Posted by Bansi Pandit on April 13, 1998 at 12:51:16:
In Reply to: GITA posted by Varun Aggarwal on February 23, 1998 at 06:58:12:
: 1) In the starting during the chapter(1) of 'arjuna's grief' Arjuna speaks
: > about mixing of castes & Ksishna said nothing against it, so does a book
: > like Gita directs us towards casteism?
: > 2) What is the exact meaning of "SELF REALISATION(YOG)" ?
: > 3) In the third chapter,shlok 6 tells the definition of hypocrite. Please
: > explain this shlok.
: > 4) It is taught to renounce desire .But any Karma(action) done is either to
: > obtain peace or God or happiness or heaven. Then what is the remedy?
: > 5) If I desire to do something for poor or my country still will it be
: > considered a desire. If so, why & if not why?
I understand the concept that
: > if we renounce the proud (ahankar) then there is no more accumulation of
: > karma but desire is still there?
: > 6) Let's assume a person desires nothing. But desiring nothing is also a
: > karma which is being done inturn for the desire of moksha & self
: > realisation. So desire & greed still takes it's place. therefore i see a
: > contradiction. please help
: > thanking you
: > varun aggarwal
Response:
Dear Varun:
I am sorry for not being able to respond to your questions earlier. Due to time constraints, sometimes I cannot respond as quickly as I would like to. Thanks for your patience. Following are my answers to your questions:
1. Bhagavad Gita does not direct us towards caste system. Krishna was not interested in agreeing or disagreeing with Arjuna. When a patient tells the doctor that he (or she) has headache, the doctor does not say, ôyes, you have headache or no, you donÆt have headache.ö The doctor attentively listens to what the patient says, performs some tests, and prescribes an appropriate a medicine to the patient. ArjunaÆs disease was his confusion relative to his duties and responsibilities. At the site of his friends, relatives, and teachers standing on the opposite side ready to battle him, Arjuna was mentally paralyzed. Upon listening to Arjuna, Krishna diagnosed ArjunaÆs disease and gave him the necessary medicine in the form of the Bhagavad Gita. 2. Self-Realization Yoga means a spiritual path that leads to self- realization, i.e., moksha or union with God. ôYogaö literally means ôunion,ö that is the union of the atman with Paramatman, or union of the individual with God.
3. In Hindu view, the nature of the atman is actionlessness. Thus, an individual becomes self-realized when he or she gains actionlessness, that is complete cessation of all activities, both bodily and mental. However, actionlessness cannot be gained by merely retraining the organs of action and at the same time dwelling upon the thoughts of the sense objects in the mind. The mind cannot give up the thoughts of the sense objects, because it has no other object to think about, until the atman is known. Sloka 6 of the third chapter declares that one who merely retrains the organs of action, but dwells upon the thoughts of the sense objects in the mind is a hypocrite. Bhagavad Gita defines a hypocrite (mithyaachaarah) as one who is deluded and lives a false life. In the next sloka, Krishna shows the way out of this problem. He says that one who controls the senses by the mind and, unattached, directs his organs of action to the path of work, is a far superior person.
4. When the Bhagavad Gita demands giving up all desires, what is meant is all binding desires. Non-binding desires are not a problem. When performed without attachment to the fruit of action (nishkama karma), non-binding desires donÆt create karma. Non-binding desires include desires to write, to teach, to serve, to give, to perform righteous work (dharma), to perform oneÆs duties and responsibilities in accordance with oneÆs dharma, etc. The binding desires that the Bhagavad Gita wants us to give up are the desires for the enjoyment of the worldly happiness and security. Such desires arise out of lust for name and fame, passion for accumulation of wealth beyond oneÆs legitimate needs, and the delusion that the worldly enjoyments will lead to permanent peace and happiness. Binding desires create karma that propels us into a vicious circle in which we go from desires to action, from action to karma, and from karma back to desires.
5. Doing something for the poor or the country is a non-binding desire, when the work is done without attachment to the fruit of action. As stated above, non-binding desires donÆt create karma.
6. No scripture says that desire for moksha or self-realization should be given up. When this desire is satisfied, all desires are satisfied. A state of desirelessness is attained, which is absolute existence, absolute knowledge, and absolute bliss (sat-chit-ananda.
Bansi Pandit