Gita summaries - chp 9

In the Dyana sloka, the Upanishads are compared to a cow; Gita is the milk; milker in Lord Krishna and Arjuna the calf. The essence of the Upanishads and the essence of Gita is one and the same which is Tat Tvam Asi. This is jivatma-paramatva aikyam – the essential identity or the essential oneness of jivatma, the individual soul and paramatva, the total.

The Bhagawad Gita can be divided into 3 shudgams; the first 6 chapters (Prathama Shudgam) deals with the nature of jivatma, the nature of the individual or the tvam portion; the next 6 chapters deals with Ishwara Svarupam (Madhyama Shudgam) which corresponds to the tat portion and the last 6 chapters deal with Jiva-Ishwara Aikyam. This is the broad vision of the Gita.

So the IX chapter occurring in the madhyama satkam or the central portion focuses upon the paramatma swarupam or Ishwara. The ninth chapter is closely similar to the seventh chapter. The ninth chapter is titled Raja Vidya and Raja Gruhyam yogah. The word rajavidya means the greatest knowledge. Raja means shining and here shining means excellence or superiority. Therefore rajavidya – para vidya as expressed in Mundakopanishad – is the greatest knowledge. Any other knowledge with regard to the world is called aparavidya or inferior knowledge. This rajavidya which deals with the nature of the Lord happens to be rajaguhya also, meaning it is not easily available. It is almost a secret; it is impossible to know. It is this secret knowledge that Krishna is imparting to Arjuna because Arjuna not only requested but also surrendered to the Lord.

The first topic of this chapter deal with Ishwara Svarupam; Lord as the cause of creation (Jagat Karanum). What does the Lord consist of? Ishwara is a mixture of two parts:

a) The higher nature called Para Prakruthi (hereafter PP) otherwise called Brahman in Upanishadic literature

b) And the lower nature called Apara Prakrtuhi (hereafter AP) otherwise called Maya.

            This mixture alone is the cause of the entire universe. What is the nature of PP and AP? They have got some common features as well as uncommon features. The common feature is both of them are principles without a beginning – anadi. He is the cause of everything, but Himself is without a cause. Therefore the Lord is the causeless cause of creation; parentless parent of the creation.

There are four distinct features that distinguish paraprakruthi from aparaprakruthi:

- The first distinguishing feature is PP is chethana tattvam or conscious principle (Spirit) while AP is Achathana tattvam or matter principle. Chetana+achetana is Ishwara.

- PP is free from all attributes Nirgunam, it is formless, it is colourless, asabda, asparsha, arupa, arasa, agandha etc. AP is Saguna and endowed with attributes either in the potential form (unmanifest form) or manifest form.

- The third difference is PP is Nirvikarah. It is never subject to modification or change. The consciousness principle remains the same eternally while AP, the matter principle, is Savikarah; it always (eternally) keeps changing. It will remain in unmanifest condition for some time and then it will evolve to come to manifestation. Even during its existence in the world, it will not remain the same. Between the time I started this talk and the end of this talk, a lot of changes would have taken place in our body. That is why we become hungry; so many changes takes place even without our awareness.

- PP exists independently; therefore it is satyam having an existence of its own and hence it is superior. On the other hand AP can never exist independent of PP. Infact the very existence of AP is due to PP and therefore it has got a dependent existence and hence inferior. PP lends existence and is higher; AP borrows its existence and therefore it is lower. In Sanskrit whatever has dependent existence is called Mithya – PP is satya and AP (matter principle) is mithya.

