Who is a Bhramajnani or Sthithaprajna?

Despite the explanations of the Lord on the various kinds of karma marga and their variations, Arjuna is not satisfied and doubts crowd upon his mind. Now he wants to know how the followers of Nivrithi marga or Nishkama karma live in the world. Is it through samadhi or meditation or through wakeful worldly activities? Krishna is happy to answer this question as it indicates Arjuna's interest in spirituality.

     The Lord explains that one who is not involved in sensual pleasures and experiences the bliss of the atma is called a Sththaprajna or Brahmajnani. He is not elated by joy nor depressed by sorrow. He treats pain and pleasure,sunshine and storm, joy and sorrow on an equal footing. He is not ruffled by either of them. He has no passion,fear or anger. He always lives in the atma. passion,hatred and anger are the qualities of one who loves his body and cares more for it. A self realized person will not care for the outward body and hence is untouched by those qualities. With a determined mind he develops an ideal detachment and remains indifferent to both joy and sorrow. A Brahmajnani is ready to sacrifice his precious life if it is useful to others. A Brhmajnani, like the one in the intuitional school, recognizes honesty as an end in itself. For him means must justify the end. Among such self sacrificing benefactors whom we remember are emperor Sibi who cut the flesh from his body to save a dove and the great sage Dadhichi who offered his backbone to Indra for his lethal Vajrayudha

Is it easy to exhibit the qualities of a Sthithaprajna? No says Lord Krishna to Arjuna. He  should be in a position to withdraw all his senses and go into the shell like a tortoise. He must have total control over his sensory organs. Is it possible? If we do not feed the concerned organs with their required food, they get starved and come under our control. Controling the tongue is a real struggle. Our sensory organs are very dangerous. They can even bring down our mind. One great devotee describes his hapless situation and adresses God thus: "Oh Lord! my eyes go astray in seeing the beauty of maidens; my ears are anxious to hear sensual talk; my thoughts are on embracing the bewitching beauties; since my hands alone are free I have turned them towards you in homage and prayer!" If this is the state of a great devotee, what about ordinary, materialistic commoners like us? A Brahmajnani has all the indriyas in his grip.

     What are the dangers of lack of control over sensory organs? Krishna explains that ordinary attachment is the initial stage of desire and can be easily uprooted. Kama or lust is deep rooted desire and fructified stage of attachment. Failure in possessing or experiencing leads to jealousy while anger is engendered by baffled desire. Tranquility of the mind arises when a person looks at things dispassionately. Bereft of control over sensory organs he loses peace of mind. Hence, Lord Krishna urges Dhananjaya to withdraw his sensory organs from their usual operations and concentrate on the principle of atma

    The litmus test for a Brahmajnanis that a lump of sugar placed on his tongue should not melt. The Lord enumerates the essence of the Brahmajnani in the 69th sloka. The day for the common folk is the night for the Brahmajnani. His night is the day for Brahmajnani!In other words, we are wide awake in mundane things while the Brahmajnani sleeps over them and hence it is night for him. He always perceives the 'noumenon' the underlying substratum of all phenomena viz the whole world. To saint Thyagaraja, Rama is the indweller of an ant and even the mosquito! Saint Ramakrishna saw mother Kali on the mat spread for him to sit! Like a child that recognizes the mother even in her disguise, a Jnani identifies Narayana and Siva in all objects he sees in the world! The Sthithaprajna is unruffled,calm and serene like the deep see. He is peaceful as he has transcended all worldly desires and passions!

Nature and Types of Karma - Actions

After establishing the differences between the body and the atma or soul, Lord Krishna embarks on  describing the nature and types of action to Arjuna who is still confused and vacillating. Man's failures and disappointments are mainly because of his inner ailments.It is his past karma that comes in his way of success and defeat. This is also the cause for non attainment of Jnana or knowledge.How is it possible to overcome this past karma? Krishna tells Arjuna that it is through performing karma or action.Like a diamond that can cut a diamond or a thorn that can remove another thorn, it is through proper action or karma that the inner impurities can be removed. Krishna describes to Arjuna the path of action and before that enumerates the nature and various types of action that lead one to Jnana

