Gita summaries - chp 7

The Bhagavad Gita consisting of 18 chapters can be broadly divided into 3 shudgams of 6 chapters each. The first shudgam (chapters 1-6) deal with jiva svarupam; importance of Karma Yoga (KY) as a sadhana, and emphasize on “self-effort” (prayatnah). Without effort we cannot get any purushartha including moksha. The second shudgam (chp. 7 -12) deal with Ishwara svarupam, Upasana yoga or meditation on saguna Ishwara to refine and integrate the mind and the role of Ishwara Anugrah. The grace of the Lord is very important without which any amount of individual effort is incomplete. So from the first two sections we learn that both self-efforts and God’s grace go hand in hand. Keeping this background in mind let us enter Chapter 7 which deals with two topics: Ishwara Svarupah and Bhakti.

            Krishna begins this chapter by emphasizing the role of “God’s grace”. mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu. Everything is because of my GRACE. Therefore, take shelter in ME and pursue your sadhana. “Arjuna, do not think that you alone are responsible for your success, everything is because of My grace. So take shelter in Me, you puruse moksha.” Both effort (prayatna) and grace (anugraha) must go hand in hand like the two wheels of a cart.

What is the nature or definition of God? God is jagat karanum; the cause of this universe. If God is the cause of the universe, what type of cause is HE?  For any product, two types of causes are required.

- raw material cause or material cause or Upadana Karanum

- Intelligent cause who possess both skill and knowledge; nimitta karanum.

Unless there is a carpenter, they can be no furniture. Bricks on their own cannot form into a house, it needs a mason. Cloth by itself does not become a dress, it needs a tailor. Therefore Material + Maker = Creation. Thus we require two-fold causes: the upadana karanam and nimmittakaranam. Maker minus material; there is no creation. Material minus maker is again no creation. Both maker and material are required.

Now the question is, if Ishwara is the karanam (cause) of this world, type of karanam is He? If HE is the maker, what is the raw material? Or if HE is the material, who is the maker then? In the case of creation the Lord is both the material and maker; abinna nimmitha upadana karanum. The scriptures gives this wonderful example in Mundakopanishad: Spider. It does not go anywhere to find the material; within itself it takes the substance and creates the web. It is so intelligent that it create a web in a remote corner where no one looks for catching the insects. It is both the material and makers of its web. Normally in our experience both the material and maker are different; but every rule has an exception. Similarly the Lord is both the material cause and maker cause of creation.

            The scientists say that one of the most unique threads is the spider’s thread. Not only does the spider has the skill to make it, it also knows where to make it – those places where the insects will be found, its food. Where does the spider get the material to make the web? On observation you find it does not go anywhere to find the material, within itself there is a peculiar gum like substance in the stomach. The spider uses that substance and weaves the web. The spider not only creates the web but also withdraws into itself.  It is both the maker and the material of the web. Similarly Ishwara is both nimmitta and upadana karanam of creation.

            The next question is what is the nature of Ishwara? Lord Krishna says that the Lord has two aspects: apareyam itas tv anyāṁ prakṛtiṁ viddhi me parām jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat. “This, O mighty armed, is My lower nature. Know that, as different from it, is My higher nature forming the source of all jivas and the support of the whole universe.” One is paraprakruthi and another is aparaprakruthi.

The Lord consists of two parts: Para Prakruthi (hereafter PP) and Apara Prakruthi (hereafter AP). PP is the higher nature of the Lord while AP is the lower nature. Both PP+AP is GOD.

There are some differences between PP and AP; chiefly

- PP is consciousness or spirit principle (Chetana tattvam) while AP is matter principle (Achetana tattavam).

- PP is Nirguna tattvam (attributeless principle) while AP is Saguna tattvam.

- PP is nirvikarah tattvam (changeless principle, it cannot undergo any change, it is modificationless, it is beyond time-space principle; unconditioned by, unaffected by time factor) while AP is Savikarh tattvam. AP is subject to modifications, subject to change.

- PP is Sathyam (absolute reality and independent) while AP is mithya and it depends on PP for its existence.

So chetanam-achetanam, nirgunam-sagunam, nirvikaram-savikaram, satyam-mithyam are the four main differences between paraprakruthi and aparaprakruthi. These put together is Ishwara, the cause of creation.

Spirit and matter are eternal; they both existed at the time of creation. AP modifies into the 5 elements, which becomes the 5 elementals (modification of pancha boothas). Aparaprakruthi modified becomes everything. Hence our body, our kind, this mike are all Bhagavan’s AP. The mind changes, body changes, the world changes; whatever changes is savikara. Savikara prapancha is a product of savikara aparaprakruthi. Our body is God’s AP; so is our mind, inert objects.

Then the question arises as to what happens to paraprakruthi?  This question is invalid as we have already defined PP to be changeless principle; therefore the consciousness continues to remain the same throughout, in the past, present, and the future. So wherever you see AP, PP is also there; both PP and AP are inseparable. 

Every individual B-M complex (body-mind) contains the changeless PP and a changing AP. Everyone is a container with two parts; PP enclosed in an individual container is called Jivatma and PP without the container is called Paramatma.