            The common feature is both are anadi and this mixture together is called Ishwara. This Ishwara alone is responsible for the origin of the world, for the existence of the world and for the dissolution of the world. How does it happen? PP is consciousness principle is changelessly present and is the “Sakshi” tattvam. It is like the screen of movie; heroes come and go, villains come and go and it is totally unaffected; it provides existence to everything. On the other hand, AP keeps changing from unmanifest to manifest state and from manifest to unmanifest; much like the seed of a tree begins to sprout into a plant and thereafter grows into a huge tree (of the universe). Before shristi, it is avyakta aparaprakruthi and at the time of shristi, the very same aparaprakruthi is vyakta aparaprakruthi, which is manifest matter. This manifest AP is called prapanchah, the cosmos or the universe. So with time AP goes from unmanifest form to manifest form and vice versa. Krishna says in v-10: mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram hetunānena kaunteya jagad viparivartate. Under my direction and control, Nature brings out this mighty universe of living and non-living things. Thus does the wheel of this world revolve.

            “Arjuna, I am paraprakruthi, the consciousness principle, the witness principle in which the aparaprakruthi projects in the universe, dances about and then again resolves back. Therefore the first definition of Ishwara is shristi-sthithi-laya karanam.

            The second definition that Krishna gives is v-6: yathākāśa-sthito nityaṁ vāyuḥ sarvatra-go mahān tathā sarvāṇi bhūtāni mat-sthānīty upadhāraya. Know that, as the mighty atmosphere ever abides in space, so do all objects abide in Me. This AP, matter principle, does a lot of work. It evolves to panchabhootas, then evolves into chaturdasabhuvanani, then into all our minds. Then it evolves into all these physical bodies and there is an interaction and endless karma-bundles are produced; which in turn produce sukha or dukham resulting in “punarapi janam, punarapi maranam” and all kinds of chaotic changes that we experience.

            Krishna gives an example. Just like space is unaffected by whatever happens in space; the fire cannot burn space nor water wet space so to is PP. It is Asangah; ever unsullied and unpolluted. This is not because space is away, space is in and through everything. It accommodates everything but remains unpolluted. Similarly the Ishwara like PP who blesses AP to do everything, always remains asangah.

The third feature is that the Lord is Akartha and Abogtha; maya adhyashena prakrutihi suryathe sacharacharam. “I am the presiding principle – sakshi tattva. In My presence AP does everything but I do not get any karmaphalla for that.” He says in IV verse-13: tasya kartāram api māṁ viddhy akartāram avyayamit “Though I am their originator, know me to be not an agent but the spirit unchanging”. Just because a saint is created, the Lord does not have punya and just because He created some terrible thing He is not going to incur paapa. Why? He is adhyaksa; He is sakshi, which means He is uninvolved. Which means He is akartha and abhokta.

Finally Krishna introduces an important technical feature in v-4 and 5. mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ. na ca mat-sthāni bhūtāni paśya me yogam aiśvaram. “All objects subsist in Me, but not I in them. And yet objects do not abide in Me. Behold my mysterious divine power! In the first line He says in Him the paraprakruthi, the whole world exists. He says in the next line that the world does not exist in Him. How to we reconcile this seeming contradiction? There is only one conclusion – that is, if you accept the existence of a thing, and the next moment negate the existence of the same thing, it only means it has got a seeming existence or an apparent existence like a dream. It does not have a factual existence. In a dream, the dream-world does exist but really speaking it does not exist. Therefore Krishna accepts the world and negates the world simultaneously. Therefore the lord supports this mithya jagat.

The next topic we find in the ninth chapter, from verse -11 to verse -19, is bhakthi.  Krishna says, every human being, right from birth faces a very grave problem. He is able to recognize the aparaprakruthi which is the material aspect of the Lord in the form of the very universe. He ends up only recognizing the AP or lower nature of Ishwara while not being aware of paraprakruthi of Ishwara, the spirit principle which is behind the entire phenomenon of this creation. This causes havoc in his life. avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto mama bhūta-maheśvaram. “Foolish men, without an understanding of My higher nature as the Supreme Lord of all that exists, disregard Me manifested in the human body.” And when a person does not recognize paraprakruthi, the tragedy is that he will hold on to aparaprakruthi for his happiness, for his fullness, and for security. Right from our birth we want to hold on to something for our security. Even a baby holds on to a piece of cloth from the mother’s saree or jeans! Whatever we hold on to is fleeting like a Taranga, wave of the waters. Therefore by holding on to a changing AP, the insecure AP, dying and decaying AP, we are never going to find security. There is a constant worry of losing that. Example; first buy a house for security and later you worry about the house’s security. Whatever I hold on to security does not give me security and ultimately when it goes away, when there is a separation, the sorrow is unbearable. In fact Arjuna has asked for the Gita teaching only because he was worried about losing things which he was holding on to. And whatever he holds on to is aparaprakruthi which only causes eternal anxiety. This eternal anxiety, eternal insecurity is called samsara. This is born out of ignorance of paraprakruthi. If only I had known PP I would be holding on to PP for my security and playing in the world of AP. So coming of samsara Krishna presents the solution as bhakthi.

