Category: Geeta Simplified : Lessons From My Bhagvat Geeta Studies

 
Sanqya Yoga Chapter2:4
Guys, I want to update these lessons regularly, but I am so busy with my office job, and children as their final exams are coming up. So excuse pls

arjuna uvaca
katham bhismam aham sankhye
dronam ca madhusudana
isubhih pratiyotsyami
pujarhav ari-sudana
Those who doesn’t know Sanskrit, you must understand that UVACHA means told or said.

arjunaḥ uvāca—Arjuna said; katham—how; bhīṣmam—unto Bhīṣma; aham—I; saṅkhye—in the fight; droṇam—unto Droṇa; ca—also, madhusūdana—O killer of Madhu; iṣubhiḥ—with arrows; pratiyotsyāmi—shall counterattack; pūjā-arhau—those who are worshipable; arisūdana—O killer of the enemies.

In the 3rd verse, we saw Lord Krishna challenging Arjun to come back to his zealous attitude to attack the enemies and complete is dharma. Arjun, after looking at Kauravas got sorrow, that he says he can’t kill his own people.

In the verse 4 Arjun is still lamenting that how can he kill great gurus like Bhishma and Drona.

When we read these ancient texts, not only Hindu texts, all ancient texts stresses on killing the enemies. When we look at old testament, we can see how Jews mercilessly killing the enemies. We dunno what exactly was the social condition then. How people took the life, and what were the struggles to have a decent life. Murder and crimes are not at all appreciable whatever the reason it is done for. All the countries take murder as a crime no matter why the murder was done. We are an evolved society and we have the strict set of rules and regulations. We are not living in a society where we must murder someone to keep our security. Our law and government are responsible for our security and protection of our fundamental rights.

Yes, there are countries which people took the law into their disposal, but we should look at those countries political systems. When we read Vedas we can see these rishis asking for the complete destruction of Dasyus.

Well, I am no one to talk against Lord Krishna, may be in that time, murder may be a valid action. It was Raj Neeti. Praise Lord, the I am living in a time where I don’t have to take weapons in my hand. We have people assigned to such duties. For eg: I am so proud of our soldiers. They have the duty to protect our country and when they kill the enemies, it doesn’t come as a crime. They can’t refrain from their duty no matter who the enemy is.

You can take this scripture like this as well, it is all about acting against the sin. ( My theologian is coming out) . Its all about thinking what step your will take when you face adverse situations in our life. Will you sit and sympathize with yourself? Or you gather all the courage and stand up and act?
Here Arjun had Lord Krishna to motivate him and uplift him. If you don’t have anyone near you and you are in crisis what will you do?

Do we have the courage to stand alone in the walk of life? How far can we depend upon someone to uplift us? The truth is that we can never be totally self-sufficient, but are we allowing ourselves to grow enough to handle ourselves up to some extend? Life is becoming challenging for all day by day. Everyone is either busy in their own life and fewer people are available to spend time with. So many suicides, murders, stories of helplessness are coming out every day.

People are less depending on the Lord. Other day, I went to a restaurant, all are busy in their phones. I dunno what the hell is this.

Now a days we cant expect a person who is dedicated to Lord Krishna to come into our life and encourage us. If we have, then we should respect them for their efforts. In this busy world, someone is ready to spend their time with you to listen and to guide you. I am lucky that I have good people around me to support me. Where we can go and share anything with confidence, that they will never underestimate us, instead they will encourage us to face the life with confidence.

Sometimes we are like Arjun, weak and feeling depressed when we look at our duties. Wondering how we will perform them satisfactorily. The question is that are we waiting for someone to come and build us up or we are taking the initiative and being responsible.

