As stated earlier, Patanjali has put forward an Eight-fold Path to Salvation (ashtanga yoga). This system culminates in the spiritual seeker attaining 'unity consciousness' (samyak-prajnya). The starting point as well as the destination of the journey of the jiva* (nara yaana / jivana yatra) is the same; it is one full circle. (* See "The Advent of the Soul" by the same author. ask for a copy by e-mail). The celebrated Sage Ghora Angirasa is said to be the teacher of Sri Krishna and the latter has learnt yoga from him. He, the Lord Krishna, in turn is teaching yoga to Arjuna as Yogacharya in the Bhagavad-Gita. Here, in the Gita, the yoga is defined as the intelligent ways of doing things- yogaasu karma koushalam | One should do action in life without acquiring its effect of rebirths and bondage. He, the Lord says, "It is impossible for anybody to keep quiet. The jiva has to perform some function or the other and each desire (icCha), thought (vichara), resolve (sankalpa), and action (karma) brings its fruit of action (karma phala) that becomes the seed for continuation of the journey of the jiva on this 'land of death' (mrutyu loka). This chain of action and reaction should somehow be ended. The chain reaction starts with the desire and 'desire is brahmn', This 'desire' is at the root of the problem. The jiva is initiated to action by desires and the desires are prompted by the Lord! The desire itself is untruth and the entire universe is based on this untruth! The moment this untruth (maya) is realized, the jiva is released from the shackles of bondage, rebirth. The Truth is nothing else, none else but the Purna-prajnya, the Lord Shree Krishna, the embodiment of 'Pure Consciousness', (shuddha vidya).
This entire universe is founded on asat, and it is asada according to nasadiya sukta of Rk Veda. What do we seek here? What do we want here? Whatever we get will not be the truth! It is a make-believe world we are living in. Lord Krishna says, "I am the magician (mayavin / mantrika). I wield my magic wand and create things that are illusory; the magical world comes into existence with my desire." Thus, Lord Krishna is the only 'Truth' and all else His magical play. Thus, the prayer to the Lord- asato ma sadgamaya | The answer to this prayer is very beautiful. It is "thou art that" (tattvamasi).
The entire Bhagavad-Gita, as a brahma vidya and yoga shastra educates a person as to the 'reality of existence', the true nature of this world, and makes His devotee realize that- "What he seeks is himself". Here, the fundamental principle (mahat tattva / tat tva) is that there is only one, and, that is the I, the self and there is 'no other' besides oneself, "thou art that (tattvamasi). This is what the Sage Aruni Uddalaka said to his disciple Shvetaketu.
"Everything is Krishna"; Everywhere (all disha) is Krishna! Krishna is everywhere as pure consciousness, shuddha vidya. This is what is: sarvam khaluvidam brahmaa |This reality (truth) is to be realized only by yoga, attaining sayujya (yuj), oneness with the Lord, and, the Lord Himself becomes a yogacharya and teaches karma yoga, jnyana yoga, bhakti yoga, dhyana yoga, raja yoga, etc. for this purpose, It is also stated: yoginaam brahmaa bhavati saarathi |
The entire Bhagavad-Gita, as a brahma vidya and yoga shastra educates a person as to the 'reality of existence', the true nature of this world, and makes His devotee realize that- "What he seeks is himself". Here, the fundamental principle (mahat tattva / tat tva) is that there is only one, and, that is the I, the self and there is 'no other' besides oneself, "thou art that (tattvamasi). This is what the Sage Aruni Uddalaka said to his disciple Shvetaketu.
"Everything is Krishna"; Everywhere (all disha) is Krishna! Krishna is everywhere as pure consciousness, shuddha vidya. This is what is: sarvam khaluvidam brahmaa |This reality (truth) is to be realized only by yoga, attaining sayujya (yuj), oneness with the Lord, and, the Lord Himself becomes a yogacharya and teaches karma yoga, jnyana yoga, bhakti yoga, dhyana yoga, raja yoga, etc. for this purpose, It is also stated: yoginaam brahmaa bhavati saarathi |
The eighteen chapters of the Bhagavad-gita brings out the principle of tat tvam asi and the student becomes one with the Lord on attaining to samadhi through this yoga. The first six chapters deal with the aspect of Arjuna as 'tvam' (thou/ you/ Arjuna) and the next six chapters bring out the Reality ('sat' and 'chit'). This is the 'tat' aspect. The Vibhuti yoga (Ch. X) makes this point amply clear; everything we see is nothing but 'Him'. In the last six chapters of the Gita, we find very interesting aspects of sayujya, being one with Him. He says all my devotees reach Me. This 'asi' aspect of tat tvam asi is very important. Here lies the magical transformation of the iva from its mundane existence with limited awareness (individualized consciousness) to Krishna consciousness.
