Shloka # 43:

तत्र तं बुद्धिसंयोगं लभते पौर्वदेहिकम्।
यतते च ततो भूयः संसिद्धौ कुरुनन्दन।।6.43।।

There he acquires memory of the ideas relating to his previous body, and he labors harder, O Bharata prince! to achieve perfection.

Continuing his teaching of the Gita, Swami Paramarthananda said, in spite of Sri Krishna’s encouragement Arjuna became pessimistic with respect to his own spiritual journey. He understood that this journey requires knowledge and purification of the mind. He feels he cannot master his own mind. Mind is after all the most difficult thing to master. That is why victory over mind is considered the greatest victory. Sri Krishna says it is a pre-requisite for gyanam. Arjuna feels he will never be able to obtain it, certainly not in this lifetime. Therefore, he has already started thinking of his preparations for the next life. It is like children who take an exam and know they have not done well, thinking of taking the exam again.

Yogabhrashta is spiritual failure. Sri Krishna has started answering Arjuna’s question in shlokas 40 through 45. He points out that a person on this path has no fall at all. Shankaracharya says, once spiritual teaching is received, it cannot be destroyed. There, however, maybe a stage of temporary stagnation. It is like the glowing ember covered by ashes, even with a little fanning the fire comes back. So also such a seekers’ spiritual vasanas come back to life. He picks up the thread in his next life. Spiritual failure of this janma becomes spiritual genius in next janma.

Even if one has failed in spiritual life in this life, he will still get swarga. Then he comes back in another birth to pursue spiritual life. Spiritual life can be clearly obtained only in two lokas. They are Manushya loka and Brahma Loka. If so, why not all go to Brahma Loka? Shankaracharya says going to Brahma Loka is very difficult. Getting manushya loka is also not easy. In manushya loka he or she gets the ideal continuation of his spiritual journey.

How does this continuation occur?

First, an environment for scriptural study should be available. Second, I should have an interest in such a study. Yoga Bhrashta will have both in next life, the environment and inclination. In that ideal environment (India is ideal for spirituality) the spiritual inclination arrives early in a yoga bhrashta. Swamji says any genius in any field (music, science, arts) was a bhrashta in his previous life. At death, jiva takes poorva vasanas with it to the next birth. His inclination towards materialistic world is less. He cannot explain his own inclination other than attribute it to his poorva janma vasana.

Once he has the inclination he can’t take this new life for granted. He has to use his free will to promote spirituality. This inclination has to be nourished. Therefore, the Yogabhrashta strives more and more in this new life. Due to his vasanas his effort is considerably reduced. Success of his spiritual journey is assured even with lesser effort.

Shloka # 44:

पूर्वाभ्यासेन तेनैव ह्रियते ह्यवशोऽपि सः।
जिज्ञासुरपि योगस्य शब्दब्रह्मातिवर्तते।।6.44।।

Though not a master of himself, he is attracted by his prior discipline. Even he who desires to know about Yoga goes beyond the sphere of Vedic injunctions.

How does this spiritual inclination express itself? Where ever and whenever spirituality is practiced in any form, he has an automatic interest in it. He is helplessly drawn to it. Parents often discourage a child’s inclination in this area. They don’t understand that child’s attraction is due to his or her vasanas.  Sri Aurobindo is a good example.

They say of Aurobindo that his parents did not want him to be in Indian culture at all; they liked the western culture; therefore he was given western education and sent to England; and to a materialistic atmosphere. There he comes in contact with people who are working for the freedom of India and he gets associated with those people, and he begins to feel and if I am working for the freedom of my motherland, should I not know about India, what is its culture, what is its history; philosophy and he gradually gets sucked into it and he comes to freedom struggle and goes to Pondicherry and becomes a yogi.

Therefore, if the spiritual fire is there; nobody can stop; and if the spiritual fire is not there; whatever you do it will not work.

People who don’t have the spiritual fire within them, should be allowed to follow their materialistic tendencies. Encourage them to worship god. Spiritual maturity is an evolution, not a revolution.

Due to his vasanas, a yogabhrashta, starts his interest in spirituality as a casual (hobby) student. But his fire catches on later. Spiritual fires are of three types: karpura buddhi (camphor), Kari buddhi (coal) and vazhathandu buddhi (banana trunk).

He becomes a camphor student. He transcends shabda brahma or karma kanda. Karma kanda is finite result. He transcends anitya phalam and obtains nithya phalam or moksha.

Shloka # 45:

रयत्नाद्यतमानस्तु योगी संशुद्धकिल्बिषः।
अनेकजन्मसंसिद्धस्ततो याति परां गतिम्।।6.45।।

The Yogin who strives hard and who has been perfected in the course of many lives attains the supreme goal, all his sins having been washed away.

What happens to Yogabhrashta in the present life (as a spiritual genius)? How does he feel the advantage of his vasanas? Sri Krishna says, he is free from impurities; he has a shudha antahakarana or mental purity.

How does mental purity express itself?

In chapter # 5, in the beginning, this topic is discussed. His natural inclination towards spirituality shows his mental purity.

How did he get it? Is God partial to him? This advantage he enjoys because he has obtained it from his many, many past lives. He has clarity about life’s purpose. He is not hoodwinked by materialistic goals.

Therefore, being an evolved person, he requires very limited effort in this life. His spiritual journey is a most enjoyable one. He effortlessly reaches his destination of moksha. He enjoys following Shruti-viddhi.

Shloka #46:

तपस्विभ्योऽधिको योगी ज्ञानिभ्योऽपि मतोऽधिकः।
कर्मिभ्यश्चाधिको योगी तस्माद्योगी भवार्जुन।।6.46।।

The Yogin is superior to the performance of austerities; he is deemed superior even to the knower of the Vedas; he excels those who do works. Therefore, O Arjuna! be a Yogin.

With the previous shloka Sri Krishna’s answers to Arjunas’s question is complete. Arjuna need not be pessimistic. Just listening to Gita gets him swarga. The question is raised, if a person has a past dosha (Sanchita karma) what happens to a Yoga bhrashta? His spiritual samskara is so strong that they keep poorva doshas at bay. They are not destroyed, as one needs gyanam to destroy past karmas, but they are kept at bay. So, don’t worry about sanchita papam. Don’t be pessimistic. Don’t ask, when will I get moksha? Rather, enjoy the spiritual journey.

In next two shlokas Sri Krishna comes back to meditation. Here he glorifies Vedantic meditation. He also glorifies the meditator. He says, among all sadhakas the Vedantic meditator is the greatest one.

Yogi’s are of four kinds.

1) Tapasvi: He is an upsaka, a saguna yogi;

2) Gyani: One who has gone through sravanam and mananam;

3) Karmi: He is a karma yogi;

4) Nidhidhyasanam: Vedantic meditator.

All four are yogis. Among them the Nidhidhayasana Yogi is best of all as he is closest to reaching the goal of moksha.

Therefore Arjuna, to get moksha, you have to do Nidhidhyasanam all by yourself. Unlike in sravanam and mananam no Guru can help you here. So recollect and assimilate the teachings.

Shloka # 47:

योगिनामपि सर्वेषां मद्गतेनान्तरात्मना।
श्रद्धावान्भजते यो मां स मे युक्ततमो मतः।।6.47।।

Among even these Yogins, he who, full of faith, worships Me, his inner self, absorbed in Me, him – I deem the most integrated.

Now Sri Krishna concludes the chapter by glorifying the meditator.

Almost same idea as in shloka # 46 is communicated. The one who meditates upon Me, Atma or God as Atma, with shraddha, he will become a jivan mukta. His mind remains absorbed in Me in total concentration.

He is the greatest sadhaka among Yogi’s. This is my teaching. This concludes Ch # 6 on Dhyanam. The chapter is also known as Atma Samyama chapter or one on control of mind.

Take away:

1. Spiritual maturity is an evolution, not a revolution.
2. A natural inclination towards spirituality shows one’s mental purity.

With Best Wishes

Ram Ramaswamy

Greetings All,

Chapter 2, Anuvakaha # 4, Shloka # 2:

Different from that made up of mind (manas) is another inner soul made up of intelligence (Vignana) and by that this (manomaya-self) is filled. It also has the shape of man. According to the human shape of the previous, is the human shape of this one. Faith (sraddha) is its head, righteousness (Rtam) its right side, Truth (satyam) its left side, Yoga is the trunk and total intellect (mahah) is the tail and support. There is this following Vaidika verse about it.

We are now in anuvakaha # 4 of Brahmanadavalli. The Upanishad has entered Vignanamaya kosha. Initially it (manomaya) is still looked as atma, later as anatma. Once we accept vignanamaya as atma manomaya then becomes its container or deha while Vignanamaya is the dehi.

Knowledge (vignanamaya) does not have a shape. It assumes shape of manomaya or assumes manushya akara.

Once we accept manushya akara then the five factors come into play and they are the head, the right side, the left side, the central part and the support.

The knower principle Vignanamaya is the cause of deliberate action. A man first knows something’s, then he chooses one of them and he works towards accomplishing it. One cannot take an unknown thing as a goal. This is a process we perform lifelong. Pramatha, the knower becomes Karta. Shradha, faith in Vedas, guides him to spiritual knowledge. Spiritual knowledge requires shastra pramanam.  If you spend a lot of time and effort on the spiritual it requires knowledge of religion. This religion or spirituality requires shastra pramanam. This comes only from shradha in religion/spirituality.

Heaven or hell has no scientific proof. There is no proof of Pitr puja reaching ancestors. Concepts of punyam, papam, and moksha are all only coming from shastra pramanam.

Mind, different from brain, is not accepted by science. End of brain is not end of mind. Mind is sukshmam, while brain is sthulam, per shastras. However, there is no proof of this.

Therefore, one who does not have an appropriate attitude towards religion cannot accept all these facts. Thus spiritual life requires gyanam and faith in validity of scriptures.

Science too believes in blind faith. They feel sense organs are the only valid way to know sense objects. We, however, believe in non-worldly knowledge of shastras.

