. Another aspect Krishna concentrated in these chapters is the role of surrender and seeking God’s grace for spiritual progress. “Depend on ME and take MY support” – in every chapter Krishna highlights the role of Ishwara Anugraha (while in the first 6 chapters HE spoke more on freewill). It is important for a spiritual seeker to be humble enough to surrender to the lord and also put efforts; both surrender and sadhana go hand in hand. Neither be fatalistic nor be arrogant. The balanced people are those who believe in grace and efforts in equal proportion just as a cart moves in two wheels.
In this chapter Krishna wants to emphasize the important role of Bhakti. Bhakti (B) can be seen in two different ways. Bhakti is a bhavana; what is your attitude to God? Bhakti Bhavana is love for Lord. In the 7 chapters Krishna divided this love for the God by motive based division. The three levels of B bhavana is bhakti for material end (the lowest level); I will do angapradaksham if I clear the exam or if my son gets a job, you have a contract with God. This is Sakama Bhakti. The next level is also motivated bhakti and here a person wants spiritual growth and spiritual purity. Give me sadhana chatusttaya sampathi. Then comes the last level of Bhakti is one where a devotee has no motive, he does not seek moksha also because he is already mukta purusha. Neither is he interested in material goals or spiritual goals for he has already reached the destination. The aarthah and arthathi belong to the first category; jignasu is madhyama bhakti, while jnani is the third category. Krishna says the jnani is the greatest bhaktha for his love for the Lord is unconditional love and without any axe to grind. This was discussed in the seventh chapter.
Bhakti has one more aspect which is Bhakti as sadhana which Krishna discusses in this chapter. The last 5 chapters only discussed Bhakti as Bhavana and so we shall explore this sadhana theme here. Bhakti as sadhana is called a yogah. The twelfth chapter can be broadly classified into two portions: What is bhakti sadhana? And the glories of Siddha bhakta (one who has reached the goal of devotion). The first part deals with means of Bhakti while the later part deals with ends of Bhakti.
Verses 1 to Verses 12 deal with Bhakti sadhana. From 13 to 20 is the glory of siddha who has succeeded in the sadhana. As we study the verses we understand that Bhakti is not an exclusive sadhana as it is widely misconstrued. If we list out as Karma yoga, Bhakti yoga and Jnana yoga it is easy to misconstrue that there is no bhakti in karma yoga and jnana yoga. Bhakti is not a separate yoga but it is there is every sadhana. Bhakti is only a group name for in every sadhana at every stage devotion must be there. Sadhanas may vary – one can do puja, go on a pilgrimage, do japa, study scriptures – but in every sadhana there must be devotion to the lord. Bhakti is a common atmosphere or background for any sadhana. How many sadhanas are there? Every activity including eating can be a spiritual sadhana. In the fourth chapter Krishna called any activity as yagna; even enjoying sense pleasures is a yagna. O Lord you are within me and whatever I enjoy it is an offering to you. There are countless sadhanas and it is impossible to enumerate all of them singly. We broadly classify them into three levels which Krishna classifies into five levels.
Normally in the scriptures the three levels are: a) Karma rupa bhakti. This is a sadhana that involves action, it is a kayika pradhana, sharira pradhana in the form of pujas and desire prompted actions b) Upasana rupa bhaktih. Here the physical actions are not there as sense organs are withdrawn and activities are mental in nature. Like all the manasa puja c) Jnana rupa bhaktih. Here Bhakti is in the form of Vedantic enquiry in the very nature of the Lord I am worshipping. In the form of sravanam, mananam, and nidhidyasana. What is the puja we are currently doing, listening to this discourse, and it is the highest bhakti. Without the first two levels of bhakti the third level is impossible. And without the third level of bhakti the first two levels are incomplete. A person should start with karma rupa bhakti then go through Upasana rupa bhakti before finally culminating to Jnana rupa bhakti.
But Krishna feels that the three stepped sadhana may be too difficult for most people and so divides the same into five steps.
1) Sakama Karma rupa bhakti: Actions done for material benefits, Sakama Karma (doing actions for my own benefit. Selfish actions). In fact we introduce religion for doing selfish actions. Of course legitimate actions. You do all the actions as an offering or worship to the Lord. And whatever action you do, you expect some result. But don’t take the result as your achievement as “I have done it” but give the credit to the Lord. Don’t call it karmaphallam but Ishwara Prasada.