Example: A lump of clay exists in space. It is converted into a pot. What happens to space? That continues to exist while clay was in lump form, where there was a transformation and after the pot has been made. In pot space is enclosed inside the pot!!! Nothing happens to space! The all-pervading space continues to exist. There is only a change in language; first clay “in” space and now space “in” pot. But space in reality does not change at all. Similarly new name of an enclosure after creation is Jivatma; break the enclosure and Paramatma is there. PP is comparable to space and AP to the lump of clay. The clay can be transformed to any shape called the body-mind complex but nothing happens or changes the PP in the body-mind complex except the entity is called jivatma.

            Now we will come to the next and most important point. For this you must remember this law: Any product is ESSENTIALLY non-different from its cause. Eg. Take clay and pot. Pot is non-different from clay. There is no substance other than clay. Pot is just a word; it has a nominal existence only for there is no substance called pot. Names and forms (nama rupa) are many but the substance is one. Ex. Cloud, rain, brook, lake, river, ocean are all words only for the substance is ONE water.

This principle is applied here. The Lord who is both PP and AP  and the entire creation is a product. Our scriptures say that the creation is non-substantial and just a word only. It has only a verbal existence, like the pot. What is the tangibility or solidity of the world that I experience? If ocean is non-substantial, the substantiality belongs to the cause, water. The solidity of the dais on which I sit does not belong to dais but it belongs to wood. The solidity of the ornaments belongs to gold. Similarly the solidity of the universe, the substantiality of the universe belong to only one and that is Ishwara. It all belongs to the Lord (the cause). As Krishna explains in verse -7: mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañ-jaya mayi sarvam idaṁ protaṁ sūtre maṇi-gaṇā iva. O Arjuna! There is no being higher than Me. As a row of pearls threaded to a string, all the worlds are held on Me.. In fact I ALONE MANIFEST AS THE UNIVERSE. There is nothing else in creation but Ishwara. It would be foolish to look for Ishwara darshanam; like ornament doing tapas for gold darshanam or wave for water!!! It is Ishwara manifesting as Viswa rupa Ishwara or Virat Ishwara in the world.

There is no need for a new darshanam of a new God. You just need to have a new attitude; look at the world as Ishwara’s manifestation. Learn to see the divinity in everything that you experience. This is DIVINIZATION of the universe. Whenever you see matter, it is the AP of the Lord; consciousness (sentiency) is PP; other than these two there is nothing in creation. So whatever you experience, you should learn to appreciate it as Ishwara.

            The next topic is Bhakti. Krishna says even though AP+PP mixture is the manifestation of the Lord, people commit a big mistake. tribhir guṇa-mayair bhāvair ebhiḥ sarvam idaṁ jagat mohitaṁ nābhijānāti mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam. “Deluded by the mental states accruing from the three gunas of Prakruthi, the world knows not Me, the imperishable, transcending the three gunas. PP is Nirgunam (attributeless and hence not attractive at all). But AP is full of gunas (Sattva, Rajas, Tamas) and so enticing that we are enamoured with the variety. We fall in love with the kaleidoscopic changes. Because AP keeps changing, we experience varieties of experiences (rasa, rupa, gandha, sparsha etc). There is no harm but unfortunately attached to AP we forget or lose sight of PP. It is much like getting lost in a movie and getting attached and forgetting the screen. Initially it will be wonderful but you will end up screaming and crying. A non-substantial movie moves me; you lose balance.

            Similarly, Krishna says: once you get lost in aparaprakruthi the problems of insecurity rises. Once immersed in AP – you enjoy change – the human mind needs something steady to hold on; something permanent (need for security). If I lose sight of PP and hold on to dying/changing AP then I lose my balance and become a samsara. Example, holding on to a crutch I fall; money, status, people are all changing things. Does it mean we have to throw away AP? One need not do so. The trick is to hold on to PP and appreciate AP; then life becomes a sport. Love everyone; have transactions but do not depend on anyone or any experience for security and permanence. You have your own support called PP, the higher nature of Ishwara. And if this is not realized, it is like being in a swimming pool. Is swimming enjoyable or frightening? You should ask the counter question,” For whom?” For a person who knows swimming, it is a game, it is wonderful, and it is enjoyable. But for a person who does not know how to swim, the swimming pool becomes a graveyard. So hold to PP and then life becomes a sport.

How to come to PP? Krishna says in V-14: daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. “My divine Maya (power) constituted of the three gunas is difficult to overcome. Whoever takes refuge in Me alone, in utter devotion, overcomes it.” For those who do not have paraprakruthi –swimming-knowledge, life becomes misery. So the knowledge is the key; and that is the knowledge of PP. While ignorance which is AP will freeze you to death – knowledge frees you, ignorance freezes you. How is one to know PP ad what are the means? Krishna prescribes bhakti as the means. Bhakti means the “love of God”. Which form of Lord? It can be any form: Shiva or Vishnu or Rama or Krishna or Ganesha.