Science believes in sense organs because it works. For supra worldly wisdom, belief in shastra works.

We are not insisting you have shradha. Without faith in the eye, you cannot walk even a single step. This faith helps me.

Shradha is head. Ritum is right hand. Sensory perceptions must be understood correctly. As an example: Senses report earth is stationary while the reality is that earth is rotating at a high speed. It is not terra firma. The eyes show stars as small while the reality is that they are several times larger than earth. So, illusion is possible. So, interpretation is required. Scriptural illusion too must be corrected. Mananam after sravanam is performed to correct this illusion. Ritu is right side.

Satyam is uttara paksha. Knowledge is not enough. As per Karma kanda knowledge is useful only when implemented.

Therefore, knowledge is incomplete without practice. Practice of Vedic teaching is Satyam.

Atma is the central part is known as Yogaha.  Yoga means leading a focused life style. The focus should be on life’s end goal or moksha. First get gyana yogyata then get gyanam.  Don’t lose track of goal. Once in a while perform a check on your course to see if it needs correction.  Most people get lost in the complexity of samsara. That is why 41 samskaras are prescribed to be performed by the Vedas. From birth, marriage, deaths etc. are all rituals that remind you of your goal. This constant awareness is Yogaha.

Support is mahaha or samashti Vignanamaya or Hiranyagarbha. Every action has to be supported by God. Sri Krishna says, every organ functions only when supported by the Devata of the organ. Hiranyagarbha is the overarching Devata.

Five factors are now mentioned for Vignanamaya. There is now the Rig mantra glorifying Vignanamaya.

Ch 2, Anuvakhaha  5, shloka # 1 and part of Shloka # 2:

Knowledge performs the sacrifices and it is the real agent of all the physical activities. All the “gods” worship Knowledge as Brahman, the eldest. If a man knows Brahman as knowledge and if he does not swerve from it, he attains all desires and comes to abandon all the sins of the body.

We are entering anuvakaha # 5 with the Rig mantra.

This Vignanamaya atma is the karta. This knowing, judging, fixing capacity called “I” becomes aware of a program. Then Viveka chooses and directs me to the program. Hence Vignanamaya is important. Animals don’t have this capacity. It makes humans different from all beings. Vignanamaya atma, the karta atma, alone performs all vaidic upsanas (karmas). Once scriptures go out adrisha pradhana karmas go religion also goes. This happens in inter-caste marriages, when religion and tradition are thrown out of the door. No gothra is required for such a marriage. When marriage is dharma moksha pradhana, couple has a different approach to marriage.

Vignanamaya karma also performs all non-scriptural activities like working for earning etc.  Therefore, Vignanamaya is laukika  Vaidika (common religion). So, meditate upon this vignanamaya atma. Even Gods meditate on this atma. This knowledgeable one performs the actions. How do they meditate? They meditate on Samashti Hiranyagarbha, the first-born Vignanamaya.

Hiranyagarbha is responsible for rest of creation. Hiranyagarbha is Brahman and he comes out of the navel of Ishwara. Vyashti-Samashti Upsana is to be performed.

The benefits of this upasana are:

• Sakama: Suppose a person performs meditation on Vignanamaya Samashti aikyam through out his life then he will drop all papams born out of individuality, even as he drops his body.  Gita, in chapter # 8, says whatever you constantly think of at time of death, you reach that after death.  This upasana drops all papa karmas. He gets only punyam. He gets Brahma Loka. He. However, cannot get moksha, as he still needs gyanam for that.

• Nishkama karma: Chitta shudhi, expansion of mind and focus of mind all improve. Individuality is dropped in meditation. It dilutes the ego by visualizing totality. If I prepare long enough I will be prepared for anandamaya atma, the next step.

What is advantage of Brahma Loka? This loka has all possible material pleasures one can think of. The environment, objects and instruments are all ideal. The Rig mantra is complete with this.

The Yajur mantra takes over now.

Here person values knowledge. People who were involved in India’s freedom struggles, their Vignanamaya atma was strong. This is Vignanamaya abhimana topic. Now we are entering next sheath of ananda maya or Karana shariram.

Ch 2, Anuvakhaha  5, Shloka # 2:

Of that, of the former, this one is verily is the embodied self. Different from this self made up of intellect (vignanamaya) is another self within., formed of bliss (anandamaya). By this, that is filled (by anandamaya the vignanamaya is full). It also  has the shape of man. According to the human form  of  that, is the human form of this. Of it, joy (priya) is the right side, rejoicing (moda) is the left side, and bliss (pramoda) is the trunk. Brahman is the tail support. There is this vaidika verse about it.

We are entering the subtler layer. Really speaking Vignanamaya is not the atma. Atma is different. Atma is now anandamaya.  It is the real atma. Where is it located?

It is within vignanamaya.  With this vignanamaya becomes anatma or a kosha. Every thing including anatma is born out of atma. Vignanamaya is Karyam or it has nama and roopa. Thus, it is not a substantial entity. It only has a borrowed existence. It is Mithya. As such, it is as good as non-existent. This understanding in us is known as Pravilapanam or dissolution. Mithya is dissolved in satyam. Vignanamaya is dissolved in anandamaya. Microcosm is dissolved in macro cosm. Macrocosm also gets resolved.

Take away

1. Gita, in chapter # 8, says whatever you constantly think of at time of death, you reach that after death.
2. Practice of Vedic teaching is Satyam.

With Best Wishes,

Ram Ramaswamy

Greetings All,

Shloka # 37:

अर्जुन उवाच
अयतिः श्रद्धयोपेतो योगाच्चलितमानसः।
अप्राप्य योगसंसिद्धिं कां गतिं कृष्ण गच्छति।।6.37।।

Arjuna said:

What fate, Krishna! is in store for the lax practitioner of Yoga whose mind is rich in faith but who fails to reach perfection in Yoga?

Continuing his teaching of the Gita, Swami Paramarthananda said, Sri Krishna has comprehensively discussed all aspects of Vedantic meditation, which has to be practiced after a thorough study of Vedantic scriptures. Nowhere else is meditation discussed in such great detail. For this reason alone Chapter 6 is an important chapter. He has also talked about obstacles to meditation including mental distraction and its remedy. To succeed in meditation one has to develop Vairagyam or detachment. Without Vairagyam meditation is not possible. Without meditation an assimilation of teaching does not take place. Without assimilation of teaching one cannot obtain mukti. Hence Vairagyam is very important, per scriptures. Now Arjuna seeing himself wonders if he can ever get Vairagyam. He becomes pessimistic about obtaining moksha in this life. Swamiji says this is a universal problem. Every seeker becomes pessimistic, at some point or other, wondering, “Can I ever obtain moksha in this life?” Pessimism is a common obstacle for every seeker.

Arjuna has identified with majority of people and thus presents his problem. Shlokas 37, 38 and 39 respectively deal with Arjuna’s pessimism. After shloka # 37, Arjuna asks what happens to a person who comes to Gyana yoga without going through Karma marga. In this process such a person faces obstacles and is not able to complete the path of knowledge. It is not due to lack of faith but mainly because of obstacles that he is not able to obtain moksha. His is a situation of incomplete effort although he had the faith.

So ayathihi means alpa prayathnah; a person of incomplete effort; not because of lack of faith, faith is there; sincerity is there; but because of obstacle, one could not get Gyanam. And, therefore, naturally, gyana phalam of moksha he could not attain. Then at least should have attained the karma phalam of svarga. Arjuna feels that he would not get karma phalam also, because he left the karma and spend the karma time for Gyana; with the hope of getting a higher result; I do not want svarga and came to moksha; and svarga he dropped and moksham also he did not get; which is called typical trishanku.

Trishanku left the earth for the sake of attaining heaven and he was not granted entry in the svarga loka, and therefore he came down and Vishvamitra said do not come here and go up and Vishvamitra pushing up,

Indra pushing down; he was caught between heaven and earth.

What will be his lot? Arjuna clarifies his pessimism next.

Shloka # 38:

कच्चिन्नोभयविभ्रष्टश्छिन्नाभ्रमिव नश्यति।
अप्रतिष्ठो महाबाहो विमूढो ब्रह्मणः पथि।।6.38।।

Having fallen off from both (karma and yoga) confounded and un-established in the path of Brahman. O hero does he not perish, like a scattered cloud?

In the previous shloka Sri Krishna said a seeker who places insufficient effort would not get moksha; also because he came to Gyana marga without going through karma marga he will not get swarga. Why did he not perform karmas; because, he chose to spend his time on gyana marga. Thus, neither did he have the support of karmas that could have given him swarga nor did he have complete gyana to give him moksha.

Citing an example his condition is likened to a small cloud that has been separated from the larger cloud. Wind cannot disperse a large cloud. However, wind will dissipate a small cloud. Vedantic teachings usually give examples from nature. In those times people spent a lot of time in nature and with nature unlike today. So this seeker is also like a small cloud without support of Karma or Gyanam.

Imagine a person gets out of the society and he does not have the support of a guru or ashrama; what will happen; the mind does not have karma hold; the mind does not have shastra hold, shastram has been dropped; svadharma has been dropped; thus his mind will dwell upon only sensory pleasures or other immoral things and the person ends up a mithyachari and that person can fall. That is the reason they say Sanyasa is such a highly risky ashrama because one can go out of both shastram and Varna ashrama dharma and like the cloudlet will he not get into destruction?

Hey Krishna, having fallen from the path of brahman or brahma marga or Gyana margah and from karma marga too, will he not perish; this is Arjuna’s fear.

Shloka # 39:

एतन्मे संशयं कृष्ण छेत्तुमर्हस्यशेषतः।
त्वदन्यः संशयस्यास्य छेत्ता न ह्युपपद्यते।।6.39।।

O Krishna! You ought to dispel this doubt of mine in its entirety. None but You can possibly dispel this doubt.