      Karma or action is sine qua non in this world. krishna tells Arjuna. None can live in this world without action even for a second.What is obtainable, namely Jnana, is called 'sadhya' Any action leading to it is called 'sadhana.' There are many types of karma. Worldly duties or LAUKIKA KARMA includes actions to keep good health, looking after the family and children. If the body is not well maintained you cannot concentrate on the atma. Spiritual duties or VAIDIKA KARMA elevates the level of Self by performing japa and tapa or penance. Both these types of action are mandatory to every one and should correspond to the clan and race to which he belongs. In no case should he take up the duties that belong to the other race and its customs and habits. Bodily actions are called KAYIKA KARMA. Mental actions are called MANASIKA KARMA and those with speech VACHIKA KARMA. There are others acts that we do daily and they constitute NITHYA KARMA. Regular bath, Japa, chanting the maha mantra Gayathri and worship of the chosen deity belong to this group. Not chanting the Gayathri mantra is considered a great sin. These daily duties purify our inner being and pave the way for Jnana.Occasional and special karma or actions during ceremonies and festivals form NAIMITTHIKA KARMA when we offer alms to brahmins and do ceremonies to our dead ancestors or pitrus

      Krishna continues and describes to Arjuna certain types of Karma that are prohibited. They are called NISHIDDHA KARMA. Speaking untruth,debauchery,misappropriation,drunkenness, and black magic and others are in this group. KAMYA KARMA is done for the fulfilment of desires but it also brings sorrow in its train. King Dasaratha had four children after performing the "Puthra kameshti yaga" but died through separation from his son Srirama!.

      Two most significant but diverse pathways to jnana and mukti or salvation are(1) PRAVRUTTHI MARGA and (2)NIVRUTTHI MARGA. The first one is for mundane and heavenly pleasures. The second one is for emancipation. Pravrutthi Marga is rather difficult as strict rules and religious rituals have to be followed. It is like walking on a sharp razor's edge.Its results are limited and small.. In Nivrutthi Marga action is for god's sake. There is no expectation of any reward. According to the Upanishads this path is better. It is also called " NISHKAMA KARMA and " ANASAKTHI YOGA. This karma absolves the person from all irregularities and releases him from this earthly bondage. Madhusudana Saraswathi compares Nivrutthi Marga to a mango seed. Growing into  a huge tree, it provides not only the fruit but the twigs to clean our teeth, shelter, and leaves for festoons for auspicious occasions. A person who does Nishkama Karma not only reforms himself but others also. Krishna declares that one who follows Pravrutthi Marga is a fool as the gains are insignificant. It is always commendable to follow Nivrutthi Marga and gain unlimited benefits.

      Krishna emphasizes that doing Karma is our duty! Rewarding the Karma is the duty of God. Remaining lazy and expecting God to give the result is also stupid. All results of our acion depend on our past deeds god or bad. Nivrutthi Marga destroys both and makes salvation possible. Pravrutthi Marga is an iron chain while Nivrutthi Marga is a golden chain. Both should be destroyed for Mukthi or emancipation! Thus Krishna directs Arjuna to act without fear or favor and do hiis duty as a kshatriya in destroying evil! 

Body, Soul and Atma

 Arjuna asks Krishna whether there is an 'atma' or Soul apart from the body. Elaborating on the nature of atma Krishna says that atma is called ' Sadvasthu'-- existing entity. That which is not atma is called 'asath' namely the body. That is the conclusion of great philosophers. The Supreme Soul, like the Individual Soul, has no beginning or end. The world appears to exist as in a dream! It is unreal like the water in a mirage or a snake in a rope or silver in a mother of a pearl. No power on earth or heaven can destroy Him who destroys everything. Atma is not destroyed even after the destruction of the three bodies viz 'sthul (physical) 'sukshma' (subtle) and 'karana' (causal) bodies. It is very important to practise one's own dharma to realize the knowledge of the Self. Atma can never kill another atma nor can it be killed. To think otherwise is stupidity and foolishness!

     In our ignorance we attribute our bodily qualities to the atma. What are the qualities of the body? The six qualities that the Body has can never be taken as the characteristics of the atma. These qualities are (1) 'asthi'--remaining in the mother's womb for a period of time (2) 'jayate'--birth (3) 'vardhate'-- growth (4) 'parinamathe'--changing from one stage of life to another like childhood, youth, and old age (5) 'kshiyathe'--decline,senility (6) 'nasyathe'--going out of existence, death. Krishna tells Arjuna that there is no need to cry over the death of the body. We discard worn out clothes or shift from our old and dilapidated residences to fresh and new ones.In the same way atma enters into the best or average or the worst type of bodies according to its past 'karma'. Therefore Krishna argues that the sooner we get out of this mortal coil, however good and beneficial it may be, the better because we would be nearing our goal--Paramatma!  "Ajo nithyaha saswathoyam purano nahanyathe hanyamane sareere"(2-20).  "Vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya navani grunhani naroparani tatha sareerani vihaya jirnanya anthani samyati nayani dehi" (2-22).