I lead a prayerful life and invoke God, the first thing on waking up, even while bathing and eating, working, and at the time of retiring to bed. At this stage, I have a lot of materialistic needs: son to get admitted in IIT, daughter to get married, a sick mother etc and I invoke God for his grace to alleviate me from my problems.
Most of us pray and remember God either for alleviating pain or for seeking prosperity (better car, better job, better pay etc). The primary attitude of a seeker at this stage is: Eeshwara Arpanam; dedicating all the actions to the Lord and Prasada Budhi; I accept any situation that is happening in my life as a GIFT from the lord (particularly the negative ones). The logic is simple. God can never be partial and whenever I suffer in life, it is on account of my prarabdha karma.
2) Nishkama Karma rupa bhakti: Here at this stage, the seeker has understood the limitations of wealth, joys of sense-organs after suffering many knocks in life. He has sufficient detachment to worldly goals. He is more interested in inner growth and takes to those actions that contribute to his spiritual growth. There are many sadhanas in our religion that is not meant for minting money but for purifying the mind. All such karmas are called Nishkama karma or Vihitha karmani. We talk about the pancha maha yagna here.
Most of us pray and remember God either for alleviating pain or for seeking prosperity (better car, better job, better pay etc). The primary attitude of a seeker at this stage is: Eeshwara Arpanam; dedicating all the actions to the Lord and Prasada Budhi; I accept any situation that is happening in my life as a GIFT from the lord (particularly the negative ones). The logic is simple. God can never be partial and whenever I suffer in life, it is on account of my prarabdha karma.
2) Nishkama Karma rupa bhakti: Here at this stage, the seeker has understood the limitations of wealth, joys of sense-organs after suffering many knocks in life. He has sufficient detachment to worldly goals. He is more interested in inner growth and takes to those actions that contribute to his spiritual growth. There are many sadhanas in our religion that is not meant for minting money but for purifying the mind. All such karmas are called Nishkama karma or Vihitha karmani. We talk about the pancha maha yagna here.
I don’t appeal or beg the Lord to change my worldly situation. Instead I pray to the Lord for mental strength in facing up to my situation. I increasingly have the maturity to realize that each experience in life has a lesson for me and my primary goal in life is to strengthen/toughen and purify the mind. The mind needs to be nourished and be fit enough to learn the spiritual truths. Once the mind is pure you will be interested in Vedanta. In the first level selfish actions are more while at this level the selfless actions are more.
3) Saguna Upasana (Meditating on God with form) Bhakti: After going through the first two stages here the seeker reduces the level of activity without suffering any guilt. Upasana bhakti is divided into two parts. At the first stage we choose one particular form, Rama, Krishna, Shiva, Vishnu, Ganesha, Muruga. Meditate upon that deity; do manasa puja and meditate on the virtues of the God. This is eka rupa ishwara dhyanam.
4) Nirguna Upasana (meditating on formless God) bhakti: When there is eka rupa bhakti there is a possibility of getting attached to one form. Not only that? There is possibility of getting hatred or intense dislike to other forms. Many religious quarrels are based on this. Even within Hinduism Shivaite and Vishnavite fight with each other. When you see God in one form there will be limitation time wise and spatial. Krishna prescribes the fourth stage of bhakti; anaka rupa ishwara dhyanam or upasanam. Learn to look upon God as the entire creation. The “Ishta devata” chosen in the earlier stage is now meditated upon as “Viswa Ishata devata”. Meaning, if you were meditating on Lord Rama, now expand it to Rama in which the entire creation rests. This is vishwa rupa ishwara as describe in eleventh chapter. It is important that all the stages are important. You cannot go to 8th standard till you go through kindergarten, fifth standard and seventh standard.
3) Saguna Upasana (Meditating on God with form) Bhakti: After going through the first two stages here the seeker reduces the level of activity without suffering any guilt. Upasana bhakti is divided into two parts. At the first stage we choose one particular form, Rama, Krishna, Shiva, Vishnu, Ganesha, Muruga. Meditate upon that deity; do manasa puja and meditate on the virtues of the God. This is eka rupa ishwara dhyanam.
4) Nirguna Upasana (meditating on formless God) bhakti: When there is eka rupa bhakti there is a possibility of getting attached to one form. Not only that? There is possibility of getting hatred or intense dislike to other forms. Many religious quarrels are based on this. Even within Hinduism Shivaite and Vishnavite fight with each other. When you see God in one form there will be limitation time wise and spatial. Krishna prescribes the fourth stage of bhakti; anaka rupa ishwara dhyanam or upasanam. Learn to look upon God as the entire creation. The “Ishta devata” chosen in the earlier stage is now meditated upon as “Viswa Ishata devata”. Meaning, if you were meditating on Lord Rama, now expand it to Rama in which the entire creation rests. This is vishwa rupa ishwara as describe in eleventh chapter. It is important that all the stages are important. You cannot go to 8th standard till you go through kindergarten, fifth standard and seventh standard.