Sanqya Yoga
Chapter2:3

klaibyam ma sma gamah partha
naitat tvayy upapadyate
ksudram hrdaya-daurbalyam
tyaktvottistha parantapa

klaibyam= being neutral, not taking a stand, ma=not, no, sma=generating, gamah= going in , partha= oh Arjuna , na= never ever, etat=like this way, tva=you , yi=like, upapdyate=suting , ksudram=worthless, hrdaya=heart, daurbalyam=weakness, tyakt =leaving, givin up, uttishta=stand up, parantapa=giving pain to the enemies

Lord Krishna is trying to encourage Arjun who is not in a mental state to act. He is enlightening Arjun to rise up according to the situation. He even went to the extent were he calls up Arjun’s weakness as the signal of the unmanliness or cowardice in him. We all know Arjun who was considered as the manliest in the group of Pandavas, he himself wanted to withdraw from his duty.
Here we can see the sincere attempts of a person to help his best buddy at a critical stage if his life. Lord Krishna and Arjun always had a great deal of love and respect for each other.
We all have heard about their deep love , but many of us may not be that aware that Arjun and Lord Krishna are cousins too. Vasudev , who was Lord Krishna’s earthly father was the brother of Devi Kunti. Even though Vasudev and Devaki was the physical parents, Lord Krishna was sent to Vrindavan to be with his foster parents Nanda Gopa( Gopa means one who takes care of cows) and Yashodha.

Maybe Lord Krishna lived in Vrindavan and Arjun lived in Hastinapur , both places are away by less than 220 km. We cant see any info being Lord Krishna and Arjun meeting with each other in childhood. I have traveled through Yamuna express highway….I and my friends took a car for rent and were going to Agra. The other three of my friends were Europeans, and we started at 3 A M, From Delhi. The car driver was a young boy at his mid-20s, I was sitting in the front just to make him awake. See, its express highway……….fewer vehicles, cold climate, he may sleep at any time, so I thought it’s good for me to be in the front seat.
This boy is hardcore bhakt of Lord Krishna , I am super influenced by Lord Krishna’s Karma theory. On the way, we were just sharing Lord Krishna’s story and obviously, he knew very less than me when I started sharing whatever I knew about Lord Krishna he told me” didi aap batate jayiye batate jayiye , aapki kahaniyan sunke kishenji ki prati mera samrppan bad gaya hey. “
I was also happy because I see very fewer people who are interested to know these stories from epic. I can talk from these ancient texts nonstop. I share these stories with my children, but they are not very much interested in a non-stop story listening process. My husband is also interested to know these stories, but as a limited edition.

As we reached Vrindavan zone suddenly it started raining. The moment we left that zone the rain stopped. The same thing happened during the return trip from Agra …

“ Hum donon ke aane se Kishenji khush hogaya” driver said. “Didi aap aur kisse sunao”

So, coming back to the friendship of Lord Krishna and Arjun their first official meet was recorded during the Swayamvar of Draupati. From then onwards we can see Arjun’s life is becoming more enriched by Lord Krishna’s presence.

Here in this above verses , we can the quality Lord Krishna expects from Arjun. This should be a quality of friendship which we have. A true friend will stand with us through our tough times and happy like us in our good times. It is an enriching relationship. I always had less friends in my life, but whomever I have as friends they are just with the attitude of Lord Krishna. I donno, my Lord never allowed wrong people in my life for a long duration. There were of course wrong people in the disguise of holy beings, but how amazingly god revealed all of them and blocked them from my life.

I am so lucky to have sincere friends who shine like the gem, scattering their light into my life as well. I have friends who are there for the lifetime and after life. They have the right to catch hold of me and ask me to change my life style. They have the full right to ask accountability of my life. They are there to guide me. For a long time since my school days, I never had close friends until I reach my theology class. I was never happy to anyone I found, I dunno why my interest never matched with them. Especially in my college days, I was feeling funny about my fellow beings struggle to get into a job and save money and to settle down. I was least bothered.  They were feeling funny abt my not bothered kind of attitude too………Whomever I meet , spoke about the future, making money, constructing a house, going to honeymoon in Singapore, reaching a high level in society, producing children, influencing others, buying BMW ……blab la bla…………these were never my concerns…. Only I started studying subjects related to divinity, then only I realized………I am not for mainstream vanity show. I am here to serve the divine.
My fellow beings in my theology class are the ones who showed me who am I? What am I? Where should I stand? From then onwards I started withdrawing from the mainstream people, because what they can offer is worldly desires like having the big car, live in the duplex, making money, whose house is big, who earns 1 lakh /month. . I am truly rich because I have people to guide me, love me sincerely. Not for one or two days and use me and extract all the good things from me and throw me away into the dust bin. My friends help me to revive myself daily. They help me to fix my eyes on my Lord and to move until I reach back to my lord.