So Arjuna is desperate now; he says; Oh Krishna, I have a great fear as to why I came to Vedanta? Oh Krishna, you should destroy this doubt of mine, because if I am going to be a trishanku, at least I can try to do some pooja, even though moksha may not come, at least some punyam may come.

Why am I asking you? There can be no other person who can destroy this doubt. Why so?  Whether a man gets moksha or not can be determined only after a new birth. What will happen to us in the next janma; we do not know; why, even in this janma we do not know what will happen next year; or tomorrow itself. So bhagavan alone is karma phala dhata; therefore he alone is fit

enough to answer this question and therefore what type of janma, such a person will get later. And therefore you should answer. So, thus, in these three verses

Arjuna’s pessimistic question has been given. Now Sri Krishna is going to give an optimistic answer; we will read happily.

Shloka #  40:

श्री भगवानुवाच
पार्थ नैवेह नामुत्र विनाशस्तस्य विद्यते।
नहि कल्याणकृत्कश्िचद्दुर्गतिं तात गच्छति।।6.40।।

Sri Krishma said:

Arjuna! neither in this world nor in the world to be does he come to ruin; for no evil betides the doer of good, My son!

First of all, consoling Arjuna, Sri Krishna says, “don’t worry”. Then he elaborates. Suppose a man comes to gyana yoga, the Vedanta sravanam alone gives him two benefits:

• Mukhya phalam, primary benefit and
• Avantara phalam, secondary benefit or by-product

Explaining the two phalams, when you plant a mango tree; the primary benefit you expect is mango fruit; but there are so many by-products, you get the shade of the tree; and the temperature will be lesser; the roots of the tree retain some water; and therefore in the surrounding area, there is more coolness.

Mukhya phalam: If a person has all required qualifications, he will get gyanam and punyam.  If he does not have sufficient qualifications, he will just get the secondary phalam of punyam alone.  In chapter # 18, Sri Krishna says even if a person listens to Gita , without understanding it, it produces punyam. It is similar to sahasra nama japa. Punyam here means one gets swargam.

Oh Partha:  for a Gyana margi, a person who has come to shastra sravanam, there is no downfall at all either in this janma or after death; there is no question of spiritual fall. What is the reason? Because such a person happens to be mangala-karta, he is doing a noble action, even listening to Gita is a mangala karma, which

Sri Krishna called in the fourth chapter, as Gyana yagna.

Even though no homa kunda is involved; even though no oblations are involved; this Gyana yagna will give as much punyam as any other vaidika karma; and that punyam is the minimum result that one will get. But if he has got qualification, he would not require this punyam; because Gyanam itself is going to give him moksha; therefore kalyana krit is equal to mangala karta.

Such a person will never have a downfall.

Shloka # 41:

प्राप्य पुण्यकृतां लोकानुषित्वा शाश्वतीः समाः।
शुचीनां श्रीमतां गेहे योगभ्रष्टोऽभिजायते।।6.41।।

Reaching the spheres of the meritorious, and after sojourning there long lasting years, the one who has slipped from Yoga is born in a home of pure and prosperous householders.

This shloka discusses what happens to such a seeker, a Yoga Bhrashta, after death. Such a person, who has accrued punyam by listening to scriptures, obtains as secondary benefit, swarga.

Madhusudhana Saraswathy Swami quotes a verse and he says that one minute of Vedanta sravanam is equal to 100 of yagas and it is equal to giving the danam of the entire earth; not one acre or two acre; the entire earth is gifted; all those punyams will come by Vedanta sravanam ; the idea is that this itself is a very sacred karma.

He will remain in swarga for many years. He will enjoy pleasures as well. Then God gives him an appropriate birth to continue his spiritual journey.

He will be born in a prosperous and cultured family. Only in such a family can one pursue spirituality. If one is born in poverty, one does not have time for spirituality.

Suppose one is born in a family with prosperity but without culture? Sri Krishna says, this will not help him.  Money without culture is dangerous; because all the money will be used on purely materialistic pursuits such as clubs, alchohol etc. Such a person performs no pooja, has no religion, has nothing; that is in fact worse than being born poor.

In the new life he will use all his prosperity for spiritual growth.  He will perform more of nishkama karma; he can do more of service because dharma is there in the mind; money is there; when dharma and artha come together, he will use all the money for noble activities; nishkama karma will be more and all those karmas will give him more purity and sadhana chatushtaya sampathi. In the purva janma he failed because of his incomplete qualifications; now all those qualifications will be completed in the next janma and he will be ready for Gyanam.

Now, Sri Krishna gives a second possibility although it is a rare one.

Shloka # 42:

अथवा योगिनामेव कुले भवति धीमताम्।
एतद्धि दुर्लभतरं लोके जन्म यदीदृशम्।।6.42।।

Or , he is born in a family of wise yogins. This sort of birth , however, is far rarer in the world.

He is born to a Gyani, although they may not be in prosperity. Not born in prosperity here means they lead a very simple life. When there is Gyanam, poverty is not a curse.

It will be considered as an ideal thing for following tapas. You do not have to specially practice sanyasa; because you have to have something to renounce; therefore I need not work for sanyasa. Being born to Yogi’s he need not go in search of a guru as well.

Fewer possessions mean less to worry about.

Thus, such a birth, as child of a gyani, is a rare one. It is rare because Gyanis themselves are rare and a grihasta gyani is rarer still.

The next question was: Will I start my spiritual sadhanas from scratch again or is it a continuation of my knowledge into the next birth?

Sri Krishna says,  “You will be born with spiritual knowledge of the previous birth.” He is thus a spiritual genius. So, a spiritual genius was probably a Yoga Brashta in his previous birth.

Shloka # 43:

तत्र तं बुद्धिसंयोगं लभते पौर्वदेहिकम्।
यतते च ततो भूयः संसिद्धौ कुरुनन्दन।।6.43।।

There he acquires memory of the ideas relating to his previous body, and he labors harder, O Bharata prince! to achieve perfection.

In the new birth, in a prosperous family or Gyani’s family, this jiva gets associated with spiritual gains of his previous birth.

Why is it so?

As per shastras, between the two janmas, body is different but not the mind. While body dies, the mind does not. Sukshma shariram does not die.

A mother gives birth to a body but not the mind. Every child comes into this world with his or her own Vasanas. In the early years the vasanas remain dormant but manifest themselves in later years.

How do you know a child is a spiritual genius? From it’s inclinations. In Vedanta class’s people who attend are of various age groups, young and old. Age is of the body, not the mind. Gyana Vrudha (old) is a mature person. Body is 15 but Gyanam maybe 95 years old.

Take away:

1. Pessimism is a common obstacle for every seeker. Will I ever get moksha in this life?
2. In chapter # 18, Sri Krishna says even if a person listens to Gita without understanding it, it produces punyam.
3. If one is born in poverty, one does not have time for spirituality.
4. When there is Gyanam, poverty is not a curse. Poverty here means leading a simple life.
5. A mother gives birth to a body but not the mind. Every child comes into this world with his or her own vasanas.

With Best Wishes

Ram Ramaswamy

Greetings All,

Chapter 2, Anuvaka 3, shloka 2:

Of that former annamaya, this pranamaya is the atman. Different from this pranamaya-self made up of pranas, there is another self constituted of the mind. With that self, made of mind, the pranamaya is full. This is also of the form of man. Its human form is according to that of the former. Of it, Yajus is the head, Rk is right side, Saman is the left side, the scriptural injunction (adesa) is the trunk and the group of hymns of Atharva –Vada is the tail and support. There is the following Vaidika verse about it.

We are in anuvakaha # 3 of Brahmanadavalli. The Upanishad has entered Pancha Kosha Viveka.  This viveka is supposed to sensitize the mind. Mind has to become very sensitive. Citing an example: An axe is used to cut a tree; a blade is used to shave your face; the blade is subtler than the axe. A laser is used in eye surgery; it is an even more sensitive instrument. Thus sensitivity of instrument depends on subtlety of operation. Here, for understanding the atma, something inconceivable, the mind has to be very subtle. The subtlety of mind has to develop gradually. Thus, we started from annamaya and went to pranamaya; or from anatomy to physiology. Physiology is not tangible. Thus, functioning of eye can only be detected by testing it and not by a direct check. Pranamaya is thus subtler than annamaya.

Upanishad has made Pranamaya the Atma now. So we have to dwell on Prana. A Rig mantra was used to tell us this. Every physical body is a bead and through every body the life principle passes through. It is that which makes us alive and is called Sutra upasanam. If one practices this upsana two benefit accrue.

Sakama Upsana: One gets a long life.

Nishkama Upasana: One gets Chitta shudhi, Chitta Ekagrata, Chitta Vishalata. The mind becomes sensitive enough to go to next layer called manomaya.

In shloka # 2 we are also now entering manomaya. Really speaking Pranamaya is not atma. The atma is actually monomaya. Where is manomaya located? It is within pranamaya. With this pranamaya becomes anatma or a kosha. Every thing including anatma is born out of atma. Pranamaya is Karyam or it has nama and roopa. Thus, it is not a substantial entity. It only has a borrowed existence. It is Mithya. As such, it is as good as non-existent. This understanding in us is known as Pravilapanam or dissolution. Mithya is dissolved in satyam. Pranamaya is dissolved in manomaya.

Another important point to note in this meditation is that we are practicing annamaya and samashti annam aikyam. Then we practice pranamya and samashti prana aikyam. It shows Vyashti and Samashti aikyam at every level. The resolution of microcosmic also results in resolution of the macrocosmic.

Now, we are at manomaya. This manomaya (the content) fills pranamya kosha (the container). What is shape of manomaya? Manas does not have a shape of its own. It is like water. It assumes the shape of container. It takes shape of pranamaya. Now, pranamaya also has no shape of its own. So annamaya lends shape to pranamaya. Pranamaya in turn lends shape to manomaya. Thus, manomaya atma has manushya akara. It is a borrowed akara.

Once this is accepted, Manomaya has five factors. Atma is the head as Yajur Veda mantra. Rig Veda mantra is right hand side or south side. Sama Mantra is left hand side. Scriptural injunctions also known as adesha or Vidhi vakya, is the trunk. Atharvana Veda mantra is the tail and thus the support.