As our dependence on the world decreases and as faith in God increase, there is one immediate benefit – Our bhayam (FEAR) comes down. Learn to see divinity in plants, animals, human beings including our tormentors. The payoff is that you begin to reduce your likes and dislikes (raga – dwesha) as everything emanates from the same Lord and nothing can be bad or superfluous in HIS creation. Quite simply, the mind EXPANDS and one becomes more tolerance of oneself and others.
5) Jnana Pradhana Bhakti: This is a stage of spiritual inquiry where the role of the guru becomes important. Krishna emphasis the role of the guru. Here the Lord is neither eka rupam nor anaka rupam but he is arupa rupa – the Lord who is beyond all forms. The lord is not in one form or in all forms. HE is nirgunam swarupam and there is no question of puja or even an object of meditation. Nirgunam bhakti is the understanding the Lord is not an object. You cannot objectify God but which ever exists. Tat Tvam Asi. You, the objectifer, can never be objectified. It is Vedanta vichara that I claim that nirguna ishwara is non-different from me.
5) Jnana Pradhana Bhakti: This is a stage of spiritual inquiry where the role of the guru becomes important. Krishna emphasis the role of the guru. Here the Lord is neither eka rupam nor anaka rupam but he is arupa rupa – the Lord who is beyond all forms. The lord is not in one form or in all forms. HE is nirgunam swarupam and there is no question of puja or even an object of meditation. Nirgunam bhakti is the understanding the Lord is not an object. You cannot objectify God but which ever exists. Tat Tvam Asi. You, the objectifer, can never be objectified. It is Vedanta vichara that I claim that nirguna ishwara is non-different from me.
For Jnana Yoga to sprout in one’s mind, one must be engaged in Sravanam (consistent and systematic study of scriptures under the guidance of a competent Acharya), Manam (Mental reflection) and Nidhi Dyasanam (assimilate the teaching). Like e=mc square is just one equation but to understand each word energy, mass will take years and decades. Similarly to understand tat tvam asi will take time even though it is just three words. This knowledge is not attained by touching or falling a feet; even in the middle of war Krishna teaches Arjuna for there is no shortcut to systematic learning. When you learn there will be doubts; any doubtful knowledge is ignorance only. Even if there is 1% doubt whether the wire is live or not, you will not touch that electric wire. For hundreds of jnamas we have been saying: God is great and I am small. This first part is alright but this self-condemnation is wrong. Samsara is defined as sense of limitation. Vedanta has to remove this misconception. You are not an ordinary sinner but you are eternal, happiness, etc. Enough of your self-deprecation. Own up your reality as Vivekananda used to say. Roar like a lion and not bleat like a goat. That owning up of that divinity is nidhidhyasanam. I give this example of adding sugar to the coffee. After adding sugar you have to stir. Otherwise even filling the cup with sugar will not help; you need to stir.
From a superficial viewpoint, a wave is small, fleeting, and short lived while the ocean is infinitely large and almost permanent. But the reality is that the nature of both, the wave and ocean is WATER and from that viewpoint there is no difference between then. Wave is only a name and form (nama and rupa) and does not have separate existence of its own. For isn’t it WATER in another form!!!
With this Krishna concludes the first stage of Bhakti as a sadhana. Arjuna asked the question as to who is superior Sakama Bhaktha or Nishkama Bhaktha. Krishna has answered the question indirectly. Comparison is only possible between two similar things; between means and ends there is no comparison. How can you compare a shirt and a pant; for comparison you can only compare between shirts or between pants but not between two different things.
The second part is one who has gone through all the five stages of bhakti successfully is para-bhaktha or jnani bhakthah or Vedanta bhaktha. He has all the traits of a jivan mukta. I have not elaborated it here for it comes again in Chapter -14 which we shall see and where he is called guna thitah. Krishna says that such a bhaktha is dearest for me for he has no motive. And all those who follow these five steps are dear to me, says Krishna at the end of the twelfth chapter. Not only a successful person is dear even the traveler is dear to me whether in the first level or in the fourth level. Follow bhakti to attain mukti.
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