People hold on to trigunatmika aparaprakruthi are deluded as they are seeking what is not there like the Brahmin who went to Mahamagham tank. One person went to Mahamagam and lost his ring while bathing in a tank. That tank was dark and full of people while the next tank was bright and spacious. He went there and started searching the ring. A second man came in and joined the search. Another social service minded person joined and soon there were more than 25 persons searching for the ring.  Suddenly one wise person asked (until then nobody had asked the question): What are you searching for? Where did you lose the ring?” The Brahmin said, In the mahamagham tank!” Then why are you searching here?” The fellow said,” It is less crowded here and there is also enough light to search, so I started searching here.” Is it not foolish? But we are exactly doing the same thing: aparakruthi is the other tank which does not have the ring of prunatva, which does not give security or joy. Still we go on searching the thing over and over again. We go to pre-school, kinder garden, become a graduate, take up a job, get married, have children and yet are always searching for happiness and peace.  Holding on AP is like looking for a wrong thing at the wrong place.

Happiness, peace, security can only experienced by knowing PP; so hold on to PP. Enjoy sunrise, relations with people but remember that purnatvam can never be had here. Once I hold on to PP then AP becomes a sport. Otherwise the very life becomes a burden. We have to get rid of samsara using bhakti. 

What is Bhakti? It is a series of Sadhana which will take one closer to God (or PP). There are 3 stages of bhakti: Karma Lakshana Bhakti (Karma Yoga), active life contributing to society or Ishwara Arpanam. Karma yoga is performance of duty to one’s family, to the society, to the religion and others. This is an active life of contribution and converting every action into Ishwara arpana. yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat yat tapasyasi kaunteya tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam. “O Sun of Kunti! Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever you give in charity, whatever austerity you perform – do that as an offering unto Me.” This is the first stage of Bhakti, Karma Lakshana Bhakti, and everybody has to go through it. Just like you can only get admission to a university after passing through primary and secondary school education. Karma Lakshana Bhakti is very important to purify the mind and refine the mind.

Upasana Lakshana Bhakti is bhakti in the form of meditation upon Ishwara. The initial stage of upasana is ekarupa Ishwara where one meditates upon the Lord in any particular Ishta Devata rupa. When a person is involved in activity, his mind becomes highly extrovert. An extrovert mind cannot discover the true nature of God. That is why immediately after retirement many people have a lot of problems. An active mind finds it extremely difficult to remain calm. Meditating upon a form of the Lord not only purifies the mind but also makes the mind focused. This is ekarupa-upasana. Then the very same meditation can be extended to vishwarupa ishwara. If one’s Ishta devata is Rama then learn to see the entire universe as ramamaya; to a Krishna bhakti – sarvam krishnamayam. One has to learn to see the entire cosmos as Lord.

Then comes the final stage of bhakti which is Jnana Lakshana Bhakti. This is a bhakti which involves enquiry into the Paraprakruthi nature of the Lord. Until now I have been holding on the AP nature of the Lord. I study the scriptures under the guidance of a guru and learn to appreciate the PP, the real nature of the Lord. This is jnanalakshanbhakti. Is all the three stages of bhakti compulsory? Or is there a choice of sadhana?