Shankaracharya says, Atharvana Veda is meant for health wealth etc. They provide Iha Loka Phalam. Whatever your goal is in life, one has to take care of health. Money, health, mental health’s are all important. Before going for adrishta phalam one has to obtain drishta phalam.

Shankaracharya now discusses a specific problem in this shloka. In annamaya its five factors are an intrinsic part of annamaya. In Pranamaya the five factors are also part of pranamaya. However in Manomaya the five factors are Vedas that are external to manomaya. How have outside factors become part of manomaya atma?

Answering his own question, shankaracharya says, Vedas are wisdom in form of thought or manovrithi. Rig mantra is Rig manovrithi. In Vedas, thought is converted to sound and then re-communicated as a thought. Every mantra is Vrithi; it is converted to sound and then thought. Thus Yajur, Rig, Sama are all Vrithi’s (thoughts). Therefore Rig mantra is on right side and Sama on left etc. Vrithis are a part of manomaya atma.

Last line of this shloka says with respect to manomaya atma there is a Rig mantra.

Chapter 2, Anuvakaha # 4, Shloka # 1: Rig mantra.

Whence all speech turns back with the mind without reaching It (The eternal truth or Brahman). He who knows  the bliss of eternal truth, the Brahman, fears not at any time. This mind is the embodied soul of the pranamaya. Of this pranamaya the manomaya is the Self.

Now we are entering anuvakaha # 4, shloka # 1, a Rig mantra. The mantra starts at Yato and ends at Kadachaneti.

Here the upasana is a Vyashti samashti Upsana. The goal is Vyashti samashti aikyam.

Hiranyagarbha (brahman) is total manomaya. This is glorification of Hiranyagarbha. He being Samashti or the total, individual mind cannot conceive of it. Hiranyagarbha is inconceivable to the mind. Vyashti cannot measure Samashti. Hiranyagarbha is embodiment of highest ananda (brahmanada). This ananda is meditated upon. Samashti hiranyagarbha in Vyashti Manomaya is meditated upon.

The benefits of Manomaya meditation are:

1. Sakama: The person will not have any fear at all. Hiranyagarbha gives him highest security in relative terms as possible.
2. Nishkama karma: Gives Chitta shuddhi, Chitta Ekagrata and Chitta Vishalata. Mind becomes sensitive enough to go to the next step.

This manomaya atma is called sharira atma. Annamaya and pranamaya are respectively shariram or the Deha while manomaya is the Dehi.

Chapter 2, Anuvakaha # 4, Shloka # 2:

Different from that made up of mind (manas) is another inner soul made up of intelligence (Vignana) and by that this (manomaya-self) is filled. It also has the shape of man. According to the human shape of the previous, is the human shape of this one. Faith (sraddha) is its head, righteousness (Rtam) its right side, Truth (satyam) its left side, Yoga is the trunk and total intellect (mahah) is the tail and support. There is this following Vaidika verse about it.

Here Upanishad is taking us to the next step or layer. Manomaya is not really the atma. The Atma is Vignanamaya atma. Where is this atma located? It is located within manomaya. Thus, now, manomaya has become an anatma.

Manomaya becomes a Karyam. Anatma is always a product. Whatever is a product is only a nama and roopa. Thus, Karyam is only a nama and roopa. Therefore, anatma is called mithya as it depends on something else. Anatma has only a borrowed existence; it does not have its own existence. As such it is as good as non-existence. Therefore, manomaya does not exist.  This is known as Pravilapanam or the intellectual denial of the existence of manomaya. Manomaya atma is swallowed. Vyashti and Samashti are both resolved in the process.

Vignanamaya also has Manushya akara. It is a borrowed akara from manomaya. Thus Vignanamaya is in a manushya container.

The five factors of Vignanamaya or knowledge are now defined. Knowledge is required for karma.  Manas stands for doubts. Thus, the more subtle knowledge destroys doubts.

With Best Wishes,

Ram Ramaswamy

Greetings All,

Shloka # 34:

चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद्दृढम्।
तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम्।।6.34।।

The mind is indeed fickle, O Krishna! a tormentor, powerful and hard. I deem its control as extremely difficult as that of the wind.

Continuing his teaching of the Gita, Swami Paramarthananda said, in the first part of Chapter six Sri Krishna has completed his discussion of topic of meditation. This topic has four parts to it. They are the general disciplines to be followed before meditation (Bahiranga Sadhanani), specific disciplines (Antaranga Sadhanani) to be followed before meditation ( Dhyana swaroopam), the actual process of meditation and finally benefits of meditation (Dhyana Phalam). After completion of this topic, Arjuna asks a question about obstacles to meditation. Scriptures discuss four types of obstacles. Arjuna, however, mentions one of them namely the wandering nature of the mind. With a wandering mind it is difficult to focus during Vedantic meditation. Mind should focus, but it does not.  This is known as Vikshepa or chanchalatvam. This was discussed in shlokas 33 and 34 respectively. Arjuna says, I have the mental steadiness to receive your teaching but I am not able to retain it. Arjuna is a Madhyama adhikari. In such a person Gyana Nishta does not take place. What should I do? This mind is a slimy thing. I am not able to control it. In shloka # 34, Arjuna cries out to Sri Krishna, saying the mind wanders. It goes where it wants not where I want it to go. Its disturbance gets passed on to my sense organs as well. In a disturbed mind, the hand, feet, and other organs are agitated and move. This transfer of disturbance to sense an organ is known as Pramathi. Pramathi is a nature of the mind.

The disturbance of mind is also very strong. I thought I was the master; I now realize I am only a helpless servant. Mind even overrules the intellect. Even arguing with the mind does not help. The mind gets stuck on a topic to its liking. Its hold on external world, Anatma, is very strong. Unless I pull the mind from anatma how can I channel it towards the atma? An extrovert mind cannot perform Atma dhyanam. I find it difficult to discipline my mind. Mano jayah is biggest victory in life, per scriptures. I need your help. In shloka Su-dushkaram means very difficult to control.

Shloka # 35:

श्री भगवानुवाच

असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलं।
अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते।।6.35।।

Doubtless, O hero! The mind is difficult to control and fickle. But by means of practice and detachment, son of Kunti! It may be held in check.

Sri Krishna said:

Here Sri Krishna presents the remedies to Arjunas problem in shlokas 37-39. It is also known as Vikshepa Parihara. Vikshepa is extroverted-ness of mind while parihara means its remedy. Sri Krishna tells Arjuna his problem is not unique. It is a universal problem. That is the reason it is addressed by the shastras. First, one has to acknowledge the problem, and then the solution comes.

Sri Krishna says while handling the mind is difficult, it is not impossible. He presents two methods to overcome the mind problem. They are:

1) Abhyasa and

2) Vairagyam.

What is abhyasa? Abhyasa means practice. We should remember the mind dwells on anything it has an interest in without distraction. Thus, while reading a novel one can get so engrossed in it that one forgets time. In this case the mind is able to focus fully & effortlessly. We as humans do have the ability to concentrate; the question is concentrating on what? How to develop an interest in the field? By learning of its value says Swamiji.

Thus, interest leads to love; and love leads to concentration. This is called viveka abhyasa and leads to Nithya-Anithya viveka.

And how do you develop a value; only by trying to understand its superiority; and this process is called viveka abhyasah. One sees the superiority of something by repeatedly reading about it; talking about it; sharing it; you develop a value for it; it is called nitya anitya vasthu vivekah. So develop healthy habits by knowing the greatness of dharma, by knowing the greatness of moksha. This will lead to developing an interest in dharma and moksha; and this is called viveka abhyasah. It is all about the study of scriptures. Scriptural study initially talk about the superiority of God and how depending upon God is the only worthwhile thing in life; and how dependence on any other unpredictable factors in life is going to be risky.

The more I understand that dependence on unpredictable fluctuating factors is unintelligent, and dependence on the predictable and infinite God alone is worthy in life, means I am in the right path.

One learns to move from World dependence to God dependence to Self -dependent.

World is highly fluctuating as such risky. Sorrow is because of dependence on something. What is Nithyam and anithyam, one has to learn from shatras. We learn God dependence is good. My life style changes depend on God more. Religious life is God dependence. God dependence is considered Shubha Vasana.

You live among perishable? Citing an example, suppose there is a cardboard chair. You can do a lot of things with it except you can’t sit on it. The only chair you can sit on is God dependent.

So sitting on a strong chair is viveka; coming out

of the weak chair is vairgyam. Giving up of emotional dependence, giving up of that weakness is called, vairagyam. Another way of presenting it is to say drop the attachment.

People say Vedanta is dry but once you get into it is very juicy.

Shloka # 36:

असंयतात्मना योगो दुष्प्राप इति मे मतिः।
वश्यात्मना तु यतता शक्योऽवाप्तुमुपायतः।।6.36।।

I hold that for the man whose self is uncontrolled, Yoga is hard to achieve. On the contrary, it can be won by him who has disciplined it by employing appropriate means.

So the same idea Krishna is clarifying further. Viveka and vairagya are only the two methods by which the mind changes its interest from the perishable to

the imperishable. It changes its interest from something fake to something real. And if that mind has not practiced viveka and vairagya; such a mind is called asamyatatma mind;

Atma here means mind; asamyatam means not channelized; channelized from the perishable to imperishable; from the unhealthy to healthy; from artha kama pradhana to dharma moksha pradhana.

In shloka, atma means mind. For such a person, without control of mind, meditation is difficult.

Whereas when you have got interest for something your mind will be only dwelling upon that; whatever I love, the mind effortlessly dwells on that; pasyan, srinnvan, sprrsan jignan; it will think of that only; similarly when I have got a value for that; the mind will naturally run towards that.

When I have high value for spirituality mind runs towards it. One becomes like a new mother who has given birth to a child. A mother’s mind is always on her newborn baby. A mother values her child. So, also does the person who has discovered a new value in life.

