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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2: Verses 62 to 64 _ Comments
BG: Chapter 2: Verses 62, 63 & 64 - Comments
A good manual will first describe the machine parts and explain their
functions. Second, it will explain how to operate the machine: "to do" and
"not to do." Third, it will outline the benefits from regular maintenance
and sufferings from neglect of the instructions spelled out. Fourth, it
will illustrate methods to detect problems and explain how to correct it.
Finally, it will recommend options and a list of repair shops. Gita is a
great manual for self-unfoldment (Swami Chinmayandaji has explained in
greater details in several books). It will help us to maintain our body,
mind and intellect using our "SELF" and there is a infinite-time warranty
for its claims! The manual is complete both on spiritual and practical
ground. A good teacher will always repeat the important aspects to point
out their significance. Lord Krishna, the greatest teacher repeats the
words "discipline," "attachment," "desires", "sense objects," "buddhi,"
a subtle reference to "dharma," "anger," and "liberation" for us not to
forget their importance.
One of my friend who worked for the state government in India, was a heavy
drinker. His wife had a tough time because he physically abused her when
he was drunk. If she tried to hide the liqueur bottles, he beat her with
a stick until he gets his liqueur quota. This ritual continued till he
died one day ran over by a truck! In sloka 63, the reference "pranasyati"
is subtle as is evident in the above example. A drunkard loses his
"buddhi" instantaneously while he aspires for it! When the desire is
fulfilled, he loses his "buddhi" and "identity." When "XXX" drinks and
walks on the road, the reference changes to "drunkard" and an abrupt
death of the identity "XXX." XXX no more behaves like XXX and behaves
only like a drunkard!
One need not be a drunkard to lose the identity. Last time, when I went
to India, I tried to buy my airlines ticket in Delhi. The clerk demanded
additional twenty dollars bribe in order to confirm my reservation. When
I refused to pay the bribe, the clerk threw the ticket showing anger. I
complained to higher authorities and the clerk was reprimanded. He became
corrupt immediately after asking for bribe and loses respect and identify.
Does Geeta assert that you should not eat, touch, smell, hear or see? The
answer is obviously no! The message is about the attitude. When I feel
thirsty, I have the natural instinct to drink (water or juice or coffee or
tea or coke or sprite or etc.). If I desire to extinguish my thirst only
by drinking coffee then I have the "attachment" problem. If I am flexible
enough to drink any available drink to quench my thirst then I have "no
attachment." Geeta only advises us to be "flexible" in order to be
successful and we need to discipline ourselves to be flexible. The flower
plants need water and food to grow and yield beautiful flowers and they
don't demand "specific drinks or food!" We need to discipline ourself to
eat food without "attributes." Geeta did not contend it is easy and
couldn't prescribe because it is our job! We have to develop our
"values" to judge "right" and "wrong" objectively.
There is a subtle message hidden in verse 63. When we contact an object,
Geeta strongly implies " Do not have any pre-conceived notions!"
Prejudices on objects are the root cause of "attachment" and "hatred" and
they initiate "anger!" If we allow our sense organs to dominate our "SELF"
we lose the discriminatory power, a gift of god and destroy our identity!
The message in verse 64 is profound. When flowers bloom, they don't get
any pleasure!, they give pleasure to the surroundings! They use their
sense organs to eat and drink (fertilizer and water!) with no
preconception to the food they eat, the air they breath, the light they
catch, the wind they touch or the water they drink! Any person who can
give happiness to all without prejudice will certainly attain tranquility.
Will any body ever challenge that this is not true?
" Have a Good Day "
"Truth is a pathless land, and you cannot approach it by any path
whatsoever, by any religion, by any sect. Truth, being limitless,
unconditioned, unapproachable by any path whatsoever, cannot be
organized; nor should any organisation be formed to lead or to
coerce people along any particular path." J. Krishnamoorthy
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