       Not fully satisfied, Arjuna asks Krishna how the atma can be called ' avikari'--without any affectation whatsoever. Krishna says that atma cannot be torn off by any weapon; fire cannot burn it; water fails to drench it; air cannot evaporate it. All the above mentioned states are only for the body, not for the soul!  "Nainam chindanthi sasthrani nainam dahathi pvakaha naichainam kledayam thyapo nasoshayati marutaha" (2--23). How can we justify this statement of Krishna? (1) Weapons, water and fire are Jada -and act on inanimate objects only. Atma is unaffected as it transcends nature. (2) Individual or Supreme Soul is atomic in nature. No weapon can reach it and cut or slice it. (3) Fire can burn an object that has the quality of ignition. Fire cannot burn ash. In the same way atma cannot be touched by fire. (4) A piece of cloth becomes wet because of the fibrous pores in it. Atma has no such pores in it. So water cannot drench it. Air evaporates the wetness in a cloth.There is no moisture in atma to be affected by air. So the Supreme and the Individual Souls are eternal, immanent, stable and without any beginning or end! It is said tat Alexander the Great was surprised at the indifference of a sage whom he met in India after the war with Porus, when he tried to kill him, the sage quoted the above sloka and said, "You cannot kill ME!"

        Atma is beyond the reach of the external sensory organs. Mind cannot imagine what it is. "Yato vacho nivartante aprapya manaso saha" says the upanishad! Even if the body and Soul are identical it is foolish to weep for the body as death is inevitable for anything that is born. Birth is follwed by death. "Jathasya maranam dhruvam". The word "Sareera" means, that which is destroyed. Creation is only projection. Like the sea that draws the wave into itself and the spider that weaves the web and withdraws it at will, God projects the world out of him, becomes immanent and withdraws it into Himself at will. The five elements with which our body is formed merge into their parent entities after the body disintegrates. It is very difficult to control sorrow over the death of some one near and dear. Even Sage Vassishta had to grieve for the death of his childen.

        Summing up Krishna describes the differences between the Body and the Atma or Soul. (1) Body is Jada or inanimate; Atma is full of awareness-chaitanya. (2) Body is ephemeral, Atma is eternal. (3) Body is full of sorrow, Atma is full of Bliss or Ananda. (4) Body is highly impure, Atma is very pure. (5) Body is full of ignorance, Atma is full of Knowledge. Krishna tells Arjuna that HE is not the impure and ignorant Body but the Chaitanya filled awareness blissful and eternal principle of Atma!

Sri Krishna's Persuasion

     Arjuna's surrender to Lord Krishna is now complete. It is now for Krishna to persuade the dejected and despondent Arjuna and inspire him to fight. Krishna tells him that his compassion and attachment for the evil doers is totally misplaced. He is showing sympathy to the undeserving which cannot be accepted. Arjuna's words are that of Jnani but not his action. A jnani does not weep either for the body or for the Soul. He is unperturbed even at the demise of his close kith and kin and his own children. It was Mohamed Zaid the disciple of the prophet who said, " Allah diya Allah liya!" God has given and HE has taken back. So we need not feel sorry for the loss.

       The stupid and the foolish who feel sorrow are of three kinds:(1) those who think about the departed (2) those who grieve for the dead for a while and their dependents and members of their family at other times (3) and the worst who wail for the money and material not left for them by the dead! Krishna tells Arjuna that the relationship between the Supreme Soul and the Individual Soul is that of fire and a spark of fire, a mountain of candy and sugar. Says Krishna, I the Supreme Soul and you the Individual Soul are existing now, and there will never be a time when we cease to exist!"

       Arjuna asks whether there is an Atma or Soul apart from the body. Krishna says that Atma has no destruction. It is full of knowledge and bliss. The body is wrapped in ignorance or ajnana and sorrow. It dies sooner or later. The body changes every minute but we still recognize and identify people. For recognizing others, body or mind is not important. The "I" factor or the Atma is the most important thing. So the Body and Soul are different and opposite! To recognize any change there should be something that does not change. In short, the entire Universe is transient and ever changing. There is one entity that takes cognizance of this change. It transcends all change that is the Spirit or Soul!--the Atma!