Bhaktas have a lot of problems fighting amongst themselves. Some Vishnavas will not go to a Shiva temple. This is wrong attitude. In truth, any form of God is appropriate as Ishwara is in all forms (nama and rupa), so any form represents God. Choose any form you like, for no form is superior or inferior to another. The mind cannot conceive totality and hence we take recourse to a form. Much like a country symbolized by a flag and anthem. You choose any form from a human being or trees or animals (cows), mother or father. There is only ONE Ishwara manifest through all the different symbols. In our religion it is not there are many gods but there gods only everywhere. So accept any God as God is represented by any blessed thing in creation. That is why in our culture we have worship of different forms of the Lord. Inert things like sun, moon, rivers, mountains are worshipped. Ganga is worshipped. Kaveri is worshipped; trees, plants etc. Animals are worshipped as cow-worship is common in our culture. Human beings are worshipped; that is why I worship my father and mother as Ishwara. People think our religion is confusing because there are many Gods. It is not so. We have only one God who is represented by many alambanas (symbols).

That is why Vishny declares that He does not approve of his bhakti who has a hatred for Siva; then that bhakta will go to hell. Devotion to one God does not mean hatred for the other. That is why we accept all Gods. That is why in our religion we are ready to accept even a few Christian and Muslim gods also. We do not mind that as Bhakti towards Ishwara in any form is accepted. We are only invoking the limitless Ishwara using a limited symbol. Siva linga is small, it does not mean Siva is 2.5 cms high. Bhakti is the worship of Ishwara, the totality – PP+AP in any form.

Then Krishna talks about this Bhakti in various stages. Everybody has to go through these three stages:

a) Sakama Bhakti: Worship Ishawara to acquire worldly things. Ishwara becomes the means the worldly goals the end, either Sukha Prapthi or Dukha Nirvrithi. Ishwara is the sadhana and worldly ends the sadhyam. I take a vow like this,” If this goes well I will break a coconut for you. If I win this litigation I will tonsure my head.” Between sadhana and sadhyam which one do you love more? Obviously the “ends.” The love for sadhana is only secondary. So this bhakti is a business deal,” Lord let me get a job and I shall do angapradakshanam”.

Nobody knows the value of God, in fact our parents introduced God saying,” If you do namaskara and go to examination, you will get maximum marks.” Such a kind of bhakti should not be scoffed at; it is not nishida karma. It is perfectly allowed to pray to the Lord for worldly ends. It is not paapa. Instead of falling at the feet of useless people, it is far better to fall at the feet of the Lord for getting something. As Krishna says in verse-22: sa tayā śraddhayā yuktas tasyārādhanam īhate labhate ca tataḥ kāmān mayaiva vihitān hi tān. “Endowed with that faith, a votary performs the worship of that particular deity and obtains the fruits thereof, these  being granted by Me alone.”

Artha Bhakta is a sakama bhakta praying to get rid of trouble; while Arthatha Bhakta is a sakama bhakta who wishes to acquire something. Gradually because of sakama bhakti itself the mind becomes more mature. Even though his desires are for worldly things, he goes to Tirupathi at least for that. He slowly gets to realize that by acquiring worldly things, he is not making his life any better; as worldly things are themselves perishable and not secure.

B) Jignasu: The mind becomes more and more matured as desire for material things comes down. I realize that by acquiring things I am not necessarily making my life any better. How one can insecure person holding on to another insecure person find security? Earlier I used to worry about myself and now I worry about two persons. Insecurity + insecurity == More insecurity.  To understand this, it will take many years, many decades or even many janmas. In other relegions you have to do everything in one short life. For us we can do it in installments, like the CA examination! The world of objects is not really a worthy end; my end changes. Now I use the world to attain God. The world becomes the sadhana and Lord the sadhyam. I realize that family life is not an end in itself but an incidental thing we go through to attain the Lord.

No more of worldly pursuits (Sakama) but desire for Ishwara (desire for God); Apashika Nishkama Bhakti. That means at this stage an aspirant is no more after worldly goals for he understands them to be anitya. But he is not entirely free from desires. He wants to attains Ishwara. Such a bhakta Krishna calls jijnasu.

Final Stage: I discover that the Lord is never away from me; the Lord is AP+PP. The goal is already reached; no desire even for the Lord. Because if the Lord is away he has to accomplish his goal but when there is no Lord separate from himself then where is the question of separation? Or accomplishing? This jnani is one who has discovered Ishwara to be non-different from himself. There is no further desires – neither desire for the worldly things or desire for God. I discover security in myself; he is complete within himself. purnatvam and moksha. Since it is only jnanam that makes an aspirant complete Krishna averts that the Jnani alone is the greatest bhakta. 

            With this Krishna concludes the seventh chapter. This chapter is titled, “Jnana Vijnani”; the first jnanam refers to seeing Ishwara as different from me. The second “Vijnani” is seeing that the Lord is no more different from me. Seeing Ishwara as an object is called jnana, seeing Ishwara as one self is vijnana. Since both are talked about, this chapter is called jnana-vijnana yoga.