After these astrologers came into my life, I am becoming more accountable. These guys don’t hesitate to ask me, yesterday Saturn was in trine with so and so planet and that was in your so and so house so what you did yesterday.

But there are people, who use others, for their selfish motives. When they misuse someone, the entire Universe will be plotting against them to fail them in their most important events. In the world, many of the friendships which we see are formed on the basis of mutual benefit. You help me, then I will help you.  People are looking at each other on the basis of profit loss analysis. Men looking at woman with evil intention and women also doing the same…….I am not telling all.Since I am in the corporate world, I am aware. Even parents are teaching children to follow this profit loss meter.

In theology class there was a general challenge to go an extra mile for the ailing people. Helping them, praying for them, serving them, taking care of their emotions……… The challenge was not to do the best…….it was to go an EXTRA MILE  to protect the relationships……….by sacrificing ourselves. 

Here we can also see Lord Krishna going an extra mile and controlling the chariot, he went to make a deal with Kouravas , HE IS DOING THE BEST FOR HIS BUDDY

In the plight of making Arjun win the war, Lord Krishna also get a severe curse from Devi Gandhari . His entire kingdom got destructed. He knew it, but still, he was standing as a rock for Arjun.

After reading this holy scripture
klaibyam ma sma gamah partha
naitat tvayy upapadyate
ksudram hrdaya-daurbalyam
tyaktvottistha parantapa
I feel, great about Lord Krishna, standing for his friend. He was not only Arjun’s friend, he helped even Draupadi.
I feel proud about my friends and grateful to my Lord for bringing such awesome people into my life.

Ha….I am so sorry for being late for this Gita lesson. I am posting back to back blogs every day , just because I get sometime within my work hours. I am waiting for new project and maybe by next week I will be busy again.

Ch1:28 onwards

Lets start from Kurukshethra Bhoomi again

Arjun is asking Lord Krishna to get him in the middle of both the armies so that he can see them closely

arjunauvaca
arjunauvaca
drstvemamsva -janam krsna
yuyutsum samupasthitam
sidanti mama gatrani
mukham ca parisusyati

arjunaḥ—Arjuna; uvāca—said; dṛṣṭvā—after seeing; imam—all these;svajanam—kinsmen; kṛṣṇa—O Kṛṣṇa; yuyutsum—all in fighting spirit;samupasthitam—all present; sīdanti—quivering; mama—my; gātrāṇi—limbs of the body; mukham—mouth; ca—also; pariśuṣyati—drying up.

He wants to see them again. His body is getting weak, his limbs are shivering. He is emotional……….This is the dooms day for him.

No one wants to create enmity. But life is very complicated that we occasionally meet up with people who really don’t match with our vibes. What they need from the life and what we need from the life is different. When the other person wants to forcefully establish his interest on us,   then conflicts take place. We all are different, our needs are different, and so we are destined to rub shoulders with others at some point of life. May be one person can withdraw from the scene, but our ego will get hurt. Its destiny……no one can escape from what the universe has stored in for us.

Listening to Arjun’s plea Lord Krishna is placing the chariot between both the armies.