        The possessor is always different from the thing, possessed. When we say MY head, MY house, MY Property, the word MY stands distinct. The head is mine, house and property are mine. But I am not the head, or house or the property!  I am distinct from the physical and mental bodies. There is no point in feeling sorrow for the body that is destined to die! The Individual is not the body but the undying principle of Atma is one's true identity. Man hates death because it is not in his nature to die! He is a combination of Existence, Awareness and Bliss--Sath Chit Ananda--the Atma! According to Adi Sankara 'Jneya' the object to be known is different from the 'Jnatha' the owner. According to George Berkeley God is the dreamer. The individual Souls and all the material objects are like things dreamt of. They are unreal. The moment you wake up they disappear! But the dreaming person exists. Man's inveterate enemies are 'ahankara--egoism and ' mamakara--attachment. Krishna counsels Arjuna to be detached and do his duty. He should not forget his 'swadharma' the duty of a Kshatriya to destroy evil. All his doubts are meaningless. Krishna points out that Arjuna is only an instrument in His hands!  "Nimitta matram bhava Savyasachin." He persuades and inspires Arjuna by saying that he has already killed the Kauravas. Arjuna's fight will be like killing a dead snake! But many more questions have to be answered by the LORD before Arjuna takes up his bow and arrows! 

Is Arjuna qualified for Gitopadesa?

The quintessence of all the four Vedas and the Upanishads is presented to us through the rarest of the rare dialogue  between Lord Krishna and Arjuna the paramatma and the jivatma! Like the battle on Kurukshetra, there is a battle going on in the life of every one between Good and Evil! The symbolism of the Gita is beautifully explained in the dhyana slokas preceding the text. All the Upanishads are the Cow. Lord Krishna is the milkman. Arjuna is the calf. The wise and the good are the enjoyers of the milk and the milk is the delectable nectar of the Bhagavadgita! "Sarvopanishado gavo dogdha gopala nandanaha  partho vatsa sudhir bhoktha dugdham gitamrutam mahat."

      The Gita secures its added significance as the Lord himself addresses Arjuna!  It is chronicled by the great sage Vyasa and forms a very important part of the Mahabharatha, called as the panchamaveda. Why should Arjuna alone be selected for Gitopadesa? Generally the first milk from the cow should be tasted by the calf and then only it should be distributed to others. Arjuna and Lord krishna represent the Individual and Supreme Souls respectively. There was and is never a time when these two were nonexistent. The relationship between Arjuna and Krishna is that of friendship-- sakhya bhava. Many a time, Krishna had come to the rescue of Arjuna during critical situations  Arjuna loved krishna intimately and had implicit faith in him and depended on his advice in times of need. 

     The very first look at the armies of Kauravas, Bhishma, and his teachers Drona and krupa fills him with pity, compassion, and guilt. He does not want to kill them and eat the bloody meal He is prepared to beg rather than do this annihilation. He shudders at that thought and his Gandiva slides from his great shoulders. He sweats profusely, his tongue is parched and he is in a trauma! "seedanti mama gathrani mukhancha parisushyati vepathascha sareeram me romaharshascha jayathe (i-29)  "Na kankshe vijayam Krishna na cha rajyam sukhanicha kim no rajyam Govinda kim bhogai jeevitanicha." (i--33)

       Doubting the outcome of the great battle Arjuna owns that he is spoiled by "Karpanya dosha" the delusion of mistaking the body for the Soul and hankering after material comforts and pleasures.He is undecided between waging war or begging. He beseeches Krishna's grace & and advice. He requests Krishna to take him as his disciple & clear all his doubts. In short, Arjuna totally surrenders himself  to the Lord!  "Karpanya doshopahatha swabhavaha  prucchami twam dharma sammuda chetaha  yacheyasyannischitam bruhi tanme sishyasteham sadhimam twam prapannam."

       Arjuna's first defect is his "mamakara"-- attachment to his kith and kin that prevents him from doing his duty. This attachment hangs heavily on all of us and drags us down to the  bottom! secondly, forgetting his duty to fight against evil  as a kshatriya, he is ready to beg! It is the duty of a Brahmin to beg, not that of a Kshatriya. The third defect is that Arjuna grieves for those who do not deserve sympathy and sorrow. Arjuna, in speech is sensible and appears to be a Jnani. But Krishna lists him among the stupid category!! A Jnani does not feel sorrow either for the dead or for those going to die. For these reasons Krishna has to disabuse the mind of Arjuna by his Gitopadesa! However, Arjuna is credited with pure nature making him eligible for the wisdom imparted in the Gita. The word "Arjuna" means pure, unsullied, and white. Thus his name is  quite appropriate and he lives upto the name given to him. The first and foremost quality of Arjuna is his the sense of discrimination between the eternal and transitory things. He is non attached to worldly or heavenly pleasures. He has control over the external sensory organs and the inner mind. He has patience,faith, and contentment or peace of mind. Most importantly, he is a ''mumukshu'" hankering after liberation from material bondage with an urge of a drowning man to come out of water!  Lord krishna, being the Jagadguru, and Yogiswara tests Arjuna severely and strictly before he gives him Upadesa!  Arjuna, thus fully qualifies himself  for the grand Upadesa from the LORD HIMSELF!

