Friday, January 19, 2007
GITA 108 DAYS - Day 41
41. The Lord did not ‘create’ this world
Lord of the universe has no ownership of actions and he is not the one who ‘created’ the world. He doesn’t own the world either. He is not responsible for the appropriation of actions and their results. Everything works in accordance with their own innate behaviour and nature. Lord is not the one who sits somewhere and ‘orders’ around to ‘provide’ us with something and ‘makes’ us act. One need not find him, but should know him from within. So don’t proceed with actions on your own and accuse Him of ‘executing’ them.
Those who have controlled their senses mentally renounce all ‘actions’ and thus stay ‘action–less’, even while engaged in various kinds of activities. This state of having no mental claim of ‘doer-ship’ is the essence of the verse “chatur varNNyam maya srishtam”. I am the doer and non-doer at the same time. I remain at peace - I am not ‘doing ‘anything nor do I make others ‘do’ anything.
Sannyasa must be the love of our life and we should embrace it wholeheartedly. But the society sometimes look at sannyaasa as a way to escape from life when failures engulf in one’s life. Running away from life is not sannyasa. Do not tie sannyasa with anything - a sannyasi is not living by resisting anything. Daily activities are not at all a hindrance to a sannyasi.
Situation of those who perform their actions by submitting everything unto the Brahman, devoid of any thoughts on the fruits of actions is like water sitting on lotus leaves. He is not getting ‘wet’ by sin or misunderstandings. His life is like that of a lotus – an ideal example to show how to live life. Roots of the lotus flower is well immersed in the dirty and smelly swamp; but it stays slightly above the water (world) to spread its radiance and fragrance. Water cannot wet the lotus- but if there is a bit of water on it, that only enhances it’s beauty. In that water droplet, one can see the reflection of the sun and the moon and even our own image! What we need is the detachment of the lotus. Remain in the world, slightly above the ‘normal’ level, without making any imprints; but spread the fragrance you attained to the surrounding world thus becoming one with it. Lord’s eyes, hands etc. are often compared to lotus exemplifying this unique nature- not because the lotus is soft to touch.
Lord of the universe has no ownership of actions and he is not the one who ‘created’ the world. He doesn’t own the world either. He is not responsible for the appropriation of actions and their results. Everything works in accordance with their own innate behaviour and nature. Lord is not the one who sits somewhere and ‘orders’ around to ‘provide’ us with something and ‘makes’ us act. One need not find him, but should know him from within. So don’t proceed with actions on your own and accuse Him of ‘executing’ them.
Those who have controlled their senses mentally renounce all ‘actions’ and thus stay ‘action–less’, even while engaged in various kinds of activities. This state of having no mental claim of ‘doer-ship’ is the essence of the verse “chatur varNNyam maya srishtam”. I am the doer and non-doer at the same time. I remain at peace - I am not ‘doing ‘anything nor do I make others ‘do’ anything.
Sannyasa must be the love of our life and we should embrace it wholeheartedly. But the society sometimes look at sannyaasa as a way to escape from life when failures engulf in one’s life. Running away from life is not sannyasa. Do not tie sannyasa with anything - a sannyasi is not living by resisting anything. Daily activities are not at all a hindrance to a sannyasi.
Situation of those who perform their actions by submitting everything unto the Brahman, devoid of any thoughts on the fruits of actions is like water sitting on lotus leaves. He is not getting ‘wet’ by sin or misunderstandings. His life is like that of a lotus – an ideal example to show how to live life. Roots of the lotus flower is well immersed in the dirty and smelly swamp; but it stays slightly above the water (world) to spread its radiance and fragrance. Water cannot wet the lotus- but if there is a bit of water on it, that only enhances it’s beauty. In that water droplet, one can see the reflection of the sun and the moon and even our own image! What we need is the detachment of the lotus. Remain in the world, slightly above the ‘normal’ level, without making any imprints; but spread the fragrance you attained to the surrounding world thus becoming one with it. Lord’s eyes, hands etc. are often compared to lotus exemplifying this unique nature- not because the lotus is soft to touch.