Thus, one with Viveka and vairagya, will have a mind without distractions and he will be able to able to perform Vedantic meditation. One who has disciplined his mind through viveka and vairgyah should read the scriptures, dwell upon the basic teachings of our scriptures, and understand how from world dependence one moves to God dependence and then to self-dependance. He should see the abstract benefit of scriptural knowledge. Sri Krishna says, have whatever you want but depend upon Ishwara.

Shloka # 37:

अर्जुन उवाच
अयतिः श्रद्धयोपेतो योगाच्चलितमानसः।
अप्राप्य योगसंसिद्धिं कां गतिं कृष्ण गच्छति।।6.37।।

Arjuna said:

What fate, Krishna! is in store for the lax practitioner of Yoga whose mind is rich in faith but who fails to reach perfection in Yoga?

With previous shloka Sri Krishna concludes his answer to Arjuna’s question on how to handle a restless mind. What is the solution? Solution is viveka and vairagyam, which means developing an interest in the object of meditation; which is possible only by reading those books which talk about the glory of those objects; and also through satsanga; having friends who have got such values.

Satsang is very important. Shankaracharya says the following about Satsang:

satsaṅgatvē nissaṅgatvaṁ;

nissaṅgatvē nirmōhatvam |

nirmōhatvē niścalatattvaṁ

niścalatattvē jīvanmuktiḥ ||

Nissangatvam means Vairagyam.

The Satsang’s values also come to you. Thus, your values change. Anything you get addicted to, you find a way to get out of it. Satsang helps with our addiction. Instead of Viveka the word abhyasa is used in shloka. With Chapter # 6 topic of meditation is over. Now Arjuna asks a question. He is pessimistic about managing his mind. This pessimism is also a human weakness. Sri Krishna says faith in one self is very important. In the beginning of the 6th chapter, Krishna said never look down upon yourself; never be diffident; because if I do not have self-confidence; atma kripa is not there. Arjuna’s question is, will all the sadhanas that I have performed in this life be wiped out in next life and do I start anew?

Shlokas 37, 38 and 39 are Arjuna’s pessimistic questions. Those who struggle in spirituality are called Yoga Bhrashta. Failure comes only to those who attempt.  What happens to them in next birth?

Yoga bhrashta is described as one who has fallen from spirituality. Chalit manas means he has fallen. He fell due to lack of insufficient effort. Effort was not enough due to many obstacles. Obstacles are of three types. They are:

• Supernatural;
• Surroundings; and
• One Self, such as ill health etc.

Even though he could not put in enough effort, he was sincere. What happens to him?  He could not obtain moksha despite his sincerity. To be born a human being with interest in spirituality and being able to pursue it requires a lot of punyam. So, what happens in his next birth? Arjuna explains his pessimism in this shloka.

 Take away:

1. Viveka Abhyasa and Vairagyam are essential for control of mind.
2. Control of mind is difficult. Mind likes to focus on things it likes. Thus, we can get absorbed in a novel or a movie we like. The mind has to develop a liking for Vedanta. Over time the mind will come to love Vedanta. It will then be able to focus on the teachings.
3. Satsanga is also important to bring about Vairagyam.

With Best Wishes

Ram Ramaswamy

Greetings All,

Chapter 2, Anuvakaha # 2, Shloka # 2.

Other than that (soul) made up of the essence of food there is an inner soul (sheath) made up of Prana. With it this is filled. This (pranamaya) is of the same form as the previous. Its human form is exactly as human form of the former. Of that, Prana is the head, vyana is the right side, apana is the left side , akasa is the trunk, earth is the tail or the support. About this also there is the following Vaidika verse.

We are in the middle of anuvakaha #2 of chapter # 2 in which panchakosha viveka topic has been started. Annamaya was introduced as the Atma and the body is taken as our Atma. Upon this annamaya (one’s body) one has to perform Virat meditation. Through this meditation we recognize that annamaya does not exist separate from annam. It is very similar to the concept that a wave is not separate from the ocean. We create the separation by attributing reality to the wave. Once we create this separation in attribute then the birth and growth of the wave makes us happy while its death makes us sad. The wave itself does not have any powers. The power to disturb me (with joy and sorrow) is given by me to the wave. I gave the wave more power than it deserved. The ocean alone is the reality; it alone is, was and will be. There is no wave. The more I shift my attention to the ocean the lessor will be my wave abhimana or identification with wave and it cannot upset me. Once I get the vishwaroopa darshanam of the ocean, then I see only the ocean. Samashti (macro) upasana reduces Vyashti (Micro) abhimana. Anna upasana reduces annamaya abhimana. After practicing this meditation for a length of time then one moves to the next step.

This process of meditation is like plucking a ripe fruit. Before ripening it is difficult to pluck a raw fruit; the plucking leaves tears on the tree and the fruit. Wait for it to ripen. So, practice anna-aikya upasana for some time to reduce the abhimana. Effectively you should be ripe enough through meditation to go to the next step. Now we move to the next Kosha known as Pranamaya.

Now, pranamaya becomes the Atma while annamaya becomes a kosha or anatma. Annamaya becomes a Karyam. Anatma is always a product. Whatever is a product is only a nama and roopa. A substance cannot be produced. Law of conservation of energy means energy cannot be produced or destroyed. Thus, Karyam is only a nama and roopa. Therefore, anatma is called mithya as it depends on something else. Non-substantial pot is nama and roopa and it depends upon clay. So also annamaya depends upon annam. Anatma has only a borrowed existence; it does not have its own existence. As such it is as good as non-existence. Therefore, pot does not exist. There is only clay and nothing called pot. This is known as Pravilapanam or the intellectual denial of the existence of pot.

Where is pranamaya obtained? It obtains in annamaya kosha. Annamaya is the container while pranamaya is the content. Annamaya is the Deha while pranamaya is the Dehi.

Annamaya container is filled with pranamaya atma. Pranamaya becomes anatma only after one moves to manomaya.

Annamaya is the solid body or manushya akara. Pranamaya is the energy body. Pranamaya does not have an intrinsic shape of its own. It is like water. Water does not have its own shape. Shapeless water assumes shape of the vessel. The container shapes the content. Therefore, pranamaya is also manushya adhara. How long will it retain this shape? As long as the body exists it retains that shape. Upon death Prana will not have purusha akara. Its next shape will depend upon the next body it enters.

How did it get the manushya shape? In keeping with human shape of the annmaya, the container, the content is also shaped.

What are the five factors of pranamya? The head, the right side, the left side, the trunk and the tail.

Corresponding to the five factors Pranamaya has five features. They are: Prana, apana, vyana, samana and udana. Of these five Prana, the life breath is the most important one as such it corresponds to the head. Vyana is the right side and deals with circulatory system that transports nutrients to the body. Apana is the left side dealing with waste clearing system. Akasha or Samana is the middle or trunk. Samana is the digestive system of the body. Udana is not discussed as it activates only at death and is known as the reversing system. The tail, the lower part of body is Prithvi devata that retains the Prana Vayu in the body.  Prithvi is connected to our Prarabhdham. Once our prarabhdhams are complete Prana leaves the body. In Pranamaya also there is a Samashti Prana Upasana. The following Rig mantra deals with this upsana.

Chapter 2, Anuvaka 3, Shloka # 1:

Through Prana, the gods (indriyas) live and so also do men and animal kingdom. Prana is verily the life of beings. Therefore, it is called universal life or life of all. Those who meditate on Brahman as Prana come to live the full span of their life. Prana verily is the life of beings. Therefore, it is called universal life or the life of all.

(Note: As per Swamiji, this shloka # 1 in our book extends to the first line of shloka # 2 in anuvaka # 3, as well. Looks like Swamiji’s book are different from ours.)

With this Rig mantra we are entering anuvaka 3. The Rig mantra ends at Tasyaisha Eva Sharira…..Purvasya.

Vedas originally did not have punctuations, as they were not a written text. However, with them now in writing, punctuations have appeared.

Pranamaya is a product of Samashti Prana or Hiranyagarbha or Sutra-Atma. Prana pervades whole universe. When an animal is killed annamaya is merged in samashti annam and pranamaya is merged in Samashti Prana. Samashti Prana is Sthithi Laya Karanam. All animals survive because of Samashti Prana. At death Prana goes out and Vayu does not come in.

Glorification of Prana:

All animals survive only due to blessing of Samashti Prana. Disturbance in Pranic energy can cause disease. Surya Devata is abode of Samashti Prana. Sun’s rays are considered Pranic energy. Therefore life of a being is a blessing of Hiranyagarbha. Worship of sun during sandhyavandanam changes our pranic energy. Samashti Prana is called Sarvayushma , the life span of every being.

Now the Upasana is discussed. There is no Vyashti Pranamaya separate from Samashti Pranamaya.  It is similar to concept of a wave that is not separate from the ocean. It is only a Nama and Roopa that disappears. Therefore, death is not a tragedy.

There is a Marana Mantra or death mantra usually chanted at time of death. The mantra says, let Virat Prana merge into Samashti Prana and so on. It is like a river merging into the ocean. Death is a scared event of going back home. Abhimana of Vyashti Pranamaya comes down through this meditation. The meditation is called Pranamaya, prana aikya upasana. Samshti Prana is called Prana Brahma. It is an upsana on Vyashti pranamaya.

What are the benefits of this meditation or Phallam?

Benefits of Sakama Upasana are: Whosoever practices this upsana (sandhyavandanam includes it), they get a full life or long life as Prana is favorable to them.

Benefits of Nishkama Upasana are: Chitta shuddhi and Chitta Vishalata. In such a person, respect for life increases. Ahimsa becomes natural to him. Vegetarianism comes naturally to him. Pranamaya abhimana comes down. Abhimana tyaga is a benefit.

Only when you dis-identify from Pranamaya can you go to the next step of manomaya.