Arjuna starts lamenting…..      He is getting weaker, he is losing his courage.

 kim no rajyena govinda

kim bhogair jivitena va

yesam arthe kanksitam no

rajyam bhogah sukhani ca

ta ime ‘vasthita yuddhe

pranams tyaktva dhanani ca

acaryah pitarah putras

tathaiva ca pitamahah

matulah svasurah pautrah

syalah sambandhinas tatha

etan na hantum icchami

ghnato ‘pi madhusudana

api trailokya-rajyasya

hetoh kim nu mahi-krte

nihatya dhartarastran nah

ka pritih syaj janardana

 kim—what use; naḥ—to us; rājyena—is the kingdom; govinda—O Kṛṣṇa;kim—what; bhogaiḥ—enjoyment; jīvitena—by living; vā—either; yeṣām—for whom; arthe—for the matter of; kāṅkṣitam—desired; naḥ—our; rājyam—kingdom; bhogāḥ—material enjoyment; sukhāni—all happiness; ca—also; te—all of them; ime—these; avasthitāḥ—situated; yuddhe—in this battlefield;prāṇān—lives; tyaktvā—giving up; dhanāni—riches; ca—also; ācāryāḥ—teachers; pitaraḥ—fathers; putrāḥ—sons; tathā—as well as; eva—certainly; ca—also; pitāmahāḥ—grandfathers; mātulāḥ—maternal uncles; śvaśurāḥ—fathers-in-law; pautrāḥ—grandsons; śyālāḥ—brothers-in-law; sambandhinaḥ—relatives;tathā—as well as; etān—all these; na—never; hantum—for killing; icchāmi—do I wish; ghnataḥ—being killed; api—even; madhusūdana—O killer of the demon Madhu (Kṛṣṇa); api—even if; trailokya—of the three worlds; rājyasya—of the kingdoms; hetoḥ—in exchange; kim—what to speak of; nu—only; mahī-kṛte—for the sake of earth; nihatya—by killing; dhārtarāṣṭrān—the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra;naḥ—our; kā—what; prītiḥ—pleasure; syāt—will there be; janārdana—O maintainer of all living entities.

Arjun is asking

´’ what pleasure in receiving the happiness, wealth and kingdom by slaying own people? “

Arjun is ready to get killed by the hands of Kourvas.

We can see a weak warrior here. He is emotionally bounded now. It really requires courage to stand against the waves. Especially the emotional tides.  Practicality Vs Emotionalism.

Arjun has so many concerns about the future..the spiritual growth, the destruction of the spiritual values, security of the woman, family traditional, rituals, purity of the race.

From the Verses Ch 1:32-46 we can see the lamentation of Arjun . His worries, his woes on acting against his own people.

With this verse ends the 1 st chapter of Bhagavat Gita.  Next Chapter is Sanqya Yoga

 Srimad Bhagavt Geeta starts by this verse 

 Chapter: 1 Verse:1

This chapter is labelled as

 Arjuna Vishada Yogam

 DhrutarashtraUvacha

dharmakshetre kurukshetre samaveda yuyutsava:
mamaka pandavaschaiva kimakurvata sanjaya ——–1

Means

Dharmakshetre = In the field of Dharma, battlefield ; Kurukshetre = in the field of kuru ; Samavetah = gathered together; Yuyutsavaha = wishing to fight ; Mamakaah = mine my own ; Pandavaah= of Pandu, Pandu’s ; Chaiva = as well,  and also ; Kim=  what ; Akurvata= did they  ; Sanjaya = Sanjaya.

Those gathered together on the Holy field of  Kurukshetra, my sons and the sons of  Pandu, what did they do o Sanjaya ?

Dhruthrashtra said: O Sanjaya,

This is the 1^st verse in the 1^st chapter. In this Verse

Dhrutrashtr is asking Sanjay to explain what is happening in the battle field of Kurukshethr as Dhrtrashtr is blind. Sanjay is his minister and adviser has a divine talent to see beyond normal human vision. When you study Geeta, you should have a fair knowledge about Mahabharat, because Geeta is the part of Mahabharta , it is the 6th Book in Mahabharata.

Counselling Sessions by Lord Krisha not only to Arjun, but to the entire world. 

  There are two versions of Sanjay sharing the incidents happening at the battle front. One is about the divine vision theory, which he got as a blessing from Sage Ved Vyas, who is the Son of Sage Parshar.

The second description is that Sanjay was in the battlefront for some days and he rushed back to Dhrutrashtra after the death of Bhishma.

Bhagavat Geeta is a running commentary by Sanjay to Dhrutrashtra as Dhruthrashtra denied the offer of temporary vision by Ved Vyas to witness the battle front.