Friday, January 12, 2007
GITA 108 DAYS - Day 40
40. There is no need to wear special attire to be a sannyasi
Gita advises us on the approaches we should take in conducting our day to day activities. Renunciation (Sannyaasa) does not mean that you are being entrapped in a system. It is a state of being completely free. Sri Krishna never ignored the external world; but internally, He accepted the One that is worthy of accepting-without the ego. Look at other species in nature- animals for example- they don’t have ego and so, to be ‘animal’ like is a state above the ‘human’ state as far as the ego is concerned. It is ego that keeps us away from nature.
The seeker (yogi) who has the inner knowledge also sees, hears, touches, smells, talks, holds, walks, excretes, breathes, closes his eyes and sleeps. But he is aware that these actions are done by the sense organs and not by ‘me’. Yogi knows that he is doing everything, but at the same time, he realizes that it is not ‘me’ who is acting.
Gita talks about the renunciation one should achieve within the house holder’s ordinary life. One should do and experience everything; at the same time he should reject the ‘ownership’ of such actions. Till today we thought of all actions as ours, but now we realize that they are not so. If there is any change occurring inside, it must be natural, without even us consciously knowing about it. Renunciation (Sannyaasa) is not suppressing or forcefully rejecting anything in life. It is being able to do and experience everything in life without getting attached to the results of such actions.
Sannyaasa is difficult to achieve without ‘karma yoga’. One attains sannyaasa through proper actions. In order to know that the state of sannyasa is a ‘friend’ and the goal, one should not limit himself. A house-holder does not become a sannyaasi by wearing saffron colored robes and rosaries (rudraksha). If the wife adorns saffron clothes and calls her husband “son, come here,” he will not be able to understand that. A house-holder must execute his duties in their respective roles of a sibling, a husband, a wife and a child without falling in the trap of attachment. A house-holder goes through many complexities of life and they will benefit the most by practicing sannyasa in their actions; not the monks sitting in forests or caves. One becomes complete by being a ‘sannyaasi’ and it is everybody’s right to be one. In this sannyaasa, we are not ‘rejecting’ anything, but we are not ‘accepting’ anything either as our own.
Gita advises us on the approaches we should take in conducting our day to day activities. Renunciation (Sannyaasa) does not mean that you are being entrapped in a system. It is a state of being completely free. Sri Krishna never ignored the external world; but internally, He accepted the One that is worthy of accepting-without the ego. Look at other species in nature- animals for example- they don’t have ego and so, to be ‘animal’ like is a state above the ‘human’ state as far as the ego is concerned. It is ego that keeps us away from nature.
The seeker (yogi) who has the inner knowledge also sees, hears, touches, smells, talks, holds, walks, excretes, breathes, closes his eyes and sleeps. But he is aware that these actions are done by the sense organs and not by ‘me’. Yogi knows that he is doing everything, but at the same time, he realizes that it is not ‘me’ who is acting.
Gita talks about the renunciation one should achieve within the house holder’s ordinary life. One should do and experience everything; at the same time he should reject the ‘ownership’ of such actions. Till today we thought of all actions as ours, but now we realize that they are not so. If there is any change occurring inside, it must be natural, without even us consciously knowing about it. Renunciation (Sannyaasa) is not suppressing or forcefully rejecting anything in life. It is being able to do and experience everything in life without getting attached to the results of such actions.
Sannyaasa is difficult to achieve without ‘karma yoga’. One attains sannyaasa through proper actions. In order to know that the state of sannyasa is a ‘friend’ and the goal, one should not limit himself. A house-holder does not become a sannyaasi by wearing saffron colored robes and rosaries (rudraksha). If the wife adorns saffron clothes and calls her husband “son, come here,” he will not be able to understand that. A house-holder must execute his duties in their respective roles of a sibling, a husband, a wife and a child without falling in the trap of attachment. A house-holder goes through many complexities of life and they will benefit the most by practicing sannyasa in their actions; not the monks sitting in forests or caves. One becomes complete by being a ‘sannyaasi’ and it is everybody’s right to be one. In this sannyaasa, we are not ‘rejecting’ anything, but we are not ‘accepting’ anything either as our own.
