karmaneyvaadikarasthay
ma phaleshu kadhachana
ma karmaphalahethurbhoor
ma thay sangosthwakarmani
Bhagavan says to Arjuna that you have rights only on karma and not on jnana as of now. Why does he say so. It establishes what has been said in our previous post. And that those who are treading the path of karma should continue to do so.Still discussing on how we should do karma,
Bhagavan says
Dhoorena hyavaram
Karmabudhiyogadhananjaya
Budhow sharanamanichwa
Kripana phalahetawa
Meaning: Bad karmas are far away from knowledge or jnana yoga. You should seek refuge in jnanayoga as those who do karma with desire of result are to be looked down upon.
Arjuna uvacha:
Sthithaprajnasya ka baasha
Samaadisthasya keshava
Sthitadhi kim prabaashathay
Kimaseetha vrajathay kim
Meaning: Samadisthasya = One who is engrossed in samaadhi or meditation; Sthithaprajnasya = One whose mind is fixed, not confused and not moving in many directions. Arjuna asks how do we identify a sthithaprajna? How he sits, he behaves, he walks and talks?
What follows is a summarized version of Lord’s reply to Arjuna.
A knowledgeable man in is like a tortoise. He withdraws all his senses from material pleasures just like a tortoise withdraws its organs into the shell. In fact, Koorma avathar and Paalazhi madhanam episode of Puranas symbolically represent something very similar.
As stated before, all puranas are spiritual thoughts said in form of stories. It is said sravana, manana and dhyana are the paths that lead us to spiritual knowhow. Unfortunately, over generations people did sravana (to hear), manana (to by-heart the same) but somehow missed dhyana i.e. to ponder on these and find what exactly these stories tried to convey.
Coming back to koorma avathar, let us try to understand what symbolism in the story was and what it actually tried to convey.
Paalazhi represents our mind and its waves represent the various thoughts.
In the depth of this ocean is hidden the greatest of treasures including Amrith which is nothing but the knowledge of oneness with God and that we are Atman and hence never assailable.
Gods and Demons represent the right and wrong.
Mandhara is from Sanskrit words Mann = Mind and Dhara = Line. So Mandhara represents the concentration required or in other words meditation.
Vasuki, the snake used for the same represents our desires.
Koorma or tortoise represents withdrawal of senses from material pleasures. In fact this helps to keep afloat the sinking concentration.
Reading it all together, when we meditate, the right and wrong personalities in us create waves of thoughts. We need to support this process of meditation by withdrawing our senses like a tortoise withdraws its organs into its shell. And when we do this we get all kinds of treasures and the ultimate being Amrith – the knowledge that Atman is not perishable and is same as Parabrahman. Mohini represents the maya or delusion of the mind which deprives demons from getting Amrith, thus symbolising that those who surrender to this world of delusion, will not be able to achieve the supreme knowledge of oneness.
Bhagavan continues,
Dhyayathay vishayan pumas
Sangasthayshupjayathay
Sangath samjayathay kamah
Kamaath krodhabhijayathay.
Krodha bhavathi sammoha
Sammohath smrithivibrahma
Smrithibrahmshadh budhinaasho
Budhinaashath pranashyathi.
Meaning: One who concentrates on “vishaya” (i.e. sensory pleasures) gets attached to the same. That attachment causes “kama” or desire. And when desire is born and then it is not achieved, it leads to krodha or anger.
Anger puts a veil on knowledge. When this happens, we forget what we are. And this leads to actually death of Budhi or Thought Process. To stop thinking is equal to destruction of praana or life. This is no less than death.
These verses are really good, aren’t they? It gives the real reason behind all our miseries. And also the way it actually grows within us. How attachment leads to desires and how it leads to anger and budhibrahmsha.
Vihaya kaaman ya Sarvan
Pumamshcharathi nisprihaha
Nirmamo Nirahankarah
Sa santhimadhigatchathi.
Meaning: One who thus denounces desires and lives without sense of detached attachment and without pride of living so or of being
knowledgeable attains Santhi.
The idea is very simple. If you have opted for Karma then do your karma with a sense of detachment from its result. Do your duty whatever may be the result. Denounce desires and then you shall be peaceful forever.
With this sloka we would put an end to discussion on Sankya Yoga for time being. We will revisit the same again later as we get newer better ideas on the same
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