Chapter 2, Anuvaka 3, shloka 2:

Of that former annamaya, this pranamaya is the atman. Different from this pranamaya-self made up of pranas, there is another self constituted of the mind. With that self made of mind, the pranamaya is full. This is also of the form of man. Its human form is according to that of the former. Of it, Yajus is the head, Rk is right side, Saman is the left side, the scriptural injunction (adesa) is the trunk and the group of hymns of Atharva –Vada is the tail and support. There is the following Vaidika verse about it.

Until now Pranamaya was atma. Really speaking Pranamaya is also not atma. Atma is something other than Pranamaya. This atma is within Pranamaya and is called Manomaya. With this, now, Pranamaya has become a Kosha or an anatma.

Take Away

1. A wave is not separate from the ocean. We create the separation by attributing reality to the wave.
2. The ocean alone is the reality; it alone is, was and will be.
3. Once I get the vishwaroopa darshanam of the ocean, then I see only the ocean.

With Best Wishes,

Ram Ramaswamy

Greetings All,

Shloka # 32:

आत्मौपम्येन सर्वत्र समं पश्यति योऽर्जुन।
सुखं वा यदि वा दुःखं सः योगी परमो मतः।।6.32।।

Arjuna! He, who sees alike pleasure or pain in all beings, on the analogy of his own self, is deemed the supreme Yogin.

Continuing his teaching of the Gita, Swami Paramarthananda said, with this shloka Dhyana Phalam is completed. In these 32 shlokas of chapter #6, Sri Krishna talked about general disciplines to be followed before meditation (Bahiranga Sadhanani), specific disciplines (Antaranga Sadhanani) to be followed before meditation and finally Dhyana swaroopam, the actual process of meditation or dwelling on the teaching. The final topic Dhyana swaroopam is also the Dhyana Phalam. The benefit of this vedantic meditation is that the knowledge gets totally assimilated in the personality. It transforms the core personality. Due to this my attitude, towards people and world experiences, goes through a big change. This change is due to Vedantic meditation. Now, the world does not unsettle me anymore. World does not determine if it unsettles me; it is I alone who determine this. Vedanta makes the world incapable of disturbing me. This change of attitude is due to change in understanding of the world and myself.

Thus, through shravanam and mananam, one gets Gyanam; through nidhidhyasanam, one converts gyanam into gyana nishta. Elaborating, Sri Krishna points out the benefits of Nidhidhyasanam as:

• One obtains samadarshanam,
• One reaches the highest ananda,
• Devotion towards the Lord reaches its peak,
• Universal compassion arises

These are all the benefits of nidhidhyasanam; which is otherwise called jivanmukti; I am no more under the tyranny of the world and its people. And this inner psychological freedom is jivanmukti phalam. Thus four topics have been completed in the first 32 verses; bahiranga sadhanam; and antaranga sadhanam; dhyana svarupam and dhyana phalam.

Shloka # 33:

अर्जुन उवाच
योऽयं योगस्त्वया प्रोक्तः साम्येन मधुसूदन।
एतस्याहं न पश्यामि चञ्चलत्वात् स्थितिं स्थिराम्।।6.33।।

O Krishna ! Of this Yoga, elucidated by You as consisting in sameness, I do not see firm certitude, the mind being fickle.

The fifth topic is now introduced with a question from Arjuna. It starts from shloka # 33 and ends at Shloka # 36. The topic is obstacles to the practice of meditation and their remedies. Scriptures mention four types of obstacles in Manduka Upanishad. Gaudapada dealing with them talks of Mano-nigraha or discipline of the mind. If mind is undisciplined the Vedantic study remains intellectual. Mano-nigraha is prescribed for certain people; one’s who study and understand Vedanta but whose mind is not disciplined. When should I incur mental discipline? When I study Vedanta and Vedanta remains in one corner in my day-to-day life while my emotional problems continue. There is a gap between what I know and what I am. My problem is not knowledge but lack of mental discipline. Vedanta says such a person needs mano-nigraha. And since many people face this problem, shastra discusses mano-nigrahah as a discipline to be practiced after the study of Vedanta.

Why do some people have this problem and others don’t? Shastra says qualifications for studying Vedanta known as Sadhana Chatushtaya Sampathihi have been prescribed. For people who are qualified, mano-nigraha is not prescribed. For those who are not qualified but still study Vedanta, they need to perform Mano-nigraha. Sri Krishna knows Arjuna has this problem hence he prescribes it. Arjuna confesses he has this problem as well.

In Mandukya karika, in the name of mano-nigrahah, Vedantic meditation is prescribed, and the karika mentions four obstacles. Sri Krishna does not deal with all the four obstacles here. However, I thought, I will just briefly mention them. They are: layah, vikshepah, kashayah and rasasvadah. These are the four obstacles, which stand between my meditation and me.

Explanation of the four types of obstacles is:

1. Layah: Layah means the dullness of the mind or sleepiness of the mind. This is a universalcomplaint when we sit for meditation. So sleep is a common problem and it is tamas dominant.
2. Vikshepa: Indicates an overactive mind. It makes the mind wander.
3. Kashayaha: Mind is non-functional. It is between dull and active. Shock, trauma, separation etc., can stun the mind into this state. Extreme happiness can also cause this state.
4. Rasasvadaha: Pleasant feeling felt during meditation. It is not atmanada or Brahmananda. It is a condition of joy at quietude. The difference is brahmannada is enjoyed at all times while rasasvada is only present during meditation. Don’t be enamored by this state. It can be addictive. It is an obstacle to meditation. In this state if somebody disturbs your meditation, you get upset.

Gyani’s pleasure is in pashyan srinvan, sparshan, jignan; therefore rasasvadah, enjoying meditation pleasure is an obstacle.

What can one do about rasasvadaha? Instead of enjoying the pleasure, you have to dwell upon the teaching; which says you are ananda; not only during meditation, but also during an active life.

So these are four obstacles and what are the remedies?

Gaudapada himself says: the sleep should be countered by two methods; one is removing the cause of sleep and also by practice.

1. Following are causes of Laya.

• Over eating and then meditating; or Bahu Ashnan.
• Upset stomach or Ajirna.
• Sleep deficit or Nidra Sheshaha.
• Mind not habituated to meditation or abhyasaha.

Pavlovian association of mind; Mind should not go to sleep during meditation. The mind associates closing the eyes and withdrawal from the activities with the sleep alone. Therefore in meditation when you do all these things; mind thinks, Oh he is going to sleep sitting; the mind has to be trained; and the mind should know that this is the time of meditation; So by abhyasah the mind learns. This is the method of remedying the problem of sleep.

3. Vikshepa: Here too practice of Vairagyam is recommended as remedy. Sri Krishna discusses Vairagyam at a later stage when we will also get into it.
4. Kashayaha: Anger, jealousy, suppressed emotions. One is not aware of these emotions. In loneliness they surface such as while at an Ashram. Guadapada says let the steam out and release the emotions.
5. Rasasvada: By proper discrimination or understanding that this pleasure is conditional. I should remember that I am poornaha all the time.

Shloka # 34:

चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद्दृढम्।
तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम्।।6.34।।

The mind is indeed fickle, O Krishna! a tormentor, powerful and hard. I deem its control as extremely difficult as that of the wind.

The hyperactive mind is intense in my case, O Sri Krishna, says Arjuna. It makes other organs turbulent as well.

The mind is like a churning rod. When mind is active mouth becomes active, talking and eating; eyes become active without concentration and wanders; legs walk up and down.

When mind is disturbed it disturbs all indriyanis. Mind is very powerful. Mind does not obey nor follow the intellect. Normally intellect drives the mind.

Citing an example: initially the coffee drinking is intellectual. Later body demands it and even later this can cause withdrawal symptoms, when you stop coffee. While you wish to withdraw from coffee, your mind does not. This is the split personality every Vedantin goes through. This re-orienting the mind or vasana is a painful affair. It is like stopping drinking of alcohol. Remaining sober is painful. Vedanta considers us drunk from our many habits. It requires time and effort to withdraw from our ingrained habits.

Arjuna says I find it difficult, like controlling the wind. O Sri Krishna, You have to help me.

Take away:

1.Through shravanam and mananam, one gets Gyanam; through nidhidhyasanam, one converts gyanam into gyana nishta.

2.Nidhidhyasanam is also called jivanmukti. I am no more under the tyranny of the world and its people. I achieve inner psychological freedom.

With Best Wishes

Ram Ramaswamy

Chapter 2, Anuvakaha # 2, Shloka # 1.

All beings that exist on earth are born of food. They, hereafter, live by food; again, they ultimately go back to it and merge to become food. So, verily, food is the eldest of all creatures. On that ground it is called the medicament for all. Those who meditate on Brahman as food, indeed obtain all food. From food all beings are born, having been born, they grow by consuming food. Food is that which is eaten by the beings and also that, which in the end eats them; therefore, food is called annam.

Continuing his teaching of the Upanishad Swamiji refreshed our memory about last week’s class. In Anvakaha # 1, shloka # 4, of Brahmananda valli, in Chapter 2, annamaya was introduced. The Physical body and its five elements were also introduced. Purusha means physical body.  Physical body is introduced as the Atma in the beginning. We travel through each of the five Pancha Koshas in our mind. At first Annamaya is treated as Atma, our goal. The body has five parts such as the head, the left side, the right side, the trunk and the hind side.

Then in Chapter 2, Anuvakaha 2, shloka # 1, we were introduced to the Rg Mantra. It says Annam is the material cause of annamaya. The physical body is born from the physical universe. The external world, in a modified form, becomes the physical body. Karya and Karanam sambandam exists. Annam is the microcosmic (Vyashti) and Annamaya is the macrocosmic entity (Samashti). Both are of the same material. The word Pragya means Annamaya Atmas. They come out of annam and go back to annam. Upanishad wants us to meditate on Karana annam, the Macro entity. Upanishad now glorifies annam as it is the entity that is meditated upon.

Glorification of Annam:

First glory: is that it is Karanam or Karanatvam.

Second glory: Is that Karyam is inherent in Karanam. Thus, gold pervades all ornaments. So also, Karanam pervades all karyam. Annam is Sarvagatham, also known as Brahma, the all pervading. This is also called Brahmatvam.