GITA 108 DAYS - DAY 39
39. See the Sky, not the Clouds
A ‘sannyaasi’ (renuncuiate) is one who has attaned that which is eternal and stable. Concepts of ‘permanent’ and ‘non- permanent’ are like the sky and the clouds. We say that we are looking at the sky, but what we ‘see’ are usually the small clouds only. Then we miss the ‘sky-ness’ altogether. What is steadfast and stable is the ‘I’ in me. Actions and their results, thoughts and emotions, etc. come and go in ‘me’ as the clouds appear and disappear in the sky.
Gita advises us not to have hatred towards anything. Everything is God and if we feel hatred towards anything, it is the hatred towards God. A ‘sannyyasi’ is one who does not hate anything, does not have any desires and he is unwavered by the pairs of opposites such as gain and loss. He is completely free from all bondages of action.
Yoga of knowledge (jnana yoga) and the yoga of action (karma yoga) are essentially one and the same . If we practice either one well, we will be benefited with the fruits of both. But Sri Krishna reminds Arjuna that ‘karma yoga’ is superior to renunciating karma altogether. One must do his duties in any case. Those who are not aware of the jnana yoga, will not become a ‘karma yogi’. A ‘jnana yogi’ will not be able to practice it without being a ‘karma yogi’ either. So Gita advices us to cut asunder the doubts emnating from the ignorance with the sword of wisdom. A ‘doubter’ perishes. It is those who cannot comprehend the Truth take refuge in ‘believes’. So a believer is always doubtful. A doubter’s knowledge is incomplete and the doubts emnate from lack of diligence. He will be restless and he will not be able to enjoy even this world, then what to talk about attaining the ultimate bliss?
A sin is basically ignorance and it is a false impression. In the fire of knowledge all sins get burnt into ashes. It is in this process of incineration that one becomes free from all confinements. A wise teacher (guru) imparts knowledge when a disciple asks with an attitude of service and reverence. Guru is the one who removes darkness by bringing in the light of knowledge in the disciple.
A ‘sannyaasi’ (renuncuiate) is one who has attaned that which is eternal and stable. Concepts of ‘permanent’ and ‘non- permanent’ are like the sky and the clouds. We say that we are looking at the sky, but what we ‘see’ are usually the small clouds only. Then we miss the ‘sky-ness’ altogether. What is steadfast and stable is the ‘I’ in me. Actions and their results, thoughts and emotions, etc. come and go in ‘me’ as the clouds appear and disappear in the sky.
Gita advises us not to have hatred towards anything. Everything is God and if we feel hatred towards anything, it is the hatred towards God. A ‘sannyyasi’ is one who does not hate anything, does not have any desires and he is unwavered by the pairs of opposites such as gain and loss. He is completely free from all bondages of action.
Yoga of knowledge (jnana yoga) and the yoga of action (karma yoga) are essentially one and the same . If we practice either one well, we will be benefited with the fruits of both. But Sri Krishna reminds Arjuna that ‘karma yoga’ is superior to renunciating karma altogether. One must do his duties in any case. Those who are not aware of the jnana yoga, will not become a ‘karma yogi’. A ‘jnana yogi’ will not be able to practice it without being a ‘karma yogi’ either. So Gita advices us to cut asunder the doubts emnating from the ignorance with the sword of wisdom. A ‘doubter’ perishes. It is those who cannot comprehend the Truth take refuge in ‘believes’. So a believer is always doubtful. A doubter’s knowledge is incomplete and the doubts emnate from lack of diligence. He will be restless and he will not be able to enjoy even this world, then what to talk about attaining the ultimate bliss?
A sin is basically ignorance and it is a false impression. In the fire of knowledge all sins get burnt into ashes. It is in this process of incineration that one becomes free from all confinements. A wise teacher (guru) imparts knowledge when a disciple asks with an attitude of service and reverence. Guru is the one who removes darkness by bringing in the light of knowledge in the disciple.