There is no choice at all; our fundamental problem is ignorance. Ignorance will go away only with knowledge; but then the mind must be prepared. KY and Upasana are preparatory disciplines aimed to make the mind “yogyatah” or qualified. If jnana alone will remove ignorance, when why should I do karma and upasana? It is like a child asking, if by going to college alone I can become a graduate, then why should I go to a school? Therefore karmalakshana bhakti and upasanalakshanabhakti are the stepping stones; they are preparatory sadhanas. One will get jnana yogyata prapti and when he goes to jnana yoga, he becomes a jnani. Only when he becomes a jnani, moksha or freedom is gained.

Finally Krishna deals with the third part of this chapter; the two types of Bhakti. Bhakti has to fructify into moksha there is one condition. It must be Nishkama Bhakti (NB) and not Sakama Bhakti (SB). The latter is a worship for AP; material acquisitions. Nishkama Bhakti is the devotion and the motive is the attainment of the Lord and nothing else; mumushutvam.

We can use Bhakti for two types of benefits; one is for material benefit: artha and kama and the other for moksha. Samasara is a travel between pain and pleasure; after pain, pleasure is most wonderful. From pleasure, pain is big knock. One might enjoy the pleasures of swarga but they have to come back to mosquito madras one day. So, which is better? Swarga or Ishwara Prapthi. Sakama bhakti will give anityaphala, which will lead to sorrow whereas Nishkama bhakti will lead to moksha or ananda. People come to spirituality after undergoing many knocks in life; they realize that peace and happiness cannot be found in this jagat. Prapancha is anitya and only Ishwara is nitya. Anything which is so fleeting, it is dangerous to rely on it. So Krishna advises that one must not be enamoured by this impermanent world.

A basic question may arise: if I am going to convert my bhakti to nishkama bhakti; if I am going to get interested in the Lord more and more and if I am going to dedicate my life for spiritual pursuits, then who will take care of my material needs? Who will take care of my security? Krishna gives an assurance; whoever has dedicated himself to spiritual pursuits, He will protect him. Ananya chinthyantho maam. For a sakama bhakti; the world is the end and God is the means. While for a nishkama bhakti, the world is the means and God is the end

One must develop nitya-anitya vivekah; learning to discriminate between what is real and what is apparent and develop vairagyam to transcend Ragah and Dvesha.

The fourth and final topic of this chapter is the glories of Nishkama Bhakti. If I go through spiritual disciplines then who will look after me? Here we are only asking for a change in focus. First we go through God, for getting things from the Lord. Now shift the focus to; go through the experiences of the world to attain the Lord. Krishna affirms that a spiritual aspirant will never be abandoned. “I will take care”. Actually security and insecurity are both mental conditions. One person feels security with whatever he has and another might have everything and yet feel insecure. “I feel I am protected by the Lord”. In Sakama Bhakti, I have to observe all the rules and regulation; for getting material things or have a child etc. (When, how, how many priests, kinds of food, naivedyam etc). In Nishkama Bhakti there are no rules or regulation; I can offer anything even a flower or leaf to the Lord. Anybody can practice Bhakti; unlike Jnanam where the mind must be trained.

Krishna glorifies bhakti by saying that anybody can resort to bhakti. For practicing jnana yoga you need a number of preparatory steps but for bhakti anybody can start as a arthabhakta or a sakamabhakta. Gradually it will be converted to Nishkama bhakti. Even the worst sinner can resort to bhakti. api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ samyag vyavasito hi saḥ. kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvac-chāntiṁ nigacchati kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati. Even a confirmed sinner, if he worships Me with unwavering faith and devotion, must verily be considered as righteous; for he has indeed taken the right resolve. Soon will he become righteous and attain to lasting peace. No devotee of Mine will ever perish; you may swear to this effect, O Arjuna!. Therefore the essence of the ninth chapter is – follow the three-fold bhakti, know paraprakruthi and be free from samsara. With this I conclude the summary of the ninth chapter.