Third Glory: Since annam is Karanam it must have existed before arrival of annam. Thus, again, gold existed before ornament; Clay existed before pot and so on. Therefore annam is eldest to all annamaya atmas hence it is called Jeshtam. Generally, elder brother is respected. This is Jeshtatvam.

Fourth Glory: Annam is called Sarva Oshadham. Osha means fire or Agni. There are two types of Agni. External Agni and internal agni (Vaishvanara agni).

If hunger is not quenched it burns your stomach. Swaha in mantra is used as offering to Agni. If food is not offered stomach lining will be eaten up, causing ulcer. The ulcer is caused by Hunger fire. Food is that oblation that quenches the internal fire. Food is inner fire extinguisher or Jatharagni. In the word Oshadham, the dham means quencher in all living beings. Therefore, annam is sarva Oshadham. Thus, Sarva Oshadatvam is fourth glory.

Upanishad says meditate on annam brahma with all these glories.

Now, how to visualize this all pervading annam? My vision is limited. How can I visualize the cosmic annam? Here, I need a symbol of the Virat Annam or an Alambanam. India is saluted through its flag. The flag symbolizes India. You visualize the nation in the flag. Therefore, visualize the virat on your own physical body. Virat Annamaya is your own body. Teacher says, “Vishwa virat  aikyam upsana Kuru”. Now, what benefit do I get from this upsana? Two types of benefits are indicated.

1. Material benefit accruing from Sakama upsana. Meditator gets material benefits. He will get plenty of annam. He will not starve. This benefit comes to all meditators.
2. Spiritual benefits accrue to a meditator who performs Nishkama Upasana. Narrow minded, divisiveness, goes away. The mind expands. Since you see the annam as Brahman it gives you Gyana Yogyata Prapthihi.

Annam is eldest among all material things. All beings are born out of annam. All bodies grow due to annam. It is the Sthithi Laya Karanam. Annam is derived from the world.

The word Adha means eaten and Atti means to eat. Annam is eaten and it is also the eater. Explaining this further, when we are growing we are eating from material coming from earth that is converted to food. After death, body is buried or cremated and it goes back into earth. Thus, the Earth gives us food for the body and it is also the eater of the body. Therefore, entire world of matter is called annam.

Chapter 2, Anuvakaha # 2, Shloka # 2.

Other than that (soul) made up of the essence of food there is an inner soul (sheath) made up of Prana. With it this is filled. This (pranamaya) is of the same form as the previous. Its human form is exactly as human form of the former. Of that, Prana is the head, vyana is the right side, apana is the left side , akasa is the trunk, earth is the tail or the support. About this also there is the following Vaidika verse.

Annamaya and annam are essentially the same. Matter that is outside of annam and inside of annam are the same. Fire, air, water, space and earth, the Pancha Bhautikam, or matter, are in both.  Thus, there is no death for body. Physical body remains Pancha Bhautika before and after death.  When wave is destroyed it remains as ocean. There is only a temporary vision of separation. Wave is a temporary appearance. Destruction means existing in some other form. Fear of death is born out of delusion and over identification with form. The variation of form varies in nature. Everybody ages with time. After death also the body exists but in a different form. The more I meditate on total content (Fire, water earth etc.) then I am focusing on content only.  Nama Roopa Drishti causes fear of death. The stronger the ego is the greater is the fear of death. Once my abhimana becomes weak there is no fear of death. When the wave identifies with water, it is not worried about wave death. Deha abhimana is loosened through this meditation. Fear of death comes down. The stronger is Deha abhimana the more it is against Brahma Upasana.

Death is a natural event and does not require sorrow. Even worry about death of physical body is meaningless. This knowledge makes me ready for the next step.

Previously we said annamaya is atma. Now, the Upanishad says, atma is something different. It is “in” annamaya but subtler than annamaya. This subtle one is Pranamaya and it is the Atma. It is interior to annamaya. Now, we are on Step # 2, Pranamaya. Now, we have to leave step # 1 as well.

What does it mean when we say leave step # 1?

It is an intellectual journey of understanding. Once we say pranamaya is atma and annamaya is not atma; we mean annamaya is anatma or it is Annamaya kosha. The word kosha also means Anatma.

In previous shloka the Upanishad said Atma is the cause of everything. The entire Anatma Prapancha is also born out of atma. All anatma is a product of atma. So, if annamaya is anatma it is also a product of atma or Atma Karyam. Any product is nothing but a name and a form alone and not a substance at all. All ornaments are only names and forms while the substance is only gold. Substance is not the bangle but the gold. It is the same with furniture and so on. Matter cannot be produced. What are produced are only a new shape and a name. Therefore, annamaya is anatma; it is karyam; it is nama and roopa alone.

Once a karyam is a nama roopa, it does not have a separate existence of its own. It depends on something else. Bangle depends on gold. This phenomenon is known as Mithya. Thus Anatmatva, Karyatva, Nama Roopatva, Mithyatva and Pravilapanatva are all attributes of mithya annam.

Whatever is dependent is on borrowed existence. Borrowed existence does not have its own existence. Without its own existence it is as good as non-existence.

Citing an example, when I say,” You are beautiful with the ornaments”, it means, without ornaments, you will not be beautiful. It means you have borrowed beauty   or you can say you have no beauty.

Perception of this non-existence is called resolution. Because of clay vision the pot vision is resolved.    When I saw the elephant I thought it was real until I saw the wood; then the elephant went away. Karana drishti resolves Karyam and this phemonenon is called Pravilapanam.

Annamaya is resolved, as annam is Mithya. Now, I have to practice pranamaya upsana before I can go to next step of Manomaya. Like dream world is resolved when I wake up so also after going through all five kosha’s I come to atma.

Take Away

1. Destruction just means existing in some other form. Fear of death is born out of delusion and over identification with form.
2. When the wave identifies with water, it is not worried about wave-death anymore.

With Best Wishes,

Ram Ramaswamy

Greetings All,

Shloka # 28:

युञ्जन्नेवं सदाऽऽत्मानं योगी विगतकल्मषः।
सुखेन ब्रह्मसंस्पर्शमत्यन्तं सुखमश्नुते।।6.28।।

Thus integrating himself always, the sinless Yogin easily achieves contact with Brahaman or infinite bliss.

Continuing his teaching of the Gita, Swami Paramarthananda said, in this chapter of the Gita, Sri Krishna is talking about benefits of Vedantic meditation. Vedantic meditation is dwelling on the teaching received from Guru. By dwelling, the teaching gets assimilated. The indication that the assimilation of teaching is happening is when I don’t forget the teaching during my day-to-day transactions. When teaching is not assimilated, it is available to me only during Sravanam because, later, my old personality comes back. While I have Gyanam it does not help me during transactions or crisis. Knowledge that does not help me in day-to-day life is useless. Therefore, I should be able to assimilate the teaching. Only with enough time, can I assimilate the teaching. Just as when they construct the wall or a roof, to make the wall well-set, they do the job of curing, that is pouring water; the more the water is poured and gets absorbed in the wall or roofing; the more well-set it is; and therefore the question is am I willing to give time for Vedanta? Giving time to Vedanta is Nidhidhyasanam. And, what is this teaching of Vedanta? The teaching is:

1. The first stage of teaching is I am not the body mind complex; but I am the consciousness inhering the body, mind complex. I am the atma, not the anatma; I am the dehi; not the deha; I am the spirit; not the matter.
2. The second stage of teaching is I, the consciousness, which inheres this body, not only inheres this body, but the very same consciousness is inherent in all the bodies;  Therefore I the consciousness is in every body. First lesson is I the consciousness am different from the body and pervading the body; the second level of teaching is, not only, I pervade this body; but I pervade, I inhere every body,
3. And the third and final level of teaching is in fact, I am not in everybody; on the other hand, all the bodies are in Me; the space like Consciousness.

When I say I am in every body, it is called antaryamitvyam; when I say everybody is in me, it means sarva adharatvam;

Thus, initially, atma is sarva antaryami; then later atma is sarva adharah or adhishtanam.

It is like understanding space that I have spoken about before. First I talk about the space, which is other than the wall, which is confined within this room. I say space is that which is available within this room. And then I say the space is not only in this room; space is in every room. And finally I say in fact space is not in the hall, on the other hand, all the halls are within the one all-pervading space. When you say space is within the room; it is called antaryamitvyam. When you say all the rooms are in one-all pervading space, it is called sarvadharatvam.

I should never forget this teaching even at the time of a great tragedy. I should remember it all the time so that it entrenches in me as Nidhidhyasanam. The mind should get saturated with this knowledge. So, Nidhidhyasanam is giving time for Vedanta. The more you invest the better.

Shloka # 29:

सर्वभूतस्थमात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि।
ईक्षते योगयुक्तात्मा सर्वत्र समदर्शनः।।6.29।।

With equality of vision everywhere, he whose inner sense has been attuned to Yoga beholds the Self in all beings and beings in the Self.

Gyani is one whose mind is saturated with this knowledge. Mind invokes the knowledge it is saturated in. A scientist is also one with a saturated knowledge that is how Newton saw the universal law in the falling apple. If you are a Vedantin, you will only see Vedanta. In the shloka, Yoga means Nidhidhyasanam and Yukta means saturated. This saturation occurs through Vedantic meditation. He sees the Atma in everyone, even in normal interactions. The Atma is like a thread that keeps all beads together. While he does see the physical, intellectual and emotional differences; but in and through the differences, he does not lose sight of the oneness of atma.  It is like seeing the one gold inherent in all ornaments.

And what is his vision? He sees the atma as residing in every living being. It is like seeing that space is present in every hall. This is also called Sarva-Anataryami-darshanam. And he also sees the reverse vision. What is reverse vision? Instead of space is within the hall, you begin to say, all the halls, all the planets, all the stars, all the galaxies, they are all in one space.