Geeta Updesh was given to Arjun by Lord Krishna, but through the Suta Putra Sanjay whole world could get the fortune to learn about this divine wisdom.  

Personally speaking, I am not a fan of Pandu Putras, my mind is in support of Kauravas always. I don’t want to create any scandal in the society by breaking and questioning people’s set faith. Still I love Geeta studies, I really enjoy the worth of divine wisdom. I am not a person who is in favor of utmost forgiveness or sitting in the hope that time will come favor in due course of time. I am strong believer of theory of Karma.

Few months back when I was in a spirituality based course, one guy was sharing about his sister. This guy must be 45 now. He had a sister who was raped and killed during her teen ages. The culprit was never punished. He was absconding and never tracked down by the police. (This is what I understood from his speech). When his sister was killed  by this guy was also a teen ager and he explained how his family suffered for long years.

After this event, this  guy grew up and got married and all, he saw this culprit. That time he was in a “bhakthi marg”. Eventhough his heart burned with revenge, he went out to the culprit and said “You hurt my family, but I forgive you”. Guys, for him he was in the right path, but for me he is nothing but a coward, idiotic and irresponsible guy. “Who is he to forgive a criminal who broke the law of the land? Who gave him the right to set a criminal free? What example he is setting for the society? What hope is he giving for rape victims? “

At least he could have informed the police and put him into prison and that move could have helped another person to get more trust in the police and legal department of this country. His sister’s soul will be crying aloud of getting such a stupid as her brother……..On top of that he is sharing his kahani of emotional atyachar to a lawyer like me huh? That he will be blessed by god for forgiving his enemy? God would have been happy instead if he had supported the law of the land. 

The concept of forgiveness is quiet misunderstood or misquoted by religious people. Sometimes I feel I can’t forgive others, and I have failed in my life to forgive people fully. I donno, how to forgive and forget fully, but I can leave the pain behind and try to grow up in knowledge on how to overcome the painful events in my life.  Can we consider this as the symptoms of forgiveness? Maybe I am so worldly, but when I found someone like this man, who said he had forgiven his sister’s rapist, I think that is the act of cowardice. Forgiveness and acting helpless is nowhere in the life of people who are Aries Ascendants  like me. We are all about action and no lukka chuppi with enemies it is all about conquering them in the battlefield mercilessly.  That’s the Martian quality. Depends upon the Mars dignity, the rules of war can change, if Mars is wrongly placed then wrong ways of dealing with enemies. Even by breaking the laws. 

Srimad Bhagvat Geeta , inspires us to think more about our Karma, as we read through it, we will come to know meaninglessness of the life in earth. If I had the gift of time travelling through the worm hole, I have only one wish to go to the battle field of Kurukshethra, where I can see my 100 brothers and their sister Dushaala. I can see Lord Krishna, and how Devi Gandhari comes to see the dead bodies of her sons………

I truly don’t understand what the ultimate victory Pandavas gained after this battle was. They all went through the torture of the hell. Even the end was not even good for Dvarka. Still, Srimad Bhagvat Geeta gives a lot of inputs on our duty, and how to overcome temptations. I donno how much I enjoy reading these great verses, especially there are so many soul touching verses which sooths us..

 It was always my dream to translate this great epic for my friends and readers. There are so many people despite their religious beliefs who wants to know what’s written in “Srimad Bhagavat Geeta’’.

 Including my husband and my children who are always inspired by my sharing from  “Srimad Bhagavat Geeta’’, they like to know these, but they don’t have the patience to read it in Sanskrit then read the transliteration. I told my both the kids that I am updating Simplified Srimad Bhagavat Geeta’’. They both agreed to this. I don’t leave a chance to share the great stories from Mahabharat, Ramayan and other great books. People needs peace and happiness, and the true happiness.

 When I see the world people including me are too lost in ‘Maya” the illusionary world. It won’t give that eternal happiness. I donno how to describe how I enjoy this Geeta Studies and I feel Sanjay has explained in great way, that I feel I truly visited the Hastinapur

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