Can Vishada or Sorrow become a Yoga?

     The Bhavadgita depicts life's struggle & battle. While the Mahabharata war was only for eighteen days, life's battle is till the end of one's life. Our body is symbolically a battle field. It is also called "Dharma Kshetra". There is a fight going on between Good and Evil in ourselves. "Sareera madyam Khalu Dharma sadhanam". The Body is given to perform acts of Dharma or Righteousness! The GITA out lines Eighteen Yogas. The word YOGA means the union of the Jeeva the individual Soul with the Absolute Soul or the Brahman. Religion is that which binds Man to GOD! Our birth place is God himself. We have to return to God. Wordsworth says, "Like trailing clouds of glory do we come from God who is our home".

     The first of the eighteen yogas is VISHADA YOGA -- the grief and despondency of Arjuna the Pandava warrior. It reveals the speciality and efficacy of sorrow or grief as an indicator of attainment of Divine Grace. Arjuna feels that his greed for kingdom is the root cause for war. In the same way man earns Divine Grace when he grieves for the sorrows of life. Compassion for all creatures and pity are the first steps for liberation or "mukti". It is sincere sorrow and repentance for all our acts of sin and introspection that shall entitle us for the Grace of God.    

     Why should Arjuna become despondent having come to the battle field to wage war and kill all the Kauravas? Where is the need for him to feel sorrow and dejection? Requesting Krishna to drive the chariot to the center of the two armies, he surveys the ranks of his enemies--his own kith and kin including his grand father Bhishma and the teachers Dronacharya and Krupacharya and many others. He is over come by pity and delusion. He shudders at the thought of Killing those brothers, relatives, and his own preceptors. His body shivers. He sweats profusely. His famous bow Gandiva slides from his shoulder along with the quiver of wonderful arrows. Says Arjuna "Sidanti mama gathrani mukhancha parisushyati vepathascha sareereme romaharshascha jayathe" (1-29). Arjuna does not want success or kingdom. He tells Krishna that he is not enamoured of kingdom. He does not want to eat a bloody meal after killing all and rule the empty land. Rather, he is ready to beg or die instead of annihilating the entire Kuru race! He should not and cannot aim an arrow at his beloved teachers and relatives. Krishna points out that the Kauravas are called "athathayis" -- people who have set fire to houses, poisoned others, grabbed lands, defaulted on loans, violated the chastity of women, attacked with murderous weapons. Kauravas have done almost all of these heinous crimes. They do not deserve any mercy.!  But Arjuna says that non violence is the best policy. "Ahimsa paramo Dharmaha". It is the quality of great people to do good to those who do evil to them. He turns aside and lays down his arms, his Gandiva and the quiver with mighty arrows! In his pity and sorrow he is too weak to stand and falls at the feet of the Lord and prays for edification and knowledge on various issues and doubts!

     What exactly is the result of this grief or VISHADA of Arjuna? What is its importance? His despondency is very beneficial. Arjuna was not a coward to run away from the battlefield. It is an acid test for his sincerity and steadfastness. It is the motivating force to surrender himself to the Lord totally! VISHADA or sorrow leads to Sanyasa yoga and is the bedrock of detachment. Arjuna's sorrow is typical of the sorrow of Humanity. Man in his ignorance thinks that he is the architect of his sorrows and successes. He is in ecstasy and euphoria when he wins and in distress when he fails. This pain and sorrow, when enlarged, not for personal wellbeing, is transformed into what we may call as "VISHADA YOGA" -- sorrow that brings us closer and closer to GOD! The grief of an individual should be for the mistakes he has done, for the bad road he has taken and not for narrow personal gains. In the Lives of the great Nayanmars and Azwars we find the same type of sorrow and suffering for general good. Another great aspect of these devotees has been their total surrender or "Saranagati" to the lotus feet of the Lord!

      

     Arjuna's grief is slowly turning to the grand ideal of total Surrender or "Saranagati" to Lord Krishna. He is invaded by innumerable doubts. He is in a dilemma. Should he fight or not fight? Should he kill the Kauravas as well as his teachers and kith and kin?What is his Dharma? Is he greedy? Is violence sanctioned by Dharma sastras? How will he be judged in the future? These relevant doubts require elaborate clarification before he shoots his first arrow. Krishna allows him to be deluded and when Arjuna is incosolably sorrowful, gears himself up to ward off his silly doubts and establish what is right and wrong, and Dharma and Adharma. Thus VISHADA true and sincere, is a gateway for union with GOD!!!