All bodies are in one Atma. And he is aware of the fact, that atma is imperishable while bodies are perishable and anatma is perishable. And when he is looking for security in life he hold on to atma; when ananda is needed; holds on to atma; when limitlessness is needed; holds on to atma; and for everything else holds on to anatma.

Thus, there are the two channels of atma and anatma. We should know how to use them. The tragedy of human being is he expects security from insecure things, insecure people and insecure relationship. He seeks security in the insecure anatama.

Gyani knows what to seek from where. If he is hungry, he will not go to atma; atma will not help you there. But when you want permanence, when you want immortality; He knows he can obtain it only from atma.

He gets this benefit by giving time to Vedanta.

Shloka # 30:

यो मां पश्यति सर्वत्र सर्वं च मयि पश्यति।
तस्याहं न प्रणश्यामि स च मे न प्रणश्यति।।6.30।।

I am not lost to him who beholds Me everywhere and beholds everything in Me; Neither is he lost to Me.

In this shloka Sri Krishna makes a small note. He refers to a topic, which he discusses later, that is Bhakti. Bhakti starts in chapter # 7. This appreciation of Atma everywhere is the greatest form of Bhakti. The atma in every being is the atma in me as well. I am the atma that is everywhere. This is Ishwara Darshanam. This is the highest form of Bhakti possible through Self Knowledge. All others are lower forms such as bhakti for a God. And God is subject to arrival; gives darshanam to the devotee and make the devotee excited; and then the very same God tests the devotee by disappearing and making the devotee cry. In Bhagavatham the Gopikas cry when God left them. Lord is seen as a finite entity. Such a form of bhakthi is a wonderful form of bhakthi as a stepping-stone only. However, it is only an inferior bhakthi called apara bhakthi, dvaita bhakthi or bheda bhakthi. And after this apara bhakthi I still have to gain self-knowledge, atma gyanam and through that, I begin to recognize the atma everywhere and Sri Krishna says the all-pervading atma is really Bhagavan.

So, I still have to get Atma Gyanam. Personal God is not atma Gyanam. What is a higher form of God? It is atma swaroopam.

One who sees Me everywhere is seeing God everywhere. The personal God is not ultimate. God is in everybody as consciousness. When you see sentiency of body you see God. You are experiencing God as life principle in all beings. You see every being (bodies) in God. This God is the formless Atma. Then, why do we worship form? To appreciate formless, mind has to be made subtle and has to be prepared. Then it realizes formed God is not permanent rather it is the formless one that is. What is the benefit of this? Advantage is you are always with God. The all-pervasive God is not subject to arrival and departure. I will never go away from him. Such a Gyani can’t be blackmailed by anybody. Why should I depend on anyone when I have God with me?

Citing story of Birbal, Birbal told Akbar, “You can do something even God cannot do. You can banish anyone from your kingdom.”

God cannot banish anyone. Where will he push you? He is everywhere. For such a devotee I never disappear. We are inseparable. In other forms of Bhakti, God comes and goes. I am He and He is I.

In the shloka Pranashyati means does not disappear from me. Nash means disappear.

Shloka # 31:

सर्वभूतस्थितं यो मां भजत्येकत्वमास्थितः।
सर्वथा वर्तमानोऽपि स योगी मयि वर्तते।।6.31।।

Conforming to unity, the Yogin who adores Me, present in all beings, lives in Me, no matter how he appears to live.

At this level of highest bhakti experiences of bhakti differ. Before, I saw God as a human with all attributes and so was my experience of Bhakti. I took bath, so I gave bath to God. God also needs decoration, thus we have Shodash Upachara. Shankaracharya, in a work of his “para puja” says,” When I know You as an absolute God how can I offer you asanam when the whole world is in you?” Offering regular puja appears irrelevant. Inviting God does not make sense to him. His appreciation is the very Gyanam of God.

“ He worships me by his perception of Me everywhere”.

By seeing Gods one-ness, ekatvam, one present in every being in life, remaining in advaita drishti, he worships Me.

Such a person, a Sanyasi, need not do a formal worship. In a Math he may perform a formal worship for sake of devotees. His puja is the very Gyana Yagna, appreciation of God. Even though he does not practice regular rituals (sandhyavandanam etc.) his bhakti has reached invisible dimensions. Gyani’s bhakti is the highest and most refined bhakti. He can be leading any life style or be in any ashrama. His transformation is within him and not external to him. “Such a Gyani is in Me”. The words Mayi vartate means he is in Me.

Citing another example, a Gyani was sitting in a temple in front of God with his feet stretched out towards God.

People objected and told him you are disrespecting god. He asked them, show me a direction where God is not there and I will move my leg in that direction. Everywhere he turned his leg a shivalinga appeared. “We are inseparable”, said the Gyani.

Shloka # 32:

 आत्मौपम्येन सर्वत्र समं पश्यति योऽर्जुन।
सुखं वा यदि वा दुःखं सः योगी परमो मतः।।6.32।।

 Arjuna! He, who sees alike pleasure or pain in all beings, on the analogy of his own self, is deemed the supreme Yogin.

 Here Sri Krishna says a Gyani’s mind expands to such an extent that he identifies with all bodies as his own. And therefore all the bodies become like my bodies, my hands, and my legs. Such a Gyani can’t hurt anyone, as he will be hurting himself. Gyani becomes an embodiment of compassion and sympathy. He sees and empathizes with the pain of others. He cannot cause pain to others and if there is pain to anyone; then immediately and automatically, he goes to his rescue. He looks at every human being as himself. He has no partiality or selfishness. And therefore he follows the universal value of, what I do not want others to do to me; I should not do to others.

He is happy with others’ happiness as well. Anybody’s sorrow is his sorrow. And therefore the universal identification of a gyani is indicated; universal love of a gyani is indicated. Such a Gyani is the greatest person in the world; he is the greatest yogi, he is the most accomplished person.

Complaint of Vedanta is that it is selfish to pursue only self-knowledge. Sri Krishna says Gyani is never selfish. He withdraws from one family to identify with all families; from one house to identify with all; it is a withdrawal to expand. Self-knowledge is withdrawal from finite to identify with infinite.

Tragedy is that now we identify with just a few. Sanyasa is withdrawal from limited identification. He does not identify with nationality, caste etc. This universal expansion and compassion is the result of Gyana Nishta.

Take away:

1. Teaching of Vedanta:

• first stage of teaching is I am not the body mind complex; but I am the consciousness inhering the body, mind complex.
• I the consciousness am different from the body.
• I am the atma, not the anatma; I am the dehi; not the deha; I am the spirit; not the matter.
• second stage of teaching is I, the consciousness, which inheres this body, not only inheres this body, but the very same consciousness is inherent in all the bodies;
• the third and final level of teaching is in fact, I am not in everybody; on the other hand, all the bodies are in Me; the space like consciousness.

2. The universal value: what I do not want others to do to me; I should not do to others.
3. Swamiji says, one should remember the teaching again and again until it saturates me. In this saturated state one day the knowledge suddenly becomes reality within me. This is Nidhidhyasanam.
4. Gyani sees the atma as residing in every living being. It is like seeing that space is present in every hall. Think, do we ever consciously see the space in a hall? Try seeing the space rather than the room or the hall. It will give you a different perspective.
5. Self-knowledge is withdrawal from finite to identify with infinite.

With Best Wishes

Ram Ramaswamy

“Watch your thoughts, they become words;
watch your words, they become actions;
watch your actions, they become habits;
watch your habits, they become character;
watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”

This is a quote one often sees in the class rooms and other public places and attributed to many scholars like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Lao Tzu, Frank Outlaw, Gautama Buddha, Bishop Beckwaith, Father of Margaret Thatcher and Mahatma Gandhi.  Sometimes it is attributed to anonymous.

This is also a quote often mentioned by Swami Paramarthananda in his Upanishads and Baghawat Geeta classes.  When I inquired, Swamiji indicated that the origin is from Taitreya Aranyaka of Krishna Yajur Veda.  Subsequently, I traced the origin of the quote to Taitreya Aranyaka, Chapter 1, Anuvaga 23, Verse 1.  Here is a part of the verse in Sanskrit:

तस्मात् यत् पुरुषः सनसाअभिगच्छति।

तत् वाचा वदति।

तत् कर्मणा करोति।

यत् मनसः रेतः प्रथमं आतीत्।

तद्  कामः अग्रे समवर्तताधि।

तत् एषाअभि अनूक्ता ।

Shri Jayanthilal Patel, who is my Sanskrit teacher, gave the literal meaning of the verse as:

तस्मात् यत् पुरुषः सनसाअभिगच्छति। वाचा वदति।

Because of that whatever one thinks by mind

तत् कर्मणा करोति।

that one does

यत् मनसः रेतः प्रथमं आतीत्।

What is first in the mind as seed

तद्  कामः अग्रे समवर्तताधि।

that later forms as desire

तत् एषाअभि अनूक्ता ।

That is what this proclaimed

The quote, as currently formulated and presented at the beginning of the post, has practical applications by asking to us watch our thoughts, words and action.  These three form our habit and character which ultimately determine out destiny.  But in Vedanta, it has deeper meaning:

• Each of us control our destiny as we control our thoughts, words and action. We and we alone control our destiny.
• Katha Upanishad states that, atma, our non-changing consciousness, witnesses every one of our thoughts. We generally lose sight of the consciousness and act on our thoughts.  This, in turn, impacts our destiny.
• Katha Upanishad gives a wonderful example comparing a chariot to our life’s journey. In this example, control over thought patterns and mastery of sense organs are equated to pulling in the reins of the horses drawing the chariot.
• Taitreya Upanishad states that consciousness (atma) is the witness of the arrival and departure of our thoughts, indicating we, our consciousness, control our thoughts.

We may never know who the author of the quote as currently formulated, but it’s wisdom is based on the Vedas, specifically Taitreya Aranyaka, Chapter 1, Anuvaga 23, Verse 1 of Krishna Yajur Veda.  Maybe that is why sometimes this quote is attributed to Buddha or anonymous.