The supreme Lord advocates the principle of sharanagatim meaning total surrender (of the self, the jivatman to the higher self, paramatman). The aspect of moha, attachment to the phenomenal objective world, the world of sensuous objects and relationships, is created by nescience, avidya. One has to get rid of this 'asmita', ajnyan. It is removed only by realization of the Self, Atmajnyan and enlightenment (jnyan). The jiva is thus redeemed by knowledge of the Self through yoga! The last six chapters of the Bhagavad-Gita are of highly esoteric nature and pose a challenge to the scholars. Unless one has taken to yoga the secrets enshrined here cannot be understood. The person who contemplates on these last chapters are sure to attain to brahmn. tasmaat yogirbhavaarjunaa | says Krishna. He also says maamupetya tu kounteya...mokshayishyaami | Thus the jiva is redeemed.
So far, no scholar of repute, or well-versed in the Gita, has come out with commentaries on these verses; the antrartha, inner-most secret of the secret (guhyatama guhya) or the esoteric meaning of the Gita here remains a secret forever. It is difficult to understand many of the subtler aspects of jiva and the secrets hidden here despite the fact the Lord Himself explains these. What blinds us is our attachment to earthly existence and attachment, moha, abhinivesha, that prevent from taking to the teachings of the Lord seriously.
Even a small plant like tulasi, tumbe, bilva or a tree like coconut and banyan becomes divine once the devotee of Krishna attains to sayujya in samadhi taking recourse to yoga. "All living beings (jivarashi) are dear to Me", He, the Lord says. "I am in all and nobody is in Me", He says. Again He says, "All are in Me, and I am not in anybody". These statements of the Lord are very confusing, contradictory, and very difficult to understand. But, 'Understanding' takes us to Him. The very term "Understanding" is Brahmn. 'Understanding' is not an ordinary word since contemplation (dhyana) on understanding takes us to Brahmn, Shree Krishna.Understanding requires deep contemplation (samadhi state in yoga); it requires reflection (deep thinking about Self, atma avalokana. It is not possible without steadfastness. Nothing can be attained without faith.
The supreme Lord advocates the principle of sharanagatim meaning total surrender (of the self, the jivatman to the higher self, paramatman). The aspect of moha, attachment to the phenomenal objective world, the world of sensuous objects and relationships, is created by nescience, avidya. One has to get rid of this 'asmita', ajnyan. It is removed only by realization of the Self, Atmajnyan and enlightenment (jnyan). The jiva is thus redeemed by knowledge of the Self through yoga! The last six chapters of the Bhagavad-Gita are of highly esoteric nature and pose a challenge to the scholars. Unless one has taken to yoga the secrets enshrined here cannot be understood. The person who contemplates on these last chapters are sure to attain to brahmn. tasmaat yogirbhavaarjunaa | says Krishna. He also says maamupetya tu kounteya...mokshayishyaami | Thus the jiva is redeemed.
So far, no scholar of repute, or well-versed in the Gita, has come out with commentaries on these verses; the antrartha, inner-most secret of the secret (guhyatama guhya) or the esoteric meaning of the Gita here remains a secret forever. It is difficult to understand many of the subtler aspects of jiva and the secrets hidden here despite the fact the Lord Himself explains these. What blinds us is our attachment to earthly existence and attachment, moha, abhinivesha, that prevent from taking to the teachings of the Lord seriously.
Even a small plant like tulasi, tumbe, bilva or a tree like coconut and banyan becomes divine once the devotee of Krishna attains to sayujya in samadhi taking recourse to yoga. "All living beings (jivarashi) are dear to Me", He, the Lord says. "I am in all and nobody is in Me", He says. Again He says, "All are in Me, and I am not in anybody". These statements of the Lord are very confusing, contradictory, and very difficult to understand. But, 'Understanding' takes us to Him. The very term "Understanding" is Brahmn. 'Understanding' is not an ordinary word since contemplation (dhyana) on understanding takes us to Brahmn, Shree Krishna.Understanding requires deep contemplation (samadhi state in yoga); it requires reflection (deep thinking about Self, atma avalokana. It is not possible without steadfastness. Nothing can be attained without faith.
One should attain to 'brahm sayujya' , sarupya, sayujya, and oneness with the supreme Lord (nirakara parabrahmn, just not salokya (entering His world / brahmloka), sameepya (closeness) or sannidhya (at the feet of the Lord), by the time one completely merges in the Gitopadesha. Contemplate on the sayings of Shree Krishna will redeem us from Bhavasagara. However, this is not for those who are still interested in mundane world.
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